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GW Johnson

Member

From: McGregor, Texas USA

Registered: 2011-12-04

Posts: 5,805

Website

Re: COTS - status

I just watched a successful launch.  Everything appeared to be nominal.  They landed the booster on the drone ship,  too.  Supposedly,  it'll rendezvous with the station in about 18 or 19 hours.

Mighty nice to see that sort of thing happening from US soil again.

GW

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GW Johnson
McGregor,  Texas

"There is nothing as expensive as a dead crew,  especially one dead from a bad management decision"

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: COTS - status

You can see the dragon chase the Iss tonight at about 10:30

louis

Member

From: UK

Registered: 2008-03-24

Posts: 7,208

Re: COTS - status

Yes fantastic news. It was an utter disgrace that the foremost technological nation on Earth, that landed humans on the Moon, couldn't launch humans to low earth orbit for 9 years and had to rely on the Russians. What a total humiliation that was and you have to wonder why Presidents prior to Trump allowed it to happen. America is back in the game and Space X is leading the way.

I just watched a successful launch.  Everything appeared to be nominal.  They landed the booster on the drone ship,  too.  Supposedly,  it'll rendezvous with the station in about 18 or 19 hours.

Mighty nice to see that sort of thing happening from US soil again.

GW

Last edited by louis (2020-05-30 19:34:14)

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Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: COTS - status

Shuttle cancellation under Bush to start a constellation project which was shuttle derived which was to be a cargo and separate crew system with with man rating to much mass to compensate for srb oscillations and a new president that pushed for commercial industry and a reset for NASA and advanced. Congress got involved and it became the current also.

Oldfart1939

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Registered: 2016-11-26

Posts: 2,452

Re: COTS - status

Now watching live, the hatch opening process which is dragging along due to a problem with hard line communication with ISS.

Oldfart1939

Member

Registered: 2016-11-26

Posts: 2,452

Re: COTS - status

Hatch opened and all astronauts hugging and shaking hands. Then the officials got their turn. Broadcast finished on positive note.

kbd512

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Registered: 2015-01-02

Posts: 7,861

Re: COTS - status

At long last, we have real measurable progress towards going to Mars.  We can now send our own astronauts into space again.  Crewed Dragon has successfully delivered our people to ISS.  Congrats to the SpaceX team on a job well done.  Everyone keep your fingers crossed for an uneventful splashdown at the end of their mission.  After Starliner and Dream Chaser complete their upcoming flights to ISS, we'll have dissimilar redundant backup capability that ensures our ability to send humans into space.  Let's hope that no "geniuses" from Congress come along and kill any of these "redundant" programs.  Over the next ten years, we need to keep the momentum going and to keep our eyes on the prize.  Right now, we need to continue to test what needs to be tested and, eventually, execute a full dress rehearsal mission in preparation for the real thing.  Mars awaits!

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: COTS - status

Not quite total as Boeing has no interest in cargo trips and while dreamchaser is wanting both it is still along way off. Yes, we are on the right track but are there going to be any roadblocks?

louis

Member

From: UK

Registered: 2008-03-24

Posts: 7,208

Re: COTS - status

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp7oGkWKkig

I'm wondering if Musk has or previously had Covid-19. He looks v. puffy and sounds a little breathless.

Hope he's well.

Last edited by louis (2020-05-31 16:16:44)

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Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: COTS - status

Boeing is going to refly the Starliner to the ISS unscrewed in Nov of 2020 with a crewed to be done next year in April of 2021.

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: COTS - status

Final news on https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/ULA_ … 1_999.html

Void

Member

Registered: 2011-12-29

Posts: 7,831

Re: COTS - status

I am excited about Vulcan and other rocket systems.  This is sort of like the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambrian_explosion.  What an interesting time is ahead!

Where they will throw the propellant tanks away, I see a chance that a later type of system would send them to orbit as the payload, if it were possible to then use them as "Part" of LEO habitats, and synthetic gravity machines.

Done.

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End

GW Johnson

Member

From: McGregor, Texas USA

Registered: 2011-12-04

Posts: 5,805

Website

Re: COTS - status

I think that SLS,  Vulcan,  and Starship are all in the same credibility boat.  I will believe it when I see something actually flying. Multiple times.  Not before.

I have seen airborne recovery of returning capsules from Earth orbit before.  These were small canisters containing film taken by spy satellites.  That was in the 1960's.  The recovery aircraft were C-119 Flying Boxcars.

It hasn't been done since then,  which means there is no one at any of the companies or subcontractor base for ULA who has any experience doing it.  All those guys who actually did midair recovery are now long-retired or dead.

Also,  recovering big rocket engines this way will be vastly more challenging than recovering in midair small film canisters. 

Just some food for thought.

GW

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GW Johnson
McGregor,  Texas

"There is nothing as expensive as a dead crew,  especially one dead from a bad management decision"

elderflower

Member

Registered: 2016-06-19

Posts: 1,262

Re: COTS - status

I understand that Rocket Labs have caught returning boosters with a helicopter. Not on the most recent launch, but in a couple of earlier cases. Also that they intend this to become routine.

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: COTS - status

NASA and Boeing aim to redo Starliner spacecraft test later this year after investigating failures

Wow thought to only be 61 defects but the reality found by

NASA investigation that concluded Tuesday found 80 recommended changes for Boeing to make to its spacecraft, after the aerospace company's December spaceflight test failed due to multiple anomalies.

Boeing had previously set aside $410 million in case re-flying the test was required while Nasa paid Boeing about $4.8 billion over the past decade.

Oldfart1939

Member

Registered: 2016-11-26

Posts: 2,452

Re: COTS - status

There really seems to be a double standard at NASA favoring the "Favorite Contractors." Interestingly, SpaceX managed to fulfill all the necessary preflight requirements. Boeing isn't looking very good about now. But SpaceX accomplished what the contract called for: safe delivery to 2 Astronauts to the ISS. Only remaining thing is their ride home. And for a measly $2 Billion less than Boeing received for pending non-performance.

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: COTS - status

SpaceX may have to delay the end of its historic NASA astronaut mission as a major storm threatens its ocean splashdown

NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, may have to last longer than planned as a potential tropical storm threatens to make conditions unsafe for an ocean landing.

SpaceNut

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From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: COTS - status

No return home just yet for the first space x crew mission due to hurricane/ tropical storm and the next is already in training.
ESA Astronauts Maurer and Pesquet continue training at JSC  second mission will be called Alpha

tahanson43206

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Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,447

Re: COTS - status

This post is about the planned return of the SpaceX Dragon to Earth.

The procedure to undock is being broadcast live on CSPAN.  I don't recall anything similar since the Apollo days, so I'm glad to see it.

As the crew, the ISS personnel, and all the team members at SpaceX and NASA waited just now, we (audience) twiddled our thumbs while everyone waited for (about) 25 minutes, with the vestibule set to 5 PSI, looking for leaks on either the Space Station side or the vehicle side.

It crossed my mind to compare the ** real ** undocking procedure to Star Trek, which spent ** no ** time worrying about seals before zooming out into vacuum.

Edit#1: The vestibule leak test passed, so the pressure is being rapidly bled off into space at this point.

Edit#2: The Dragon Capsule is on it's way back to Earth. 

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2020-08-01 18:02:27)

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: COTS - status

History-making NASA-SpaceX astronauts undock from International Space Station, set for splashdown

Splashdown on Earth is scheduled for Sunday at 2:48 p.m. ET. splash down at 2:41 p.m. Eastern time in the Gulf of Mexico, near Pensacola, Fla.

There were seven possible landing sites along the Florida coast; three in the Atlantic Ocean are in the path of Tropical Storm Isaias.

Once the spacecraft enters Earth's atmosphere, it will deploy two sets of parachutes at about 18,000 feet in altitude and then four more at about 6,000 feet in altitude.

Stakes are high as the astronauts only have 48 hours of oxygen in their capsule now that the Crew Dragon spacecraft has undocked from the ISS.

https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/#public

https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive

August 2, Sunday
All day — SpaceX Crew Dragon DM-2 Splashdown coverage; splashdown scheduled at 2:48 p.m. EDT
4:30 p.m. – Post-SpaceX Crew Dragon DM-2 Splashdown News Conference (time subject to change)

tahanson43206

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Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,447

Re: COTS - status

That was ** very ** nice!  Soft landing and well attended.  Bravo!
(th)

kbd512

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Registered: 2015-01-02

Posts: 7,861

Re: COTS - status

Congrats to Bob, Doug, the entire SpaceX team, and NASA on a job well done.  Once again, American astronauts can ascend into space in American spaceships launched by American rockets from American soil.  Pending analysis of the relevant flight data and a final flight readiness assessment, another launch with a full crew of four astronauts is scheduled for late September.

Oldfart1939

Member

Registered: 2016-11-26

Posts: 2,452

Re: COTS - status

This is a giant feather in their caps for SpaceX and NASA combined. Virtually a textbook perfect mission.

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: COTS - status

Things We Saw Today: The SpaceX Dragon Crew Have Returned Safely to Earth

Astronauts Doug Hurley and Robert Behnken were welcomed home by mission control saying, “Thank you for flying SpaceX.”

GW Johnson

Member

From: McGregor, Texas USA

Registered: 2011-12-04

Posts: 5,805

Website

Re: COTS - status

Congrats to Spacex for a job very well done.  Faster,  with fewer problems,  and for about half the cost as the "other guys".

Next time the Coast Guard might be a bit more forceful/persuasive about keeping the sightseers at bay. The NTO is too toxic for this,  but venting some MMH should be smelly enough to run them off,  without killing any of them outright.

Just an entertaining thought.  Not a serious suggestion.

GW

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GW Johnson
McGregor,  Texas

"There is nothing as expensive as a dead crew,  especially one dead from a bad management decision"