NASA Commercial Crew (CCtCap) test milestones

[Draggendrop Veteran]

 

 

 

 

[Blue-Vision]

Yep, that's a payload adapter.  

[DocM]

Could be for GPS III

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Just going to leave this here.....

 

NASA program to launch astronauts to space station facing delays but 2019 still on target

 

Quote

WASHINGTON – NASA Administrator James Bridenstine said he still expects astronauts will fly from U.S. soil to the International Space Station by the end of next year even though an uncrewed test flight scheduled for Jan. 7 now could slip into the spring.

 

Bridenstine's acknowledgment that January is a "very low probability" window is the first time the agency has publicly cast doubt on the timing of the scheduled launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The test flight of the SpaceX rocket and capsule is a key step in NASA's efforts to resume U.S. transport to Earth's orbit nearly a decade after the space shuttle was mothballed.

 

The administrator attributed the delay to challenges with several components, including landing parachutes. Some of those systems could be tested without flying them on the initial flight.

 

It's a matter of determining "what configuration are we willing to accept as an agency and are we willing to waive certain items (and) how do we test those items," Bridenstine told reporters at NASA headquarters.

 

But he said the test flight "will certainly be in the first half of 2019," a schedule that still would accommodate a crewed flight by the end of the year.

 

Earlier this year, Bridenstine said that "without question," such launches would resume in 2019.

more at the link...

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/11/29/nasa-program-send-astronauts-space-station-facing-more-delays/2143813002/

 

One of those days that "if you were Elon", you would tell NASA to call back when they are serious about flying as  SpaceX has bigger things on the go at the moment...

[Draggendrop Veteran]

 

 

 

[DocM]

Good goddamn thing NASA doesn't have a say wrt Super Heavy &  Starship 💀

[Blue-Vision]

Uuuuuuuugh ..... 

 

NASA (under Bridenstine) are stalling, stonewalling, and doing everything they can to ensure that ULA flies first simply for mindshare purposes. They don't want SpaceX to succeed. It's VERY clear now.

 

Ready to fly -- been ready to fly -- but NASA can't get their [snip] together because they're serving other masters.

 

Insert expletives and colorful metaphors here. In abundance. Get creative.

 

This [bleeping] sucks. 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

I gave Bridenstine the benefit of the doubt...initially.

 

His consistent  and  relentless promotional backing of SLS has shown his political bias.

 

His appearance and off topic rants during the Insight event were, in my opinion, embarrassing.

 

now this...

 

 

The article is here...

NASA Administrator on Elon Musk: ‘That Was Not Appropriate Behavior’

 

Bridenstine needs to "go somewhere" quickly...the next election isn't fast enough...

 

 

 

Bridenstine does not want to play "hold my beer" with Elon....

Edited December 1, 2018 by Draggendrop

[FloatingFatMan]

On 11/30/2018 at 2:50 AM, Draggendrop said:

One of those days that "if you were Elon", you would tell NASA to call back when they are serious about flying as  SpaceX has bigger things on the go at the moment...

Elon should do exactly that; might even shake a few things loose at NASA.  Meantime, whilst they're twiddling their thumbs, Elon gets on with putting his own people on Mars and to hell with NASA and their trillions of regulations and delays.

[DocM]

6 hours ago, FloatingFatMan said:

Elon should do exactly that; might even shake a few things loose at NASA. 

 

Not likely because while Admin. Bridenstein is taking the hit for the "review" what's  happening comes from Congress, mostly Sen. Shelby and other SLS supporters (both partys) upset over Super Heavy, Starship and to a lesser can degree New Glenn. They're pulling NASA's strings & writing the script...for now. 

[Beittil]

All the more reason to just launch the dang missions, NASA's approval be damned. There is more customers out there than just Uncle Sam you know

[Draggendrop Veteran]

NASA has done a great job with planetary exploration but as of late, they can't manage a program if they tried. JWST, SLS and Orion to name a few. The latest incident is just the political icing for me to totally ignore all launcher and Human space flight "bull cookies" coming out of NASA. Dragon cargo one has a few missions left and after that, cargo dragon 2. The CC will only be good for at most 2 flights a year, of which a Dragon is tied up for 6 months at a shot. I am sure that SpaceX could fill 7 seats for a couple of laps around the planet...and make a profit...and do this a number of times.

 

I am at the point that IF they are not allowed to launch in January for NASA, I say launch for themselves, using the guise of testing results needed now, not 6 months or more later. Get that out of the way..then ask NASA if they want a ride now..if not, it will be filled. "Hold my Beer" or let's play "Bull cookie poker". I am fine with that.

 

[Blue-Vision]

Would be a ton of regulatory stuff to get through regardless of what happens, and ultimately OldSpace would be the ones who come out of this scenario smelling like roses.

 

This whole mess is more of the "dirty tricks, shenanigans and more" that my former Professor spoke about. Anything and everything ULA and their masters could and would do in order to keep SpaceX (and anyone else) from "winning the race". We're seeing it.

 

"If we aren't the ones doing it then it shouldn't be done". That whole mindset of OldSpace and Mil/Gov Contracting is quite like a dysfunctional parent who refuses to let someone else take over the grilling at a family reunion -- even when they're undercooking the hot dogs. It has to be done, but they refuse to listen. When they finally do listen, they instead throw the food away and tell everyone to go home. Everyone else at said reunion decides to get more food, let someone else cook who actually knows what the hell they're doing. That idiot family member does everything they can to hold up the show, trip things up and otherwise cause problems ... then once everything is almost finished (finally), that dysfunctional family member from before says "Nope, that's all wrong. Nobody eat that or there will be consequences.".

 

That's what we have here. A once-great but now completely deranged, dysfunctional, delusional, and outright self-centered uncle who's off their meds and needs to retire. THAT is what I equate OldSpace and their political interests to.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

16 hours ago, Unobscured Vision said:

Would be a ton of regulatory stuff to get through regardless of what happens, and ultimately OldSpace would be the ones who come out of this scenario smelling like roses.

 

This whole mess is more of the "dirty tricks, shenanigans and more" that my former Professor spoke about. Anything and everything ULA and their masters could and would do in order to keep SpaceX (and anyone else) from "winning the race". We're seeing it.

 

"If we aren't the ones doing it then it shouldn't be done". That whole mindset of OldSpace and Mil/Gov Contracting is quite like a dysfunctional parent who refuses to let someone else take over the grilling at a family reunion -- even when they're undercooking the hot dogs. It has to be done, but they refuse to listen. When they finally do listen, they instead throw the food away and tell everyone to go home. Everyone else at said reunion decides to get more food, let someone else cook who actually knows what the hell they're doing. That idiot family member does everything they can to hold up the show, trip things up and otherwise cause problems ... then once everything is almost finished (finally), that dysfunctional family member from before says "Nope, that's all wrong. Nobody eat that or there will be consequences.".

 

That's what we have here. A once-great but now completely deranged, dysfunctional, delusional, and outright self-centered uncle who's off their meds and needs to retire. THAT is what I equate OldSpace and their political interests to.

Actually...only for NASA as they have followed this silliness.

 

This has been covered in many forums, many times and the end result is always...Informed consent...done.

 

A verified launcher and capsule, such as SpaceX has in their possession will be a no brainer.  NASA makes things difficult...the real world can be reasonable.

 

Informed consent is all that matters for SpaceX for a human launch...the vehicles already have a pass and a test of DM-1 will pass it as well.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

During CRS-16 presser...

 

 

 

 

SpaceX has their equipment there, integration is proceeding with the "range date".

 

If there is going to be a delay...it will be put squarely on NASA...as it should.

[DocM]

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

 

Can't find the DM tread...Doc...we need a DM-1 thread...before I botch that one as well...😎

[DocM]

December 6 Commercial Crew progress report slides.

 

Boeing has the OK to fix their abort propulsion system plumbing, but hasn't begun shock testing on their docking adapter.

 

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/nac_ccp_status_dec_6_2018_non-sbu.pdf

[IsItPluggedIn]

So Boeing will be using Spacecraft 2 as their Crewed flight, and Spacecraft 3 as their uncrewed test?

 

Spacex will user Demo 1 for uncrewed, demo 2 as crewed, then Crew 1 as their first mission?

 

Demo 1 has been at "launch site processing" for 6 months already.

[DocM]

Demo-1 also gets re-used as the In-Flight Abort test vehicle.

[DocM]

Shotwell says there will be a DM-1 dry dress rehearsal (by default, photo-op) before Christmas.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

SpaceX needs to keep this in the limelight...any changes and we will know who based on why.

 

As many have stated..it's a test flight...fly the damn thing to test it....what don't others understand about this concept?

[DocM]

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

 

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

 

Hardware candy...