bguy_1986 Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 NASA commercial crew presser today. Dragon 2 flies the pad abort test in February 2015. Pictures of the vehicle to be posted later today. LC-39A is ready enough already? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted January 26, 2015 Author Share Posted January 26, 2015 It'll fly from LC-40. They test fitted the test fixture to its transporter-Erector in December. The fixture attaches where the second stage would be and has all its connectors and signalling to make it a valid test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bguy_1986 Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 It'll fly from LC-40. They test fitted the test fixture to its transporter-Erector in December. The fixture attaches where the second stage would be and has all its connectors and signalling to make it a valid test. I didn't misread anything correct? They were going to move it to 39A because of the crowded manifest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted January 26, 2015 Author Share Posted January 26, 2015 They were looking to, but decided to git 'er done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geertd Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 OH BOY I cant wait to see this thing go SpaceX ?@SpaceX 3 min.3 minuten geleden Major test of Crew Dragon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 Soon, Grasshopper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatingFatMan Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Fly, baby, fly!!! (I know, it's just the abort test vehicle, but still!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bguy_1986 Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Sorry if it's been posted already, but will this land in the ocean or on a pad right away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beittil Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Initially under parachutes in the ocean, like the current cargo Dragon! Landing on land will be developed later on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 Correct. There's a separate development program at McGregor called DragonFly for land landings, both parachute and propulsive. DragonFly is to Dragon 2 like F9R Dev is to Falcon 9. It'll use a special Dragon 2 instrumented for gathering landing test data and software development. Pics taken by NSF's resident spy pilot (JimNtexas) have shown DragonFly related launch fixtures and a new pad, with one fixture that looks like a fin-less Dragon 2 Trunk being set up next to the F9R Dev pad. This may indicate tests are getting close. There's a separate DragonFly thread, but here's the FAA environmental assessment. It has plenty of details about the DragonFly test program. Some of its hops are going to be a bit...sporty http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/media/DragonFly_Final_EA_sm.pdf Enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Dragon V2 undergoing tests Javascript is not enabled or refresh the page to view. Click here to view the Tweet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted February 27, 2015 Author Share Posted February 27, 2015 New image of abort test Dragon V2 showing the updated dragons head logo, https://twitter.com/SpaceXEngineer/status/571378327669178369 @SpaceXEngineer New Dragon logo! http://t.co/7QpXmj2I5q Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted February 27, 2015 Author Share Posted February 27, 2015 Also, Dragon 2's propellant load nearly DOUBLED, a movable ballast sled for adjusting the vehicles center of gravity, Pad-39A details....all kinds of new goodies in SpaceX's (former astronaut) Garrett Reisman's statement before Congress. Worth the read. Statement....(PDF) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SALSN Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Wow - can't wait for this thing to start flying, any word on whether they will be broadcasting the pad abort test? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 It's a NASA test so it'll probably be on NASA TV, broadcast and streamed. Also: this Dragon V2 is at KSC, waiting for her turn. Heavily instrumented and with a test dummy to measure astronaut loads. SALSN 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 The food fight is on NASA Watch @NASAWatch Boeing throws shade on SpaceX ability to understand tasks - says Boeing has built every U.S. capsule & still has that experience 1/2 > Of course this is silly since Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo designers are dead or retired - but why be accurate, Boeing? 2/2 @NASAWatch SpaceX has more experience with 21st century capsule design than Boeing has at this point by simple virtue of actually flying one 1/2 > @NASAWatch Last time that a Boeing (i.e. McDonnell Douglas or Rockwell) designed capsule flew was 1975 - that was FORTY YEARS AGO. 2/2 #SalesHype Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 From the Goddard 2015 conference Javascript is not enabled or refresh the page to view. Click here to view the Tweet SALSN and Unobscured Vision 2 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 HOOYAH!! Javascript is not enabled or refresh the page to view. Click here to view the Tweet Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2015/03/24/spacex-engine-test-demonstrates-pad-abort-test-profile// SpaceX Engine Test Demonstrates Pad Abort Test Profile SpaceX ignited two of its SuperDraco engines together at the company Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beittil Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Makes sense to, if you want to achieve rapid reuse then it isn't desirable to have to replace the thermal protection panel after each flight (same goes for other components) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 I'm thinking were seeing the first demos of PICA-X III. PICA-X I was on cargo Dragon until recently when it was replaced by PICA-X II, both being brown in color, and the Dragon 2 reveal hinted that PICA-X III is black. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 SpaceX has performed a tanking test of the Dragon V2 flight abort test first stage at Vandenberg. NASASpaceFlight has a good article. bullet points - pics & more at the NSF link 3 engines, possibly a repurposed F9R Dev-2 core No interstage No legs, but the mounts are there. If it is a repurposed Dev-2 this is to be expected The transporter-erectors claw has moved down and is now wrapped around the upper first stage. This could all indicate no upper stage will be used, similar to the Little Joe and Little Joe II flight abort tests of Mercury and Apollo. Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted April 11, 2015 Author Share Posted April 11, 2015 Pics made public by Helodriver at NSF, Resized for bandwidth, Crop/zoom from the full rez, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 GAME ON!! - pad abort May 2 Javascript is not enabled or refresh the page to view. Click here to view the Tweet Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 A new big question is; which comes first, the Dragon 2 flight abort test or its first orbital flight? Sounds like they may go orbital first, presumably to get a 1+ year jump on Boeing. http://spacenews.com/spacex-successfully-tests-dragon-abort-system/#sthash.WbJm4Qc2.dpuf > Another milestone in that award is an in-flight abort test, where the Dragon will separate from a Falcon 9 after launch at the point of maximum dynamic pressure on the vehicle. That launch is tentatively scheduled for this fall from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, but Musk suggested it could take place after an uncrewed orbital test flight that is part of the commercial crew contract it received last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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