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Category: SpaceRevolution

  • SpaceX Preps Test For May 7th Space Flight

    SpaceX Preps Test For May 7th Space Flight

    On Monday April 30th, 2012, SpaceX will do a static launch test of their rocket propulsion system, called Falcon 9, in advance of their planned launch. The static launch, which is available for viewing here will start at 2:30pm EST with the actual static firing of the rocket boosters taking place at 3:00pm EST. The Firing, which will take place at SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Base, is part of a full dress rehearsal for the real launch to take place shortly thereafter on May 7th.

    The dress rehearsal will also have SpaceX engineers running through all countdown processes as though it were launch day. The exercise will end with all nine engines firing at full power for two seconds. If the test is successful, then SpaceX will launch a Dragon spacecraft into low-Earth orbit atop a Falcon 9 rocket. If that launch in May is successful, then the spacecraft will get the approval form NASA to dock with the International Space Station and the crew there will unload the cargo.

    If the Dragon is found capable of doing it’s job, SpaceX will then start to fulfill its Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract for NASA for at least 12 missions to carry cargo to and from the space station. Dragon and Falcon 9 were designed to carry astronauts but this mission will give them valuable experience.

    SpaceX made history in December of 2010 by the first commercial company in history to send a spacecraft to orbit and return it safely to Earth.

  • SpaceX Prepares for Historic Launch This May

    SpaceX Prepares for Historic Launch This May

    After a series of delays, SpaceX is finally expected to launch on May 7th. The event will mark the first time a privately owned vessel has made the long, hard trip to the International Space Station (ISS). Additionally, this adventure represents a return to space travel since NASA famously ended its program last year.

    The Dragon, a transport that will carry supplies to those on-board the ISS, was originally scheduled to make its excursion into the the cosmos on February 7th. However, SpaceX determined that more tests were required before properly launching the capsule, pushing the date back to April. Now that everything appears to be a-okay with the space-bound container, officials have penciled its initial flight for May. The time of the launch is scheduled for 9:38am.

    When the Dragon docks with the ISS, it will bring with it 1,149 pounds of cargo. The return trip home will find the capsule carrying a 1,455 payload back to Earth.

    Privately funded trips into space are expected to become the norm within the next ten years. NASA has dumped an impressive $270 millions into such programs, which they hope will become big business in the near future. These commercial flights will also allow US astronauts to make trips to the ISS without relying on the Russian space program for assistance, the price for which is estimated to skyrocket by 2015.

    Companies such as BlueOrigin LLC, Sierra Nevada Corporation, and Boeing are looking to toss their space-friendly hats into the proverbial ring, as well.

    For an animated look at what’s expected to transpire at the International Space Station this May, take a peek at the video embedded below.

  • PayPal Founder’s SpaceX Preps First Human-Piloted Shuttle Launch

    PayPal Founder’s SpaceX Preps First Human-Piloted Shuttle Launch

    It’s been about fourteen months since the first successful private spaceship launch, Dragon, and now that same space exploration company is prepping to step into their next phase: a human-piloted launch.

    SpaceX, founded by PayPal co-founder Elon Musk, is preparing the next flight test in which the Dragon spacecraft will go to the International Space Station: first with supplies then, later, with humans. SpaceX is notable in space exploration history as it was the first private company to ever receive the Federal Aviation Administration’s commercial license to reenter a spacecraft from orbit. More, in safely returning its spacecraft to earth, SpaceX achieved what only six countries on earth have been able to do.

    Since the success of Dragon back in 2010, the company’s been working on the crew cabin digs for Dragon to function in both nominal and off-nominal scenarios. Details were provided from an update on SpaceX’s website:

    The engineering prototype includes seven seats as well as representations of crew accommodations such as lighting, environmental control and life support systems, displays, cargo racks, and other interior systems. During the daylong test, SpaceX and NASA evaluators including four NASA astronauts, participated in human factors assessments which covered entering and exiting Dragon under both normal and contingency cases, as well as reach and visibility evaluations. The seven seats mount to strong, lightweight supporting structures attached to the pressure vessel walls. Each seat can hold an adult up to 6 feet 5 inches tall, 250 lbs, and has a liner that is custom-fit for the crewmember.

    As you can see, the crew looks like they’re having a pretty good time fitting their seats out.

    If that wasn’t big enough, the cabin also has enough room to accomodate three additional people. To convey exactly how capacious this shuttle is, SpaceX notes that a three-person Soyuz capsule descent module could fit inside of Dragon’s pressure vessel. For reference’s sake, the Soyuz had more than seven cubic meters of living space inside of it. For you non-metric minded, that’s over 247 cubic feet. In other words, say goodbye to astro-claustrophobia.

    That white-coated gent in the center there, by the way, is Musk calmly contemplating the future of space exploration.

    Back in December 2010, Gizmodo, who tipped off the news of SpaceX’s plans for a human-piloted launch, documented Dragon’s first successful launch with live coverage as well with a couple of videos of the launch.

    Below you can check out an altitude test of Dragon that was conducted back in August 2010 in order to confirm the functionality of the parachute deployment systems and recovery options.

    If all goes well with SpaceX’s plans this year, the company stands to press the business of space exploration into some exhilarating new directions.