DocM Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 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 HDEV SALSN 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beittil Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Nice to see that trunk being put to good use on this flight :) Very much looking forward to this launch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted February 6, 2014 Author Share Posted February 6, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted February 6, 2014 Author Share Posted February 6, 2014 Secondary launch dates in case of a scrub are now March 17, 19 and 20. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 Dragon CRS-3 now NET March 16 at ~4:41 AM Eastern. Launch date and time confirmed. Both stages and Dragon are at KSC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beittil Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Sweet, something to watch while eating breakfast :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted February 12, 2014 Author Share Posted February 12, 2014 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 Legs for the attempted landing at sea. FAA wants sea landings to prove control and precision before land landings at KSC or Vandenberg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 Video of the deployment of 250 KickSat Sprite picosatellites on this flight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingskippy Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 When will Dragonbe able to dock autonomously or will it always require the Canadarm to grab it and pull it in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beittil Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 CRS will always be berthed. There is zero reason to put the expensive autonomous docking hardware onto a cargo dragon :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingskippy Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I thought before the shuttle retired there was a mission where a Lidar system from Spacex was tested for docking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 5, 2014 Author Share Posted March 5, 2014 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. 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) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 Weather permitting, an engine hotfire test will be performed between 1 PM and 5 PM Local. Rollout this AM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 Weather didn't permit - try again Saturday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 9, 2014 Author Share Posted March 9, 2014 SpaceX confirms there was a successful hotfire today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 9, 2014 Author Share Posted March 9, 2014 @AstroRobonaut Less than 2 weeks until my legs are scheduled to launch on #SpaceX3! Can you tell I'm excited? pic.twitter.com/bUFL0Tw8X7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 Patch, legs and hotfire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beittil Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Now you can also clearly see those caps on the rocket above the legs :) I still think it would have looked more badass if they had left em black though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 Remember that side is facing the engine plume while landing. The white coating is a thermal protection layer and it reflects infrared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 CRS-3 in the hangar. Link only because it's large (2000x3000). Link.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beittil Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 What is the purpose of that big metal ring around the engine compartment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 Press kit http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/SpaceXCRS-3_PressKit_FINAL.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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