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Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) SpaceX and Boeing developments

Discussion in 'SpaceX' started by Grendal, May 12, 2016.

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  1. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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    Here is a more recent milestone list:
    Interesting that SpaceX is doing the in-flight abort test after the uncrewed flight test.

    13344661_10153624007692541_5308679849254242651_n.jpg

    It would be nice if SpaceX could use one of the used boosters for the in-flight abort test. Unlikely for something from NASA. They put in their contracts to use only new equipment. The exception is that SpaceX has negotiated to re-use some of the cargo Dragon in future missions (CRS-11).
     
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  2. adiggs

    adiggs Active Member

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    I'm really looking forward to the day when this flips, and contracts get written to make use of properly tested equipment - meaning that it's been flown once already and it's past infant death problems :)

    It's REALLY going to be funny if NASA missions become the vehicle for getting first flights on new rockets out of the way, so everybody else can use the trustworthy and tested gear!
     
  3. Mike1080i

    Mike1080i Member

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    IIRC The reason for moving the in flight abort demo after the uncrewed flight test is so they can use the same Dragon 2 on both flights.
     
  4. raysspl

    raysspl Member

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    Even the SpaceX delays far exceed other competitor's relative timelines in terms of deployment. Or to put it differently -- SpaceX's delays are the launch markers for other industry players. They'd probably love to have SpaceX's "delay" schedule than their current haha
     
  5. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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    • Informative x 1
  6. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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    Boeing has slipped another six months:

    Boeing delays CST-100 test flights by six months - SpaceNews.com

    Gwynne Shotwell recently said that SpaceX intends to be on time. We'll see how well they pull that off with the recent loss and damage.

    This would give SpaceX some cushion to delay as well because, even with a delay, they will still get there before Boeing.
     
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  7. jaguar36

    jaguar36 Active Member

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    I think its far more important that SpaceX resolve any issues and do some extensive testing and analysis to ensure they don't have any more failures than to launch before Boeing. A loss of a unmanned mission is one thing, if the first manned launch goes south SpaceX is going to be in trouble. Boeing understands that its more important to get it right than be on time, I'm not sure SpaceX does.
     
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  8. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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    Oh I think SpaceX is taking the manned mission very seriously. Gwynne Shotwell has mentioned this in all of her interviews in the last year. Besides, NASA and the government is over-watching every step to ensure safety.
     
  9. glhs272

    glhs272 Unnamed plug faced villian

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    It's an issue for both Boeing and SpaceX. Boeing will be riding on a new (version) rocket, the Atlas V 422. The 422 version features "a as of yet" un-flown Dual Engine Centaur. Yes Dual Engine Centaur upper stages have flown before, but this one has been redesigned. Don't forget the Atlas just had it's own anomaly recently with the CRS OA-6. That mixture ratio valve issue could have very easily caused the RD-180 to have a RUD. Also the loss of power would have been a failure on most missions for the Atlas. The fact that it was so overpowered for the Cygnus mission was what saved the day (and a lot of luck). This was with a very mature rocket and very mature launch processes. So could SpaceX have another failure? Absolutely. Boeing/ULA? Yep. Never forget, Space is hard. Launch failures can happen to any of these launch providers, and will so again (I can predict this won't be the last orbital class rocket RUD).

    Is that a reason to not fly? NO!
     
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  10. oneday

    oneday Active Member

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    An article from wsj today indicating crew dragon first crew launch pushed to q2 2018.

    SpaceX Has Delayed First Manned NASA Launch to 2018 from 2017

    Main highlight from the article imo:

    Earlier this year, a report by NASA’s inspector general said agency program officials expected SpaceX to “encounter additional delays on the path” to safety certification of its manned transportation hardware. The report mentioned, among other things, that cracks discovered during fabrication of a tunnel designed to connect the Dragon 2 capsule to the space station already had delayed qualification testing by roughly a year. In addition, the report said the company faced “ongoing issues with stress fractures” in a portion of its propulsion system “that must be resolved prior to flight.”
     
    • Informative x 1
  11. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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    • Like x 3
  12. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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    Boeing's new spacesuit:
     
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  13. adiggs

    adiggs Active Member

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    Does this mean SpaceX is also designing a space suit for use in their craft, or will they be using prior designs, or even adopting Boeings design? Any word one way or the other about that?
     
  14. Mike1080i

    Mike1080i Member

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    Yes, they are developing their own.
    SpaceX had a superhero costume designer make a spacesuit
     
  15. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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    These aren't real but they sure are cool. The SpaceX suits are also supposed to be cool.
    SuperSpaceSuit.jpg
     
  16. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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  17. ecarfan

    ecarfan Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Grendel, I saw that article earlier today. Love this photo. Interesting how the interior rib pattern varies quite a bit.[​IMG]
     
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  18. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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  19. miimura

    miimura Well-Known Member

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    Why three sets of chutes? The basket handle action on the last set is a little ridiculous too.
     
  20. 3Victoria

    3Victoria Active Member

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    Different chutes for different velocities. They have a hatch in the centre, so the chutes are attached on the side. But they need to be vertical for the cushions, so the bucket handle lets them do that.
    Large amount of waste: booster, nosecone shields and others, second stage, rocket motor and fuel component of the capsule, three sets of chutes. Jeesh.
     
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