SpaceX Dragon CRS-3 (ISS mission thread)


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This third contracted ISS CRS mission was scheduled for Feb. 22 2014, but has been moved right to NET March 1 2014.

The change appeared in a recent ISS Expedition report. No explanation yet as to if it's payload or vehicle related. It's possible a last minute primary or secondary payload was added.

Another possibility is that SpaceX needed time to complete landing legs for the Falcon 9 v.1's first stage so reusability tests can be performed.

Primary payloads:

* miscellaneous experiments, consumables and supplies for the ISS. Inside Dragon.

* Optical PAyload for Lasercomm Science (OPALS), a high-bandwidth space to ground laser communications device for ISS. In the trunk.

* High Definition Earth Viewing (HDEV), which is to assess commercial HD hardwares ability to function in the LEO environment. It will also provide live video straming over the internet. In the trunk.

Secondary payloads (deployed by F9 upper stage):

* KickSat CubeSat, which will deploy 250 KickSat Sprite picosatellites

* ALL-STAR/THEIA, a 3U cubesat from the Colorado Space Grant Consortium (CoSGC) and Lockheed Martin

* TechCube 1, a 3U CubeSat from NASA Goddard

* LMRSat (Low Mass Radio Science Transponder Satellite), a 2U CubeSat from JPL

* Hermes-2, a 1U CubeSat from the Colorado Space Grant Consortium (CoSGC)

ISS Expedition update

SpaceX-3 Prepack: Wakata commenced prepacking activities in support of the upcoming SpaceX-3 mission. An estimated 25 hours of crew time will be spent towards prepacking activities in the coming weeks. SpaceX-3 is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 1st and rendezvous with ISS on March 3rd.

OPALS

opals20130712.jpg

HDEV

HDEV4.JPG

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  • 2 weeks later...

Dragon CRS-3 now NET March 16 at ~4:41 AM Eastern. Exact launch window soon.

Delayed because of eastern US weather issues (snow, ice, winds) preventing the F9 first stage from being shipped and a busy Visiting Vehicle schedule at ISS. No rocket/payload issues, just a wicked winter.

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SpaceX CRS-3 (Dragon C5) Falcon 9 v1.1 is now planned for March 16, 2014 at 0841 UT.

Secondary payloads,

 ? All-Star/THEIA, Colorado Space Grant Consortium, 2401.700 MHz

 ? Hermes-2, Colorado Space Grant Consortium, 437.425 MHz

 ? Ho?oponopono-2, University of Hawaii, 427.220 MHz 9600 bps FSK / GMSK

 ? LMRS at, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

 ? SporeSat, Santa Clara University, 437.100 MHz and 2401.2-2431.2 MHz

 ? TechCube-1, NASA Goddard

 ? TSAT (TestSat-Lite), Taylor University

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  • 3 weeks later...

Cargo Dragon berths, it doesn't dock. Docking is to be used on DragonRider (crew Dragon) which has major changes.

The DragonEye LIDAR is used to get within 10m of ISS so the arm can grab cargo Dragon.

Since DragonEye is under the berthing grapple fixtures GNC door. Dragon approaches side first, not nose-first. Connection is via a Passive Common Berthing Mechanism, or berthing. CBM can only be disconnected from the ISS side, so no emergency crew return use. CBM has a 127 cm hatch for large cargo.

Z6412.jpgdragon_workers_prepping.jpg

For DragonRider (crew) the DragonEye gets moved to a position next to an off-centeted NDS docking adapter at its nose.

Now the imaging system is used differently, to dock nose first. Docking adapters can be disconnected from either side for emergency crew returns and have a smaller hatch. NDS's hatch is 68.5cm, expandable to 81.3cm if some parts are removed.

DragonRider NDS hatch layout (rest of spacecraft is different)

DRiderMar2012-1.jpg300px-Passive_and_active_NDS..png

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LiveStream coverage usually starts about 30 min before launch,

https://new.livestream.com/spacex

March 5, 2014

MEDIA ADVISORY M14-040

NASA Coverage Set for March 16 SpaceX Mission to Space Station

The next SpaceX cargo mission to the International Space Station under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract is scheduled to launch Sunday, March 16, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The company's Falcon 9 rocket, carrying its Dragon cargo capsule, will lift off at 4:41 a.m. EDT. NASA Television coverage of the launch begins at 3:45 a.m. If for any reason the launch is postponed, the next launch opportunity is Monday, March 17 at 4:19 a.m., with NASA TV coverage beginning at 3:15 a.m.

The mission, designated SpaceX-3, is the third of 12 SpaceX flights contracted by NASA to resupply the space station. It will be the fourth trip by a Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory.

The capsule will be filled with almost 5,000 pounds of scientific experiments and supplies. The Dragon will remain attached to the space station's Harmony module for more than three weeks, and splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California on April 17 with more than 3,500 pounds of experiment samples and equipment returning from the station.

NASA will host a prelaunch news conference at 1 p.m., Saturday, March 15, at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, followed by a SpaceX science and technology cargo news conference at 2 p.m. Both briefings will be carried live on NASA TV and the agency's website.

If launch occurs March 16, NASA TV will provide live coverage Tuesday, March 18, of the arrival of the Dragon cargo ship to the International Space Station. Grapple and berthing coverage will begin at 5:45 a.m., with grapple at 7 a.m. Berthing coverage begins at 9:30 a.m.

Media may request accreditation to attend the prelaunch news conferences and launch online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

The deadline for U.S. media to apply for accreditation is March 10. The deadline has passed for international media to apply.

Media credentials will be valid for mission activities from launch through splashdown at Kennedy and at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

For more information about media accreditation, contact Jennifer Horner at 321-867-6598.

For an updated schedule of prelaunch briefings, events and NASA TV coverage items, visit:

http://go.nasa.gov/1dsh9dp

For NASA TV schedule and video streaming information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

For video b-roll and other International Space Station media resources, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/stationnews

For launch countdown coverage, NASA's launch blog and more information about the mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/spacex

For more information about the International Space Station, research in low-Earth orbit, NASA's commercial space programs and the future of American spaceflight, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/exploration

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It's a bolt-on rotisserie frame. There are others, and they set on powered rollers which are on dolly rigs.

These let them rotate the F9 on its long axis so they can easily get to whatever they need to during assembly and payload integration.

Once finished they put slings under it, lifting it off the rollers. Then they remove the frames, wheel in the transporter/etector/launch mount and ready it for flight.

A pretty smart, minimalist system.

This old video shows it being used with the Falcon 9 v1.0, but the version for Falcon 9 v1.1 is pretty much the same.

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