SpaceX Scores! Re-Used Dragon Docks with ISS

View from ISS: Robotic arm guides the captured Dragon cargo ship to its docking port. (NASA TV)

It has been a dream of the folks at SpaceX to begin launching re-used spacecraft, with the goal to reduce costs of space transportation. Well they can check off a major milestone now, because on June 3rd, they launched the first refitted Dragon cargo space capsule on board a Falcon 9 rocket. Days later, the Dragon caught up to the ISS and astronauts Peggy Whitson and Jack Fischer used the SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System) robotic arm to grapple the craft and move it to dock at the U.S. Harmony module.

Current locations of docked spacecraft at the International Space Station. (NASA)

 

The Dragon spacecraft used on this mission (CRS-11) was previously used on mission CRS-4. After returning safely to Earth, it was unloaded, inspected, cleaned, and repaired with some new parts to keep it in operable condition. The only spacecraft to have done this sort of thing before, was the Space Shuttle, last docked at the ISS in 2011. This is the second time SpaceX has reached a re-usability objective - the first was in March when a refurbished Falcon 9 first stage successfully delivered a satellite to orbit and then landed again. Although the Falcon 9 used in this mission has not flown before, it did land safely at LC-13 at Cape Canaveral, and will now be refurbished for a future flight.

Falcon-9 rocket safely standing after an upright landing on pad LC-13. (SpaceX)

The ISS crew will take their time removing science equipment and space parts from the Dragon. It will stay docked until July 2nd. This week will keep them quite busy, as the schedule sees two spacecraft events: the undocking of Russian Progress 66 from the station, and the arrival of a new Russian ship, the Progress 67.

SpaceX Falcon Returns to Flight

Falcon 9 rocket on the pad at Vandenberg AFB. Credit: SpaceX.

Last September in 2016, a Falcon rocket exploded during a pad engine test, prompting a cancellation of SpaceX flights until the cause could be determined. Engineers eventually discovered the fault was in a construction error in the second stage liquid oxygen tank. With the corrections having been completed, a new rocket was prepared for the launch of a series of communications satellites.

Blast off from California. Perfect launch.
Credit: SpaceX.

Shortly before 10 am (Pacific time), SpaceX launched the Falcon 9 rocket carrying 10 Iridium satellites from its pad at the Vandenberg Air Force Base on the California coast. The first stage separated on time and the second stage carried the swarm of satellites into their planned orbits.

Touchdown! Falcon first stage lands on a barge in the Pacific. Credit: SpaceX.

As usual, SpaceX continues its mission to perfect landings of the rocket first stage, so it can be used again later. This time the rocket stage landed in the Pacific Ocean, on the landing barge named "Just Read The Instructions." This was the first successful landing in the Pacific. Four have landed in the Atlantic on board the landing barge "Of Course I Love You." Another successful landing took place in Texas on land.

You can read more details about this mission at NASASpaceflight.com at https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/01/spacex-return-to-flight-iridium-next-launch/

Falcon Explodes on Pad; Satellite Destroyed

Explosion begins just below the payload section on the Falcon 9 rocket. Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX suffered a dramatic setback Thursday September 1st when its Falcon 9 rocket exploded on pad SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral. The payload, a communications satellite for Israel designated AMOS-6, was vaporized in the blast.  The explosion occurred during a firing test, when an unexplained detonation occurred in the 2nd stage liquid-oxygen (LOX) tank. SpaceX engineers worked diligently to put out the fires and secure the facility. According to reports in NASASpaceflight.com, SpaceX claims the explosion happened while fuel was loading into the LOX 2nd stage tank, at about 7:07 am Mountain Time. This is the second lost mission for SpaceX in 2 years, and there are many questions being raised about what went wrong while investigators do their best to find out why this tragedy happened.

The AMOS-6 payload section before the LOX fuel loading. Credit: SpaceX.

 

AMOS-6 was a communications satellite built by the Israeli firm Israel Aerospace Industries. It was supposed to take the place of the worn-out AMOS-2 satellite, at an orbital height of 22,000 miles.

SpaceX Scores New Firsts with Dragon Launch

Dragon spacecraft being grappled with CanadArm2 robotic arm at the station. Credit: NASA

This weekend, SpaceX added to its list of firsts when the Dragon cargo spacecraft docked with the International Space Station. To begin with, the rocket was the new Falcon 9 "Full Thrust" version which replaces all Falcon 9 launches now. The modified thrusters enable the second stage to fire longer, allowing SpaceX engineers to attempt more first stage recovery attempts. 

Dragon CRS-8 with aerodynamic fairings ready for launch. Credit: SpaceX.

 

Liftoff occurred at 4:43p.m. EDT from the Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The flight went very well, with clear visibility and great telescopic views of the stage separation. The previous Falcon 9 and Dragon launch ended in disaster, as the Dragon spacecraft was lost and the returning first stage was destroyed in a landing attempt. 

Liftoff from LC-40, the same launch pad that saw dozens of Titan 3 and Titan 4 rockets lift off, including a flight of the Cassini probe to Saturn. Credit: SpaceX.

 

SpaceX has tried four times previously to land the first stage of the rocket on a barge out at sea, with all four being losses of the rockets and damage to the barge. This fifth experiment was a total success, as having delivered the second stage and Dragon into an orbital trajectory, the first stage fell to its designated landing location, then re-ignited the engine for a controlled descent. It was obvious on the monitors that the seas were somewhat choppy and that there was a good cross-wind blowing (for this rocket, any wind is a cross-wind!). 

View from the observer aircraft as the Falcon first stage descends towards the tiny landing barge. Credit: SpaceX.

 

 The Falcon stands successfully on the pad with the engine deactivated and legs completely deployed. Credit: SpaceX

 

Although the commercial company Blue Origins was the first to successfully land its Alan Shephard rocket upright after a test flight in Texas (and they've done it 3 times now!), SpaceX had the harder task as the Falcon flies higher and faster to place its spacecraft into an orbital trajectory. And to land the stage in a moving, choppy sea on a tiny barge is just outright fantastic flying.

Dragon approaches the ISS. Credit: NASA.

 

Meanwhile, in space, the Dragon cargo spacecraft reached orbit and began its chase to rendezvous withe the International Space Station. Over a two day period, the Dragon re-ignited its engine to change altitude and maneuver closer to  the station. Eventually on Sunday morning, the spacecraft came within range for astronauts Tim Peake and Jeff Williams to extend the CanadArm2 robotic arm and grapple the craft, guiding it to berth at the Harmony module.

Dragon at left is seen in the same view with the Cygnus spacecraft (middle) and a Soyuz spacecraft (on the far right). Credit: NASA.

 

With the Dragon docked, it also set a first as the first time it has been docked to the ISS at the same time as the Cygnus cargo spacecraft! Together with the Russian Progress robotic spacecraft, the three ships are able to bring quite a tonnage of supplies and equipment to the ISS. Of the three craft, however, only the SpaceX Dragon can safely return materials and experiments to the surface of the Earth.

Another Falcon Sea Landing Crash

A little bit of SpaceX humor written onto the landing barge off the Pacific coast. All pictures credit: SpaceX.

 

On Sunday Jan. 17, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from its launch site at Vandenberg, California to place the Jason 3 satellite into orbit. This version of the Falcon was the last of the designated version 1.1 modifications, a stretched and re-engined Falcon 9. These versions have been flying since 2013. The next flights will be the Falcon 9FT, or "Full Thrust," which was most recently used in December 2015.

SpaceX launch site at Vandenberg AFB, California.

 

Last view of the Falcon 9 as it flies through low clouds.

 

 

Jason satellite program.

 

The Jason-3 satellite is a multi-program partnership between NOAA, NASA, EUMETSAT, and CNES. The multinational experiments will study sea surface topography, mainly sea surface levels. An additional experiment will study the radiation environment around the satellite.

Falcon slowing to touch down on the barge landing pad.

 

The Jason-3 spacecraft was successfully launched into orbit. Following separation, the Falcon 9 first stage descended slowly towards the recovery zone. Although SpaceX had made a totally awesome landing on a land recovery pad in December, Engineers were attempting to make the first successful sea landing on this attempt. Everything looked great right up to touchdown, when after landing one of the legs failed to lock in position, and the rocket toppled over onto the pad. Engineers suspect the heavy fog contributed to condensation which may have iced over and interfered with the lockdown.

Not successful at sea, yet.

 

 

Success for SpaceX and Falcon 9!

Falcon 9 after touching down on the Cape Canaveral landing site. Credit: SpaceX.

Happy congratulations to SpaceX and the Falcon 9 team! On Monday night, SpaceX launched the newest version of the Falcon, the Falcon 9 Full Thrust, with a payload of eleven Orbcomm communications satellites aboard the payload stage. An earlier attempt Sunday was cancelled due to weather concerns, but this time the rocket took off perfectly and sent the payload stage into orbit, successfully releasing the constellation of satellites.

View of landing Falcon 9 from hovering helicopter. Credit: SpaceX.

SpaceX also broke a new record by returning the first stage Falcon 9 back to the Cape Canaveral launch location and the newly- refurbished pad LC-13. That launch site was previously used in the 60's and 70's to launch Atlas missiles and Atlas-Agena rockets carrying satellites, and was last used in 1978. The launch tower and blockhouse were later demolished and the site declared a historic landmark. SpaceX recently leased the site from the Air Force and prepared it as a landing site for re-useable Falcon first stages. Previous attempts to land the Falcon were carried out at sea on landing barges, and all resulted in crashed rocket stages. This was the first attempt to return to land, and was successful as the pictures show. Prior to this, Blue Origin successfully landed a sub-orbital launched New Shephard rocket. The SpaceX success was more complicated, as this effort was a launch into orbital space.

SpaceX CRS-6: Good and Bad News

Dragon CRS-6 approaches the ISS.

On Friday, SpaceX's Dragon cargo spacecraft on mission CRS-6 arrived at the International Space Station. After docking with the station's HArmony module early in the morning, the crew began the procedures that would eventually equalize the cabin air pressure and allow unloading to begin on Saturday. The Dragon brings over 2 tons of supplies and science equipment to the station. One of the new items is a space-adapted Expresso coffee-making machine, which brings just that much more civilization to our outpost in space.

Falcon attempts a vertical landing on the SpaceX barge in the Atlantic.

With the Dragon spacecraft safely on its way to the ISS on launch day (Tuesday) the rocket that propelled Dragon into orbit was involved in another experimental landing. SpaceX has been working hard to develop new technology for the Falcon rocket that would allow for a powered, vertical landing. A successful landing system would enable SpaceX to reuse most components of the rocket, thus lowering the cost of delivering payloads to space. In this test, the Falcon 9 rocket descended as planned to a floating landing pad built on a barge placed out in the Atlantic Ocean. The rocket thrusters fired as planned, and the rocket slowed and began orienting itself for an upright touchdown. At the last moment, however, the rocket tipped over, and the resulting explosion is obvious. 

The rocket explodes after crashing on the pad.

SpaceX will begin repairs to the barge and further tests on the Falcon 9 landing system will continue.

SpaceX Launch Success and Failure

Dragon (center) docked at the US Harmony module on the ISS. NASA pic.

SpaceX conducted another successful mission to send the unmanned Dragon cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station. The Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon blasted off from Cape Canaveral's  Launch Complex 40 in Florida, lifting off at 4:47 a.m. Eastern time. It was originally scheduled to launch last Tuesday, but a small mechanical problem. After a two and a half minute ascent, the first stage separated and the second stage propelled the Dragon into orbit.

Current configuration of spacecraft docked with the ISS. NASA illustration. Parked spaceships represent American (Dragon), European (ATV), and Russian (Progress) unmanned cargo ships and two Russian manned spacecraft (Soyuz).

The Dragon was carefully maneuvered through orbiting thrusters to rendezvous with the ISS, where astronauts used a robotic arm to grapple the craft and pull it to the docking hatch, where docking was achieved just after 6 a.m. Mountain time this morning. Astronauts will carefully equalize the pressures in the craft and the iSS and will later begin unloading cargo and supplies. Meanwhile, ground engineers from SpaceX will be checking out the craft's systems and reviewing flight performance. You can read a very detailed account of the launch and docking at NASAspaceflight.com.

SpaceX illustration of the Falcon 9 first stage in powered descent.

Although the flight of the Dragon went well, the return of the Falcon 9 first stage did not end well. This flight was also an experiment by SpaceX, in which the first stage would slow descent and use landing engines to soft land on the pad of a specially constructed SpaceX recovery ship out in the Atlantic Ocean. SpaceX has had several successful test flights where the stage returned to a land based pad in Texas, extending landing legs and touching down softly on the pad. This was to be a first attempt to do so on the recovery ship. However, the stage made its approach a bit too fast and ended up being severely wrecked on the ship pad. SpaceX will analyze the attempt and make new corrections and try again at a later date.

ISS Summer Summary

ISS robotic arm just prior to releasing the Cygnus resupply ship. The dotted-line object is the side view of the Cygnus' solar panels, seen exactly edge-on.

It may not be the calendar end to summer, but students all over the USA know good and well that their summer vacation is over and they are heading back to school. And I am finished this year with company business travel, so it's time to get back to commenting on the rubble in space seen from my Space Bunker in Utah. Since my last post at the end of July, what's up with mankind's outpost in Earth Orbit?

Just hours ago, the Cygnus robotic cargo spacecraft burned up in re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. It's been a busy 6 weeks of comings and goings for Expedition 40 up on the International Space Station. Back in June, both the SpaceX and Orbital launches had been postponed. ANd the new Russian Angara rocket had suffered a launch glitch on the 27th. On July 1st  a launch of a NASA Delta 2 was scrubbed when a problem developed with a sound-suppression system. At least India had success with the launch of a Polar-orbit rocket carrying 5 satellites.

The next day NASA's Delta 2 took off and launched a carbon-dioxide research rocket into space. And the rockets kept on flying. The Russians were next.

The Rokot lifts off from Plesetsk with 3 communications satellites. RIA Novosti.

The Russians had a series of launches starting with the launch of a light-carrier class Rokot from the Plesestk space center on July 4th. Then on the 9th, a Soyuz rocket lifted off from Baikonur with a weather satellite and a couple other payloads. Finally, the new Angara rocket had a successful launch.

Angara on the pad at Plesetsk. RIA Novosti.

The first flight of the Angara on July 9th from Plesetsk lifted a dummy payload into space to test the rocket systems. The Angara is meant to supplement the Soyuz rocket type launches and relieve the burden of launches only a Soyuz can perform, though it is not man-rated. To show off the demand for the Soyuz rocket, another one was launched on the 10th from the French space Center in French Guiana placing 4 communications satellites into orbit. 

Antares lifts off.

On July 13, Orbital Sciences launched its Antares rocket from its facility on Wallops Island, Virginia to place the Cygnus cargo craft on a path to the ISS. Close behind, SpaceX launched a Falcon rocket placing 6 ORBCOMM satellites into orbit on the 14th. On Wednesday, the Cygnus cargo craft docked with the ISS.

Docking for the Cygnus with help from the CanadArm robotic arm.

Carrying food, oxygen, and supplies from Earth, the Cygnus also delivered 32 micro-satellites which will be released over time by the crew of Expedition 40. The Cygnus was docked by engineers on Earth this time using the robotic arm after astronaut Commander Steve Swanson captured the craft, and secured to the Harmony module of the station. The craft is named SS Janet Voss in commemoration of the astronaut who passed away in 2012.

The launches continued. A Soyuz carried a biological research satellite into space on July 20. On the 22nd, a Russian Progress Robot cargo ship was undocked from the ISS to make a place for an upcoming resupply mission. The Progress ship was then directed to deorbit and crash into the Pacific.

A Progress cargo craft approaches the ISS. 

On Wednesday the 23rd, a new Progress craft was launched from Baikonur and arrived at the ISS six hours later. The M-24M carried supplies for the station. Once unloaded, it will eventually be filled with trash and undocked later.

Delta 4 does the job, launching into a clear blue sky. SpaceFlight Now.

On Monday the 28th, a Delta 4 carried the GSSAP classified secret satellite into orbit. The satellite, though developed in secret, will be used to do research on possible collisions in space and any potential enemy military weapons developments in space.

European control room engineers monitor the docking of the ATV to the ISS. ESA.

On Tuesday the 29th, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched the 5th and last of the ATV robot cargo ships to the ISS. It was lifted on the Ariane 5 rocket from the French space center in French Guiana, South America. It was the 60th successful launch of the Ariane 5, a remarkable achievement.

And the rockets kept flying. On August 1st an Atlas 5 blasted off from Cape Canaveral, carrying a GPS navigational satellite. On August 5th SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the AsiaSat 8. On the same day, the ESA announced a remarkable success: the Rosetta space probe rendezvoused with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Instead of just passing close by, the probe has matched its speed and direction and will travel with the comet, studying it from close up.

Radar imaging of the comet nucleus. ESA.

The ATV finally docked with the ISS on Tuesday the 12th. It was berthed at the Russian Zvesda module, and astronauts began unloading the cargo ship. Although it is the last of the ATV series of cargo craft, the technology from this version will be used to design and build the service module for NASA's future Orion spaceship.

Long March rocket action. Xinhua news.

China got back into the space scene on August 9th, launching a Long March 4C rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu Province. It carried a remote-sensing satellite. A few days later on the 12th, another Atlas 5 took off, this time from Vandenberg AFB in California, carrying its own remote-sensing satellite, the WorldView 3.

View from the ISS, Cygnus released from the station, seen just right of center.

And that brings us to the last couple of days. Orbital's CRS-2 mission was over, and the Cygnus craft undocked on Friday. The ground engineers gave the craft remote directions to de-orbit and burn up this morning as it re-entered the atmosphere.

A previous Cygnus craft disintegrates and burns up over the Pacific.

Orbital has 6 more cargo missions under the current contract, and will no doubt receive further contracts in this successful series. And with the morning's fireworks provided by Cygnus, we get back to the business of watching the business of working in space.

Dragon version 2 Unveiled by SpaceX

Display replica of the Dragon V2 manned spacecraft.

Over the next couple of years we will see the testing of spacecraft from three companies. Boeing is building the CST100 capsule, a traditional capsule similar to the Apollo mission spacecraft. Although similar from the outside, the interior boasts a futuristic airliner-like quality and 21st century technology. Sierra Nevada Corporation is designing the Dreamchaser, a lifting body design which has more in common with the recently terminated Space Shuttle, only smaller. The Dreamchaser will return to Earth as a glider to land on runways. The Dragon Version 2, however, is revolutionary from several technical aspects.

Interior of the new spacecraft, which can seat seven astronauts.

Designed to accommodate seven astronauts, the Dragon V2 will possibly be the safest spacecraft to fly into space. The Dragon V2 will include the new SuperDraco thruster engines which will firstly act as an escape system during the ENTIRE flight into space (previous escape towers only functioned at certain points of the initial launch), and then will work as the landing engines - yes, landing engines.

Artist concept drawing of Dragon v2 in orbit. The service module underneath the capsule is covered with solar panels. It is jettisoned prior to re-entry.

Dragon V2 will launch conventionally atop SpaceX's Heavy Falcon or the Falcon 9 rockets. After concluding their orbital missions, the spacecraft will return to Earth in a new remarkable way. On its way down, Dragon V2 will be protected by SpaceX's new advanced heat shield system. Once through the outer layers of the atmosphere, the craft will use the SuperDraco thrusters to slow its descent and control its approach to a landing site at any designated point: airports, fields, you name it - instead of the usual watery landing. Instead of being limited to a runway of sufficient quality and length, the Dragon V2 will land with helicopter precision. And then, the capsule will be refurbished and launch again. Reusability was foremost in the minds of the designers. The landing style is reminiscent of the old sci-fi movies of the 1950's and 60's, when finned rockets would land tail-first and pointed up into the sky for ready flight. As Elon Musk, the owner of SpaceX commented, "It's the way a spaceship SHOULD land!"

The vertical landing aspect allows a great capability for the spacecraft. It means that the ship would have the capability of landing on foreign bodies as well - which includes the Moon, and of course - Mars.

SpaceX Gets the Big Pad

NASA and SpaceX officials announce historic deal next to Pad LC39A.

While I was busy posting about important events from 50 years ago, some new historic events were taking place at the Kennedy Space Center. Just before SpaceX was scheduled to launch another Dragon cargo spacecraft to the International SPace Station, NASA and SpaceX officials held a press conference to announce that the Famous LC39A launch pad would be turned over under a lease to SpaceX.  Although the launch was scrubbed due to a helium leak (rescheduled now for Friday afternoon), the historic deal means that SpaceX will now control and modify the launch pad and tower where Apollo rockets sent men to the Moon and Space Shuttles into orbit.

From Mission STS134: Shuttle Endeavor sit s on pad 39A for its last mission to the ISS.

Until now, SpaceX had been in the running against space competitor Blue Origin (which is designing a crew orbital vehicle of their own) who had teamed with ULA (United Launch Alliance, which manages rocket launches for NASA). Recently, fearing that NASA was leaning towards deciding in favor of SpaceX, Blue Origin filed a complaint with the government that their own program better matched NASA's requirements for management of the site. The government office turned down the protest, stating that NASA had not claimed a preference of approach. SpaceX won the contract.

Artist computer rendering of SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket on 39A.

Pad 39A was originally host to the Saturn V launches of the Apollo era. The Saturn V was the heavy lift vehicle that took men and equipment to the Moon, and later placed the Skylab space station in orbit. SpaceX intends to use the pad to launch its upcoming Falcon Heavy rocket, which will be the most powerful American rocket since the Saturn V. The first test launch of the Falcon Heavy is expected to be near the end of 2015. If it does launch, it will beat NASA's own SLS rocket, also a heavy-lift vehicle, by a couple of years.  You can find out more about the Falcon Heavy here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_Heavy

2014 Starts with Space Success

Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral. Credit: SpaceX

The space business is booming literally and figuratively as a volley of rocket launches started off the new year. SpaceX continues its onward march of successful launches on Jan.6, lifting the Thaicom 6 communications satellite into orbit. The mission took off from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral on behalf of Thailand, placing the craft in a geosynchronous orbit to provide communications coverage overThailand, parts of Africa, and a part of Arabia. This mission is a success also because previous Thaicom missions had been launched by Ariannespace on the French-built Arianne rocket. This is SpaceX's second successful launch of a craft into a geosynchronous orbit.

Overhead view of LC-40 in Florida.

History note: Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral station was originally home to launches of the Titan rocket series. Previous famous missions launched from there include the Mars Observer mission (which failed when its spacecraft failed to enter orbit of Mars), and the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn and its moon Titan. The original launch tower was scrapped when SpaceX leased the site from the government. LEarn more about the SpaceX launch at NASA SPaceFlight.com:

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/01/spacex-falcon-9-v1-1-launch-thaicom-6/

Cygnus Cargo ship approaches the ISS.

NASA Spaceflight.com also provided great reporting on the launch of Orbital Science's latest cargo mission to the International Space Station. The OS Antares rocket original suffered a launch delay until January 9, due to extreme radiation concerns from a solar wind blast that hit the Earth's magnetic field. Once that had passed, the Antares was launched from the Wallop Island launch facility in Virginia. The Cygnus robotic craft was carefully guided in orbit to the ISS by ground engineers until its arrival on Saturday the 11th, followed by a grappling by the station's robotic arm just after midnight on Sunday morning. Now berthed at the station's Harmony Docking Node, the crew has begun the process of unloading the supplies.

India's GSLV-D5 rocket on launch pad. (Times of India).

On the International front, India launched a GSL-D5 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Center.  The rocket placed a GSAT-14 satellite into geosynchronous orbit. The rocket has had some difficulties including a couple of recent failures, so this launch has definitely boosted the confidence of the Indian space program.