Dragon C2+ launch (SPLASHDOWN!!)

[Dr Mordrid]

230 meters away - will retreat to test the bug-out control then go on another approach.

[Dr Mordrid]

Cleared to move in to 30 meters - pic at 150 meters, current position 120 meters.

[Dr Mordrid]

80 meters & holding while LIDAR mode change is done

[Dr Mordrid]

30 meter hold (normal)

[Dr Mordrid]

Cleared for 10 meters and on the way in.

[Fat Tone]

It's so cool watching this live.

Lets hope the other lidar doesn't fail.

[Dr Mordrid]

Capture!! Over OZ....

First commercial spacecraft at ISS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=M2Tz1Ph0e_4

[Fat Tone]

Any idea how long before they start the berthing process?

[Dr Mordrid]

Berthing is done, the atmosphere checks and connections have been made and tonight they open the hatch. It returns to Earth May 31 because of the coming solar beta angle issue and other spacecraft ops over the next few weeks.

If all goes well Dragon CRS-1, the first full-load contracted resupply mission, comes later this summer and CRS-2 by the end of the year. CRS-1's first stage is already at KSC in SpaceX's main hangar. These will be the last flights of Falcon 9 v.1.0 as flights after that will use the much updated F9 v.1.1. A post on that beast and its implications is in the works.

Happy days at both NASA and SpaceX, and Elon is already talking about the next-gen Falcons and hinting at a beyond Earth orbit system.

MEDIA ADVISORY: M12-097

NASA ADMINISTRATOR CALLS STATION FOLLOWING SPACEX HISTORIC FEAT

WASHINGTON -- NASA Administrator Charles Bolden offered his
congratulations to the International Space Station Expedition 31 crew
and mission flight control teams at NASA's Johnson Space Center in
Houston and SpaceX's headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif., following
Friday's successful first-time berthing of a commercial company
spacecraft, SpaceX's Dragon, to the space station.

Bolden talked with NASA astronauts Don Pettit and Joe Acaba, and
European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers during a call to the
space station Friday afternoon live on NASA Television. Bolden told
the crew, "You made history today and have firmly locked into place
the future direction of America's space program."

To view the call between Bolden and the Expedition 31 astronauts,
visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=J3Smw7rz1FU

At 9:56 a.m. EDT Friday, Pettit used the station's robotic arm to
grapple Dragon. Kuipers then used the arm to attach the capsule to
the station's Harmony node at 11:52 a.m. Acaba completed berthing
operations by remotely bolting the Dragon to Harmony at 12:02 p.m.
The crew members spent the rest of their day preparing to open the
hatches between the two spacecraft on Saturday morning.

The SpaceX demonstration mission to the space station is the second
under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program,
which provides investments intended to lead to regular resupply
missions to the station and stimulate the commercial space industry
in the United States.

[Dr Mordrid]

@NASA: "Like the smell of a brand new car" - @astro_Pettit shortly after #ISS #Exp31 crew enter @SpaceX #Dragon.

The masks are standard procedure, especially with a new vehicle. In microgravity every loose particle, even metals, leaked fluids etc. becomes "dust," so masks on until the air is tested.

Notice the 127 cm (50 inch) hatch, actually a PCBM - passive common berthing mechanism - which is needed for larger cargo. It has threaded mounting holes that the ISS's ACBM (Active CBM) electric driven bolts screw into to make the attachment. This cannot be used for crew ships as the active part is on the ISS and not the spacecraft, and remote operation could not be assured if a lifeboat situation came up.

As such, the upcoming NASA CCDev crew spacecraft will use iLIDS (international low impact docking system) under the US implementation known as the NASA Docking System (NDS). Dragon will take up the new NDS adapters for ISS in its trunk. NDS has a smaller opening (up to 80 cm) because of weight limitations and no need for large cargo openings.

[Dr Mordrid]

May 29, 2012

Trent J. Perrotto
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0321
trent.j.perrotto@nasa.gov

Josh Byerly
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
josh.byerly@nasa.gov

MEDIA ADVISORY: M12-098

NASA TV COVERAGE FOR SPACEX DRAGON REENTRY AND SPLASHDOWN

HOUSTON -- NASA Television will provide extensive coverage of the
departure of the SpaceX Dragon capsule from the International Space
Station before its reentry and splashdown on May 31.

On Wednesday, May 30, a news briefing previewing the departure
activities will be held at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston at
9 a.m. CDT (10 a.m. EDT) and will be broadcast live on NASA TV and
the agency's website. Participants include NASA Flight Director Holly
Ridings and SpaceX Mission Manager John Couluris.

On Thursday, May 31, NASA TV will begin live coverage of the departure
of Dragon at 2:30 a.m. CDT (3:30 a.m. EDT). Coverage will continue
through the release of Dragon from the station, currently scheduled
for 5:10 a.m. CDT (6:10 a.m. EDT) and will resume at 9:15 a.m. CDT
(10:15 a.m. EDT) with deorbit and splashdown coverage. The capsule is
currently scheduled to splashdown in the Pacific Ocean at 10:44 a.m.
CDT (11:44 a.m. EDT) hundreds of miles off the west coast of
California likely out of range of live television.

A news briefing will be held jointly from Johnson and SpaceX in
Hawthorne, Calif., at 1 p.m. CDT (2 p.m. EDT) live on NASA TV.

Media representatives can participate in person at Johnson or via
telephone by calling 281-483-5111 at least 15 minutes before each
briefing. Media badges from Dragon launch activities at NASA's
Kennedy Space Center in Florida will be honored at Johnson through
splashdown.

For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming
video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For up-to-date information about the SpaceX mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/spacex

[Dr Mordrid]

Splashdown at 27 N. Lat. 120 W. Long

Recovery boats on the way & Dragon spotted!!

[Dr Mordrid]

'chutes released and the boats are very close.

THE DRAGON HAS (SPLASH) LANDED

SpaceX’s Dragon Spacecraft Safely Completes Historic Mission to the Space Station

Hawthorne, CA – This morning, at approximately 8:42 AM Pacific/11:42 AM Eastern, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) completed its historic mission when the Dragon spacecraft splashed down safely in the Pacific. The vehicle will now be recovered by boats and start the trip back to land.

At 11:00 AM Pacific/2:00 PM Eastern, SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer Elon Musk will join NASA Space Station Program Manager Mike Suffredini and NASA COTS Program Manager Alan Lindenmoyer for a press conference to discuss today’s exciting events.

Reporters wishing to participate in the event can call in to NASA’s Johnson Space Center Newsroom at 281-483-5111. For NASA TV downlink information or to watch it live visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv .

Last week, SpaceX made history when its Dragon spacecraft became the first commercial vehicle in history to successfully attach to the International Space Station. Previously only four governments – the United States, Russia, Japan and the European Space Agency – had achieved this challenging technical feat. Dragon departed the space station this morning.

Broadcast quality videos, including footage from the recovery ship will be posted to vimeo.com/spacexlaunch and high-resolution photos will be posted to spacexlaunch.zenfolio.com as soon as they are available.

This is SpaceX's second demonstration flight under a 2006 Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) agreement with NASA to develop the capability to carry cargo to and from the International Space Station.

[Dr Mordrid]

Faces today

SpaceX

NASA

Capitol Hill skeptics

Roscosmos

Me

[Jammrock]

I think SpaceX would fall under as well.