Mission Thread: SPX-1 Dragon ISS resupply

[DocM]

On Aug 31, 2012 SpaceX conducted a full wet dress rehearsal (WDR) for its scheduled Oct 8 2012 08:12 PM EST launch of SPX-1, its first fully operational cargo Dragon resupply mission to the ISS.

In a WDR the Falcon 9 is rolled out, fueled and the countdown run down to the very moment before engine ignition. Then the tanks are drained, the F9 is rolled back to the hangar and everything is checked out. Later another rehearsal will include a "hot-fire" - a 3-4 second engine burn to check them out too. This usually tales place a few days before launch. During the recent WDR the Dragon and its cargo trunk were not attached, but they likely will be for the hot-fire.

Non-ISS cargo for this flight will include a prototype ORBCOMM OG2 communications satellite built by Sierra Nevada Corp. (also builders of the Dream Chaser spaceplane.) If all goes well 17 more ORBCOMM's will be lofted on later F9 flights.

This will be the next to last flight for the Falcon 9 v1.0 before the much larger and powerful Falcon 9 v1.1 comes into service. The F9 v1.1 will also be the core stage of the monster Falcon Heavy.

Gallery -

[DocM]

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

NASA TV Schedule

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October 7, Sunday

7 p.m. - Launch Coverage for the SpaceX/Dragon CRS-1 Mission to the International Space Station (Launch scheduled at 8:34 p.m. ET) - KSC (All Channels)

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[DocM]

OCTOBER 7 ANNOUNCED AS TARGET LAUNCH DATE FOR SPACE STATION MISSION

NASA and SpaceX have announced October 7, 2012 as the target launch date for SpaceX?s first resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The launch of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft is scheduled for 8:34 p.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral, Florida. October 8 is the backup date.

The launch represents the first of 12 SpaceX flights to the ISS under NASA?s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract, and follows a successful demonstration mission in May when SpaceX became the first private company ever to attach to the ISS and return safely to Earth.

The SpaceX CRS-1 mission also represents restoration of American capability to deliver and return cargo to the ISS?a feat not achievable since the retirement of the space shuttle. SpaceX is also contracted to develop Dragon to send crew to the space station. SpaceX?s first manned flight is expected to take place in 2015.

On this mission, Dragon will be filled with supplies, which include materials to support 166 experiments in plant cell biology, human biotechnology, and materials technology. One experiment will examine the effects of microgravity on the opportunistic yeast Candida albicans, which is present on all humans. Another will evaluate how microgravity affects the growth of cell walls in a plant called Arabidopsis.

Expedition 33 Commander Sunita Williams of NASA and Aki Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will use a robotic arm to grapple Dragon following its rendezvous with the station, expected on October 10. They will attach Dragon to the Earth-facing port of the station?s Harmony module for a few weeks while crew members unload cargo and load experiment samples for return to Earth.

Dragon is scheduled to return in late October for a parachute-assisted splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of southern California. Dragon will fly back carrying scientific materials and space station hardware.

[drsnooker]

[DocM]

The story that goes with the video -

http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/29/14153189-spacex-tests-rocket-engines-on-pad?lite

SpaceX tests rocket engines on pad

SpaceX says it successfully test-fired the engines on its Falcon 9 rocket today in preparation for Oct. 7's scheduled liftoff of the California-based company's first official cargo delivery to the International Space Station.

The static-fire test at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida was considered the "last major test" in advance of the launch, SpaceX said in a Twitter update. The rocket was held down while its nine Merlin engines blazed for a couple of seconds on the pad, at the end of a computer-controlled fueling sequence. Data from the test will be analyzed in advance of the scheduled launch at 8:34 p.m. ET on Oct. 7.

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[drsnooker]

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Livestream mission link (SpaceX show channel)

http://new.livestream.com/spacex/CRS1

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missio patch

Posted 10/5/12 6:04 PM

@SpaceX: At today?s official Launch Readiness Review meeting, launch managers gave a ?go? to proceed towards launch on Sunday, 10/7

Ofher sources say launch at 8:35 PM

[neoadorable]

nice patch and a historical moment, now it's no more practice...it's the actual thing! we are at the threshold of a new phase in space exploration and settlement. next stop Pandora, i mean Mars!

good luck to the mission and thank you to all the talented people that make us proud to be human.

[DocM]

Remember that this is the next to last flightfor Falcon 9 v1.0.

After the next flight (CRS-2 / SPX-2) the next launch will be from Vandenberg AFB using the upgraded Falcon 9 v1.1 - a much larger (229' v 157') and more powerful beast. The engine mounting is also changed from a 3x3 grid to an octagon with a center engine.

SpaceX Facebook -

Early in the morning, the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft rolled out to the launch pad. Engineers now complete final preparations for launch, targeted for 8:35PM ET tonight.

[skilithead]

Tonights the night http://www.space.com...e-space-tv.html I love watching this stuff .

Oops. Overlooked earlier link being posted . Carry on . :rolleyes:

[DocM]

Falcon 9 is fueled and the countown is proceeding.

NASA observation aircraft in the air.

This mornings rollout -

[DocM]

Livestream feed has started

http://new.livestream.com/spacex/CRS1

[skilithead]

Zoom , zoom ! It is great to have some re-supply back in US. Onward and upward !

[DocM]

Launch: perfect

Flight to orbit: perfect

Dragon is in orbit, her solar wings are deployed and arrival at ISS is scheduled for Wednesday morning.

Unfinished business: 2nd stage is to re-fire to put an Orbcomm communications satellite into its geosynchronous transfer orbit.

[Dot Matrix]

Launch was beautiful. I love living in the future!

[skilithead]

True , but I was hoping for flying cars ! :bounce:

[DocM]

Update:

With most all rockets if an engine fails the range safety officer blows it up as there isn't enough power remaining to continue the launch. End of mission, everything is lost.

An engine-out capability prevents this.

NASA had engine-out capability with the 5 engine Saturn V moon rocket, but not since. SpaceX has picked up that ball and is running with it because F9's engine-out capability has been proven during this launch.

At about 01:20 into the flight there was an anomaly on engine #1 as F9 entered a cloud bank. Speculation is that engine 1's turbopump, which delivers the fuel & oxidizer, blew out spewing debris.

F9 is designed with armor plate and ballistic blankets (Kevlar) around each engine to catch the debris from such an events, so the F9's computer just shut down that engines fuel and oxidizer valves then burned the others a bit longer. Problem solved.

Result: the Dragon and Orbcomm satellite are now in their proper orbits in spite of an engine failure.

This engine-out capability makes Falcon 9 a very safe rocket.

[DocM]

SpaceFlightNow -

"Falcon 9 detected an anomaly on one of the nine engines and shut it down," Musk wrote in an email... "As designed, the flight computer then recomputed a new ascent profile in realtime to reach the target orbit, which is why the burn times were a bit longer."

[DocM]

Slow motion video of the event. Watch the top-right engine and you'll see the flameout and possible RUD ("rapid unscheduled disassembly" - an Elon Musk-ism.)

Remember: with any other US (and AFAIK foreign) launcher since Saturn V this would cause the flight termination (abort) system to destroy the rocket. Not so with Falcon 9.

[skilithead]

Wow . Good stuff there .

[DocM]

Yup - F9's a robust SOB 'eh?

[skilithead]

Yup - F9's a robust SOB 'eh?

Aye capt !

[DocM]

Full Elon Musk statement -

Falcon 9 detected an anomaly on one of the nine engines and shut it down. As designed, the flight computer then recomputed a new ascent profile in realtime to reach the target orbit, which is why the burn times were a bit longer. Like Saturn V, which experienced engine loss on two flights, the Falcon 9 is designed to handle an engine flameout and still complete its mission. I believe F9 is the only rocket flying today that, like a modern airliner, is capable of completing a flight successfully even after losing an engine. There was no effect on Dragon or the Space Station resupply mission.