DocM Posted October 19, 2013 Share Posted October 19, 2013 Currently NET February 11, 2014 ISS payload mass: 1,580kg (3,476lb) Payloads: 1 GLACIER and 2 MERLIN freezers for experiment samples, Optical PAyload for Lasercomm Science (OPALS), the High Definition Earth Viewing (HDEV) camera, the KickSat CubeSat - which will deploy 250 (!!) KickSat Sprite picosatellites, plus incidentals and consumables. This will also be the next Falcon 9 v1.1 to attempt landing the first stage after main engine cut-off (MECO) and stage separation. This is a major step towards manufacturing a reusable launcher, which will drastically lower launch costs. If landing legs are available they are working with KSC for a place to make a land touchdown and with the FAA for permits. If no legs are available it'll attempt another touchdown at sea, similar to the CASSIOPE launch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted October 19, 2013 Author Share Posted October 19, 2013 The KickSat cubesat started out as a Kickstarter project that succeeded. The first gen Sprite satellites are about the size of a cracker and are sold as development kits for ~$200+. Time should apply Moore's Law to their capabilities, and IMO the concept begs to be upscaled. KickSat (each slot houses a Sprite & deployer) KickSat Sprite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarK0Y Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 This will also be the next Falcon 9 v1.1 to attempt landing the first stage after main engine cut-off (MECO) and stage separation. This is a major step towards manufacturing a reusable launcher, which will drastically lower launch costs. such a mantra :) it'd be great, for 1st times, to increase payload mass up to reasonable numbers + meet the dates to launch w/ no terrific plague of delays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted April 20, 2014 Author Share Posted April 20, 2014 NASA TV coverage of Dragons arrival at ISS. All times are EDT. http://www.nasa.gov/ http://mobile.nasa.gov April 20, Sunday 5:45 a.m. - Coverage of the Rendezvous and Grapple of the SpaceX/Dragon Cargo Craft at the ISS (Grapple scheduled at 7:14 a.m. ET) - JSC (All Channels) 9:30 a.m. - Coverage of the Installation of the SpaceX/Dragon Cargo Craft on the ISS (Installation scheduled to begin at appx. 9:45 a.m. ET) - JSC (All Channels) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarK0Y Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 if no secret, what was the velocity of stage to impact onto water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted April 20, 2014 Author Share Posted April 20, 2014 0 m/s. Soft landing except for high waves. Avionics and telemetry kept broadcasting until it tipped horizontal. The USAV General Frank S. Besson (US Army logistics ship) departed Port Canaveral several hours ago heading E-NE at 11 kt, a heading towards the recovery zone. The Besson can only do 12.5 kt light, 11.5 kt heavy. ISTM they're in a big hurry in the direction of the recovery zone. Too many floating ITAR-sensitive goodies to leave floating once those seas settle, and the smaller ships weren't able to get to it. Or it could be a coincidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted April 20, 2014 Author Share Posted April 20, 2014 Dragon is ahead of schedule! MCC-Houston to ISS: Dragon range 600 meters ISS: Dragon in sight :ninja: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted April 20, 2014 Author Share Posted April 20, 2014 GRAPPLE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted April 20, 2014 Author Share Posted April 20, 2014 Berthing complete at 10:06 EDT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cropcircles Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 That was really amazing to watch the capture. I was wondering how that was done. Is there another capture procedure video that shows a more secure connection between Space X and the space station ? How do they exchange cargo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted April 20, 2014 Author Share Posted April 20, 2014 Dragon has a GNC** bay door on one side that opens and latches. On this door is a grapple post with a knob at the end. ** (Guidance, Navigation, and Control) On the station side is the robotic arm, which has a grapple fixture at the end. This is essentially a can with 3 cables in it, wrapped around its inside perimiter. The grapple fixture is placed over the GNC door post, then the cables are wrapped & tightened around the post making the hard connection. Because of how the cables are wrapped it's self-centering, GNC door & post Grapple fixture cable motions Grapple fixture photo After the Dragon is berthed to ISS, essentially they're screwed together using electrically driven bolts, a 50 inch / 127 cm hatch is opened and pressurized cargo transferred. Unpressurized cargo in the external trunk is removed by the robotic arm, again using the grapple adapter and posts on each item. Koichi Wakata ?@Astro_Wakata Space-X Dragon spacecraft arrived on the ISS. Congratulations to the entire team on the successful operation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingskippy Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Last I heard, the first stage was reported floating partly submerged about 200 miles off shore Savannah, GA. Size reported was 150 ft long by 12 ft wide. The Coast Guard has been issuing Marine Information Broadcasts for it since yesterday morning. I checked the marinetraffic.com site, but maybe the USAV has encrypted AIS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted April 21, 2014 Author Share Posted April 21, 2014 Where'd you hear that? PM if necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted April 22, 2014 Author Share Posted April 22, 2014 Dunno if she's talking part of the pics or part of the Falcon 9. After the sea landing it spent at least a day in 20 foot seas. http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/space-flight-missions/commercial-space-space-flight-missions/spacex/crs-3/spacex-president-shotwell-talks-recovery-efforts-recent-ribbon-cutting-ceremony/ Space Exploration Technologies? (SpaceX) President and Chief Executive Officer Gwynne Shotwell answered the question that is on many a space enthusiasts minds this week ? what happened in terms of the company?s efforts to recover the first stage of the Falcon 9 v1.1 booster that launched on Friday April 18 at 3:25 p.m. EDT (1825 GMT). > > Johnson: Have you found it yet? Shotwell: ?Yes, we?ve found it.? Johnson: Can you tell us what you found? Shotwell: Not at this time, I haven?t seen all the photos. We?ve seen parts (laughs)!? Johnson: Is there going to be video or photos released? Shotwell: ?I think we have some video. We didn?t have any real-time telemetry and video, so I haven?t seen it yet, I haven?t been back in the office.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted April 22, 2014 Author Share Posted April 22, 2014 NAVAREA IV 274/14 [1 of 1][[WWNWSFOLDER]] WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 1. 150 FOOT LONG ROCKET BOOSTER ADRIFT VICINITY 31-00N 076-00W. REPORTS TO U.S. COAST GUARD MIAMI The US Army logistics ship Besson (LSV1) left port steaming at 11 knots. Its only capable of 11.5 kt heavy, 12.5 kt light, so it's in a hurry. http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-77.986/centery:32.6265/zoom:8/mmsi:368766000 Track Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingskippy Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 They have already passed the 31-00N latitude. Is it for sure they are headed to pick it up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted April 22, 2014 Author Share Posted April 22, 2014 That's the word around KSC. Remember the Gulf stream. It can move a floater well over a hundred miles a day. Just heard the USAV Bristoe Station is on a similar track, but ahead of the USAV Besson. She's a Runnymede class large landing craft. 1,100 tons, 174 ft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingskippy Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 I thought of that shortly after I posted. Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted April 23, 2014 Author Share Posted April 23, 2014 Need now to check on the Oxbow. It's in the area and circling for almost 12 hours. We're hearing the Navy is now helping. Besson etc. (Army) are out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beittil Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 First image released by Elon from the descend of the CRS-3 mission 1st stage! Elon MuskVerified account?@elonmusk Partly cleaned up frame from rocket landing. Full stream posted on http://spacex.com tmrw pic.twitter.com/3c754LVYVK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted April 29, 2014 Author Share Posted April 29, 2014 Net bandwidth use tomorrow is going to go through the roof :) Taken by a cam at the top of the landing first stage from the recent CRS-3 ISS resupply mission. Video also said to be coming after they clean it up. Aviation Week has called this R&D "exemplar" and a "model" http://m.aviationweek.com/editorial/editorial-spacex-s-plan-shows-aggressive-investment-rd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beittil Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Man, can't help but think that if they had permission to fly back and land at the cape it might as worked to! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted April 29, 2014 Author Share Posted April 29, 2014 Jeeezzzzzz....,, Elon Musk@ elonmusk Falcon 9 onboard camera shot right before splashdown. Full vid posting shortly to http://t.co/0ibzGWMxzu. http://t.co/RXcKJ1d36G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted April 29, 2014 Author Share Posted April 29, 2014 Nitroc3ll ?@nitroc3ll 10h @elonmusk is this the rocket from the crs-3 mission? Elon Musk ?@elonmusk 10h @nitroc3ll yes Micah Taulbee ?@micahgtb 10h @elonmusk Was it to fuel depletion? Elon Musk ?@elonmusk 9h @micahgtb almost Kevin Pluck ?@constrainedbyc 10h @elonmusk How did tech like landing radar (I'm guessing) cope with wave motion? Elon Musk ?@elonmusk 9h @constrainedbyc no problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatingFatMan Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Still no video? :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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