SpaceX Updates (thread 2)

[remixedcat]

I'm almost frozen right now... but omg my dad always loved star trek and has watched every episode and always wanted to met the cast and OMG HE WENT UP WITH ONE OF THEM!!!!!

and a REAL ASTRONAUT AS WELL!!!!

AAAAAH!!! OMG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE HERE THAT PARTICIPATED IN THIS THREAD!~!! THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO MY FAMILY!!!!!!MY FAMILY THANKS YOU FOR THIISSS!!!

[DocM]

Here's a capture off the SpaceX video feed for you -

[remixedcat]

I recorded it with fraps.... I'm gonna re-encode and upload mine to youtube soon.... I gotta let this soak in for a while!!!!!!

[remixedcat]

here's my dad's page on Celests's site:

http://www.celestis.com/memorial/newfrontier/kowalsky.asp

[DocM]

Sounds like a helluva character. We'd have probably got along; racing cars, chasing women etc., though the bank deal is another matter :whistle: ;)

Glad you got to give him his dream.

[remixedcat]

Thank you doc!!! ^_^

[DocM]

Realtime satellite tracking map for Dragon and ISS

http://www.n2yo.com/?s=25544|77777

[neoadorable]

And I'm crying again...launches always make me weepy, altho I missed the live broadcast so only replays. Congrats to SpaceX, NASA, and everyone.

And so good that your dad has closure and what he wanted, remixed!

[remixedcat]

Thank you so much neoadorable!!!! Much appreciated!!!! ^_^

[DocM]

The chase is on....

[BoredBozirini]

After how many attempts? About damn time. Now start sending people up there.

[DocM]

Whaddya mean "after how many attempts?" Methinks you're being argumentative for arguments sake.

Falcon 9 is 3 for 3, and Dragon's only other full mission flight was a 100% success (the flight 1 Dragon being a mass simulator) , landing within 800 meters of its pickup ship when Soyuz is lucky to hit within a 20-30 km landing zone.

As far as this attempt goes, the abort on Saturday was a failed nitrogen gas valve and it was not a SpaceX part - similar parts from the same manufacturer are used on other launch vehicles including the Atlas V Delta IV. That they could do a full analysis, repair, and check all the other valves on the other 8 engines on the pad, and turnaround to a successful launch within 3 days is raising eyebrows.

Day One Milestones

(aborts = bug-out modes - rapidly retreat from the existing position without destabilizing the spacecraft)

Free drift (no station keeping): no leaking gases or fluids destabilizing its orientation; successful

Pulsed abort: Draco thrusters rapidly pulsing; successful

Non-Pulsed abort: Draco thrusters continuously firing; successful

All milestones met

[DocM]

And one highly symbolic pic -

[Crisp]

Uploaded to FaceTube yet Remixedcat?

[calimike]

Dragon C2+ tracking now

http://www.n2yo.com/?s=38348

[DocM]

One of the deployed solar wings, DragonEye infrared image of the grapple adapter (what ISS grabs) after the sensor bay door opened, and another test of DragonEye's infrared imager (Earth cloud tops.)

[remixedcat]

is my video I uploaded. Mom watched my upload since she needed the rest after a long work trip...and was unable to be awake at those hours...

video recorded with FRAPS and processed with AVS video editor.

[remixedcat]

After how many attempts? About damn time. Now start sending people up there.

Better safe than sorry! I'd glad they were careful, cool, and took their time to get it right instead of being like "oh well it didn't work so let's just quit" ... They were extremely patient, collected, and really did an AMAZING job and anyone with anything bad to say about them is disgusting.

[DocM]

This is the Dragon schedule - all times US Eastern. If it's streamed NASA TV is at -

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

but it'll probably also be streamed by LiveStream and at SpaceX's website

http://www.spacex.com

MY 23, Wednesday

Catch up to ISS

May 24, Thursday

2:30 a.m. ? SpaceX/Dragon Fly-Under Coverage

10 a.m. ? Mission Status Briefing

11 a.m. ? ISS Update

May 25, Friday

2 a.m. ? SpaceX/Dragon ISS Rendezvous and Berthing Coverage

1 p.m. ? Mission Status Briefing

May 26, Saturday

5:30 a.m. ? SpaceX/Dragon Hatch Opening Coverage

11:25 a.m. ? Expedition 31 Crew News Conference

May 31, Thursday

3:30 a.m. ? SpaceX/Dragon Departure Coverage

9:00 a.m. ? ISS Update

10:15 a.m. ? SpaceX/Dragon Deorbit and Splashdown Coverage

1:30 p.m. ? Mission Status Briefing

Dragon was going to stay longer, but the launch delay and other issues like the solar beta angle (Earth shadow issue) made the stay have to be short.

[DocM]

This would be tests for the Grasshopper project - landing a Falcon 9 first stage propulsively so it can be re-used.

Concept video: http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=sSF81yjVbJE

http://www.nasa.gov/...012/12-058.html

Kimberly Newton

Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.

256-544-0034

[email protected]

05.23.12

RELEASE : 12-058

NASA's Marshall Center Concludes Wind Tunnel Testing to Aid in SpaceX Reusable Launch System Design

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., completed wind tunnel testing for Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorn, Calif., to provide Falcon 9 first stage re-entry data for the company's advanced reusable launch vehicle system.

Under a Reimbursable Space Act Agreement, Marshall conducted 176 runs in the wind tunnel test facility on the Falcon 9 first stage to provide SpaceX with test data that will be used to develop a re-entry database for the recovery of the Falcon 9 first stage. Tests were conducted at several orientations and speeds ranging from Mach numbers 0.3, or 228 miles per hour at sea level, to Mach 5, or 3,811 miles per hour at sea level, to gage how the first stage reacts during the descent phase of flight.

>

Marshall's Aerodynamic Research Facility's 14-square-inch trisonic wind tunnel is an intermittent, blow-down tunnel that operates from high-pressure storage to either vacuum or atmospheric exhaust. The facility is capable of conducting tests in the subsonic, transonic, and supersonic mach ranges using its two interchangeable test sections. Subsonic Mach numbers are below Mach 1, the speed of sound, or 760 miles per hour at sea level, while transonic speeds approach and are slightly above Mach 1. The facility can achieve a maximum supersonic Mach number of 5, or five times the speed of sound.

In addition to wind tunnel testing, Marshall is providing propulsion engineering support to SpaceX in the development of the SuperDraco Launch Abort System (LAS) and on-orbit propulsion systems. Marshall is supplying SpaceX with Reaction Control Systems lessons learned that will be incorporated into the Dragon spacecraft's design for steering and attitude control. Marshall engineers also are providing technical insight in the development of materials and processes to support future improvements of the Falcon 9 and Dragon to be used in the SpaceX Commercial Crew Development Program.

>

Marshall has been engaged throughout the development in evaluating the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft systems' design under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program led by the Johnson Space Center in Houston for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) in Washington. The Marshall team supported various design reviews, flight readiness reviews, post-flight reviews and special studies.

The Marshall Center also provides SpaceX technical support as requested under the Commercial Crew Program (CCP) led by the Kennedy Space Center for HEOMD. Engineers from the Marshall Center have been engaged with SpaceX by serving as the CCP launch vehicle systems lead and by providing discipline support to the partner integration teams.

[DocM]

NASA TV MISSION COVERAGE

Thursday, May 24 (Flight Day 3): Live NASA Television coverage from NASA's Johnson Space Center mission control in Houston as the Dragon spacecraft performs its flyby of the International Space Station to test its systems begins at 2:30 a.m. EDT and will continue until the Dragon passes the vicinity of the station. A news briefing will be held at 10 a.m. following the activities.

Friday, May 25 (Flight Day 4): Live coverage of the rendezvous and berthing of the Dragon spacecraft to the station begins at 2 a.m. and will continue through the capture and berthing of the Dragon to the station's Harmony node. A news briefing will be held at 1 p.m. after Dragon is secured to the station.

Saturday, May 26 (Flight Day 5): Live coverage of the hatch opening and entry of the Dragon spacecraft begins at 5:30 a.m. and will include a crew news conference at 11:25 a.m.

NASA TV also will provide live coverage of the departure and reentry of the Dragon spacecraft once a date is determined.

Orbital map as of 7:08 PM EST, and for a while all anyone could get was "GoogleSatTrack is temporary unavailable due to heavy traffic. Please try again later" :)

[DocM]

Tweet from Elon Musk ?@elonmusk

The President just called to say congrats. Caller ID was blocked, so at first I thought it was a telemarketer :)

[remixedcat]

LOL

[DocM]

Hey remixed - what did your family say about your dad's fellow travelers?

[DocM]

https://twitter.com/#!/elonmusk

About 110 miles away and the spacecraft is now in direct communication with the Space Station