231 replies to this topic

[DocM]

Dragon C2+ compilation video - plus a few stills of hellfire

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[neoadorable]

hahahaha awesome pics Doc, nothing like nice rocket engines firing!

[DocM]

Now that it's official that SpaceX has won a full CCiCAP award for commercial crew they've put out a new video. Propulsive landing all the way down baby....

First full up flight in the 2014-2015 timeframe.

[DocM]

There are two stated SuperDraco tests under CCiCAP; a pad abort and a flight abort - probably at Max-Q.

For tests they'd probably start out tethered like Masten and Armadillo do, hovering then setting back down. That'll probably progress to a Soyuz style landing under chutes, firing at the last minute, before attempting a full prop landing. They showed the Soyuz style landing in a video 2-3 weeks ago.

Here's the SpaceX NewSpace 2012 video showing the 'chutes & rockets landing. Judging from the captions a full end-to-end test is in the plan too.

[DocM]

AWST interview with SpaceX's Gwynne Shotwell confirming the much upgraded F9 v1.1 will have an octagonal + center engine arrangement instead of the 3x3 tic-tac-toe of F9 v1.0. This puts the thrust loads closer to the tank skins, which more evenly distributes them, and lightens the thrust structure (engine mount). The center engine adds to steering and, in the future, landing capability for a reusable / landable F9.

http://www.aviationw...8d-bb5a8a3ad59b

[drsnooker]

The first hop of the grasshopper!

http://twitter.yfrog...pepnbpmodbgnosz

[DocM]

Word's spreading fast

YouTube version -

[DocM]

Erroneous post.

[DocM]

Merlin 1D Vacuum (M1DVac) engine - the core of the new Falcon 9 v1.1 & Falcon Heavy upper stage.

Besides the explosive hydroformed fabrication, which is faster and much cheaper than machining & plating the thrust chamber, it's simpler and has almost 28% more thrust that the Merlin 1C Vacuum in current use.

Falcon 9 v1.1, M1D (sea level) and M1DVac will make their maiden flight from the new SpaceX pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base's Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) in Q1 2013.

Fabrication: explosive hydroforming

Thrust: 80 metric tonnes (176,370 lb/f)

[neoadorable]

thanks for keeping up the updates Doc, and 80 tons is a lot of friggin thrust! sure beats my Caprice!

[DocM]

http://www.neowin.ne...#entry595218519

[drsnooker]

[DocM]

Quote

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Just prior to the wet dress rehearsal for the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the frameworks of the former MILA tracking station S-band 9-meter tracking antennas are seen with the Falcon 9 rocket. These antennas were used by NASA during the Apollo and space shuttle programs. They are being re-purposed by SpaceX. The antennas will moved to another location, reassembled and refurbished for tracking during future SpaceX launches and missions. The SpaceX CRS contract with NASA provides for 12 cargo resupply missions to the station through 2015, the first of which is targeted to launch in October 2012.SpaceX became the first private company to berth a spacecraft with the space station in 2012 during its final demonstration flight under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, program managed by NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

MILA antennae at LC-40

[DocM]

Wired magazine article on SpaceX's McGregor, Texas test facility -

http://www.wired.com...45&viewall=true

[DocM]

Dragon arrived at ISS a bit early, and now they're opening the hatch this afternoon (Eastern time) instead of tomorrow. Guess the news that their new freezer comes with a shipment of ice cream was a strong motivator