Jump to content

SpaceX Dragon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Giuseppe De Chiara 1968 (talk | contribs) at 09:08, 13 June 2014. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

SpaceX Dragon spacecraft
The SpaceX Dragon CRS variant approaching the ISS during the C2+ mission in May 2012.
Description
RolePlacing humans and cargo into Low Earth orbit (commercial use)[1]
ISS resupply (governmental use)
CrewNone (cargo variant)
7 (Dragon V2 variant)
Launch vehicleFalcon 9 v1.0
(Dragon C1–Dragon C4)[2]
Falcon 9 v1.1
(Dragon C5–)[2]
Maiden flight8 December 2010 (launch of first orbital flight)[3]
22 May 2012 (launch of first cargo delivery flight to the ISS)[4]
Dimensions
Height6.1 meters (20 feet)[5]
Diameter3.7 meters (12.1 feet)[5]
Sidewall angle15 degrees
Volume10 m3 (350 cu ft) pressurized[6]
14 m3 (490 cu ft) unpressurized[6]
34 m3 (1,200 cu ft) unpressurized with extended trunk[6]
Dry mass4,200 kg (9,300 lb)[5]
Payloadto ISS 3,310 kg (7,300 lb), which can be all pressurized, all unpressurized or anywhere in between. It can return to Earth 3,310 kg (7,300 lb), which can be all unpressurized disposal mass or up to 2,500 kg (5,500 lb) of return pressurized cargo[7]
Miscellaneous
Endurance1 week to 2 years[6]
Re-entry at3.5 Gs[8][9]
PropellantNTO/MMH[10]

Dragon is a partially reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX, an American private space transportation company based in Hawthorne, California. Dragon is launched into space by the SpaceX Falcon 9 two-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle, and is capable of both manned and robotic operation.

During its uncrewed maiden flight in December 2010, Dragon became the first commercially-built and operated spacecraft to be recovered successfully from orbit.[3] On 25 May 2012, an uncrewed variant of Dragon became the first commercial spacecraft to successfully rendezvous with and be attached to the International Space Station (ISS).[11][12][13] SpaceX is contracted to deliver cargo to the ISS under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services program, and Dragon began regular cargo flights in October 2012.[14][15][16][17]

SpaceX is additionally developing a crewed variant of the Dragon called Dragon V2. Dragon V2 will be able to carry up to seven astronauts, or some combination of crew and cargo, to and from low Earth orbit. SpaceX has received several U.S. Government contracts to develop its crewed variant, including a Commercial Crew Development 2 (CCDev 2)-funded Space Act Agreement in April 2011, and a Commercial Crew integrated Capability (CCiCap)-funded space act agreement in August 2012. The spacecraft's heat shield is furthermore designed to withstand Earth re-entry velocities from potential Lunar and Martian spaceflights.[18]

General characteristics

Drawing showing the pressurized (red) and unpressurized (orange) sections of Dragon

The Dragon spacecraft consists of a nose-cone cap that jettisons after launch, a conventional blunt-cone ballistic capsule, and an unpressurized cargo-carrier trunk equipped with two solar arrays.[19] The capsule uses a PICA-X heat shield – based on a proprietary variant of NASA's phenolic impregnated carbon ablator (PICA) material – designed to protect the capsule during Earth atmospheric reentry, even at high return velocities from Lunar and Martian missions.[18][20][21] The Dragon capsule is re-usable, and can be flown on multiple missions.[19] The trunk is not recoverable; it separates from the capsule before re-entry and burns up in Earth's atmosphere.[22]

The spacecraft is launched atop a Falcon 9 booster.[23] The Dragon capsule is equipped with 18 Draco thrusters, dual-redun­dant in all axes: any two can fail without compromising the vehicle's control over its pitch, yaw, roll and translation.[20] During its initial cargo and crew flights, the Dragon capsule will land in the Pacific Ocean and be returned to the shore by ship.[24] SpaceX plans to eventually install deployable landing gear and use eight upgraded SuperDraco thrusters to perform a solid earth propulsive landing.[25][26][27]

The trunk section, which carries the spacecraft's solar panels and allows the transport of unpressurized cargo to the ISS, was first used for cargo on the SpaceX CRS-2 mission.

Name

SpaceX's CEO, Elon Musk, named the spacecraft after the 1963 song "Puff, the Magic Dragon" by Peter, Paul and Mary, reportedly as a response to critics who considered his spaceflight projects impossible.[28]

Production

In December 2010, the SpaceX production line was reported to be manufacturing one new Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket every three months. Elon Musk stated in a 2010 interview that he planned to increase production turnover to one Dragon every six weeks by 2012.[29] Composite materials are extensively used in the spacecraft's manufacture to reduce weight and improve structural strength.[30]

By September 2013, SpaceX total manufacturing space had increased to nearly 1,000,000 square feet (93,000 m2) and the factory had six Dragons in various stages of production. SpaceX published a photograph showing the six, including the next four NASA Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission Dragons (CRS-3, CRS-4, CRS-5, CRS-6) plus the drop-test Dragon, and the pad-abort Dragon weldment for commercial crew.[31]

History

SpaceX began developing the Dragon spacecraft in late 2004.[32] In 2006, SpaceX won a contract to use the Dragon spacecraft for commercially supplied resupply services to the International Space Station for the American federal space agency, NASA.[33]

NASA ISS resupply contract

In 2005, NASA solicited proposals for a commercial ISS resupply cargo vehicle to replace the then-soon-to-be-retired Space Shuttle, through its Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) development program. The Dragon spacecraft was a part of SpaceX's proposal, submitted to NASA in March 2006. SpaceX's COTS proposal was issued as part of a team, which also included MD Robotics, the Canadian company that had built the ISS's Canadarm2.

An early Dragon pressure vessel, photographed during factory tests in 2008
The DragonEye system on Space Shuttle Discovery during STS-133

On 18 August 2006, NASA announced that SpaceX had been chosen, along with Kistler Aerospace, to develop cargo launch services for the ISS.[33] The initial plan called for three demonstration flights of SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft to be conducted between 2008 and 2010.[34][35] SpaceX and Kistler were to receive up to $278 million and $207 million respectively,[35] if they met all NASA milestones, but Kistler failed to meet its obligations, and its contract was terminated in 2007.[36] NASA later re-awarded Kistler's contract to Orbital Sciences.[36][37]

On 23 December 2008, NASA awarded a $1.6 billion Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract to SpaceX, with contract options that could potentially increase the maximum contract value to $3.1 billion.[38] The contract called for 12 flights to the ISS, with a minimum of 20,000 kg (44,000 lb) of cargo carried to the ISS.[38]

On 23 February 2009, SpaceX announced that its chosen heat shield material, PICA-X, had passed heat stress tests in preparation for Dragon's maiden launch.[39] PICA-X is reportedly ten times cheaper to manufacture than NASA's PICA heat shield material.[40]

The primary proximity-operations sensor for the Dragon spacecraft, the DragonEye, was tested in early 2009 during the STS-127 mission, when it was mounted near the docking port of the Space Shuttle Endeavour and used while the Shuttle approached the International Space Station. The DragonEye's LIDAR and thermal imaging capabilities were both tested successfully.[41][42] The COTS UHF Communication Unit (CUCU) and Crew Command Panel (CCP) were delivered to the ISS during the late 2009 STS-129 mission.[43] The CUCU allows the ISS to communicate with Dragon and the CCP allows ISS crew members to issue basic commands to Dragon.[43] In summer 2009, SpaceX hired former NASA astronaut Ken Bowersox as vice president of their new Astronaut Safety and Mission Assurance Department, in preparation for crews using the spacecraft.[44]

As a condition of the NASA CRS contract, SpaceX analyzed the orbital radiation environment on all Dragon systems, and how the spacecraft would respond to spurious radiation events. That analysis and the Dragon design – which uses an overall fault-tolerant triple-redundant computer architecture, rather than individual radiation hardening of each computer processor – was reviewed by independent experts before being approved by NASA for the cargo flights.[45]

Demonstration flights

The CRS Dragon being berthed to the ISS by the Canadarm2 manipulator during the COTS 2 mission
Interior of the COTS 2 Dragon capsule.
Recovery of the COTS 2 Dragon capsule on 31 May 2012.
The Dragon spacecraft being launched on a Falcon 9 v1.0 rocket

The first flight of the Falcon 9, a private flight, occurred in June 2010 and launched a stripped-down version of the Dragon capsule. This Dragon Spacecraft Qualification Unit had initially been used as a ground test bed to validate several of the capsule's systems. During the flight, the unit's primary mission was to relay aerodynamic data captured during the ascent.[46][47] It was not designed to survive re-entry, and did not.

NASA contracted for three test flights from SpaceX, but later reduced that number to two. The first Dragon spacecraft launched on its first mission – contracted to NASA as COTS Demo Flight 1 – on 8 December 2010, and was successfully recovered following reentry to Earth's atmosphere; the mission furthermore marked the second flight of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle.[48] The DragonEye sensor flew again on STS-133 in February 2011 for further on-orbit testing.[49] In November 2010, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had issued a reentry license for the Dragon capsule, the first such license ever awarded to a commercial vehicle.[50]

The second Dragon flight, also contracted to NASA as a demonstration mission, launched successfully on 22 May 2012, after NASA had approved SpaceX's proposal to combine the COTS 2 and 3 mission objectives into a single Falcon 9/Dragon flight, renamed COTS 2+.[4][51] Dragon conducted orbital tests of its navigation systems and abort procedures, before being grappled by the ISS' Canadarm2 and successfully berthing with the station on 25 May to offload its cargo.[11][52][53][54][55] Dragon returned to Earth on 31 May 2012, landing as scheduled in the Pacific Ocean, and was again successfully recovered.[56][57]

On 23 August 2012, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden announced that SpaceX had completed all required milestones under the COTS contract, and was cleared to begin operational re-supply missions to the ISS.[58]

Operational flights

Dragon was launched on its first operational CRS-contract mission on 8 October 2012,[14] and completed the mission successfully on 28 October.[59]

SpaceX CRS-2, the second CRS mission from SpaceX, was successfully launched on March 1, 2013. SpaceX CRS-3, SpaceX's third CRS mission, was launched on April 18, 2014 and has been berthed with the ISS since April 20, 2014.

Crewed development program

Exterior of DragonRider mock-up
Interior of DragonRider mock-up, showing the seat configuration

In 2006, Elon Musk stated that SpaceX had built "a prototype flight crew capsule, including a thoroughly tested 30-man-day life-support system".[32] A video simulation of this escape system's operation was released in January 2011.[26] Musk stated in 2010 that the developmental cost of a crewed Dragon and Falcon 9 would be between $800 million and $1 billion.[60] In 2009 and 2010, Musk suggested on several occasions that plans for a crewed variant of the Dragon were proceeding and had a two-to-three-year timeline to completion.[61][62] SpaceX submitted a bid for the third phase of CCDev, CCiCap.[63][64]

NASA Commercial Crew Development program

SpaceX was not awarded funding during the first phase of NASA's Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) milestone-based program. However, the company was selected on 18 April 2011, during the second phase of the program, to receive an award valued at $75 million to help develop its crew system.[65][66]

Their CCDev2 milestones involve the further advancement of the Falcon 9/Dragon crew transportation design, the advancement of the Launch Abort System propulsion design, completion of two crew accommodations demos, full-duration test firings of the launch abort engines, and demonstrations of their throttle capability.[67]

SpaceX's launch abort system received preliminary design approval from NASA in October 2011.[68] In December 2011, SpaceX performed its first crew accommodations test; the second such test is expected to involve spacesuit simulators and a higher-fidelity crewed Dragon mock-up.[69][70] In January 2012, SpaceX successfully conducted full-duration tests of its SuperDraco landing/escape rocket engine at its Rocket Development Facility in McGregor, Texas.[71]

On 3 August 2012, NASA announced the award of $440 million to SpaceX for the continuation of work on the Dragon under CCiCap.[72] On 20 December 2013, SpaceX completed a parachute drop test in order to validate the new parachute design.[73] This involved carrying a 12,000 pounds (5,400 kg) Dragon test article by helicopter to an altitude of 8,000 feet (2,400 m) above the Pacific ocean.[74] The test article was released and intentionally forced into a tumble.[74] Dragon then released its two drogue parachutes, followed by its three main parachutes and splashed down into the ocean.[74] The test article was then retrieved by helicopter and returned to shore.[74]

In July 2013, SpaceX stated that a pad abort test is planned to occur no sooner than December 2013.[75] During this test, the Dragon capsule will use its abort engines to launch away from a test stand at Launch Complex 40.[76][77] It will travel to an altitude of 5,000 feet (1,500 m), deploy its parachutes, splashdown into the ocean and be recovered.[76][77] An in-flight abort is planned for no sooner than April 2014, which would see Dragon using its launch abort engines to escape from a Falcon 9 that is already in flight.[76][78] This test would occur at the point of worst-case dynamic loads, which is also when Dragon has the smallest performance margin for separation from its launch vehicle.[78]

As part of an optional milestone of CCiCap, the first crewed Dragon flight would occur no sooner than mid-2015.[78] This orbital flight would see Dragon being launched into a 200-nautical-mile (370-km) orbit. The first crewed mission is planned to last at least three days and be performed with a crew of three non-NASA personnel.[78] As part of another optional milestone, the first crewed Dragon flight to the ISS is planned to be launched no sooner than December 2015; this mission will also carry a non-NASA crew.[78]

Red Dragon

Main article: Red Dragon (spacecraft)

Red Dragon is a concept for a low-cost uncrewed Mars lander that would utilize a SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch vehicle and a modified Dragon capsule to enter the Martian atmosphere. The concept will be proposed for funding in 2013 as a NASA Discovery mission, for launch in 2018.[79][80] The mission would search for the biosignatures of past or present life on Mars. Red Dragon would drill about 1 meter (3.3 ft) underground in an effort to sample reservoirs of water ice known to exist in the shallow Martian subsurface.[79][80]

A Dragon capsule is capable of performing all the entry, descent and landing (EDL) functions required to deliver payloads of 1 tonne (2,200 lb) or more to the Martian surface without using a parachute. Preliminary analysis shows that the capsule's atmospheric drag will slow it sufficiently for the final stage of its descent to be within the capabilities of its SuperDraco retro-propulsion thrusters.[79][80]

Mars One Dragon

The private Mars One colonization project developed an initial concept of using a 5-meter (16 ft)-diameter variant of Dragon, launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, to transport crew and cargo to the Martian surface.[citation needed]

According to the Mars One 2014 timetable, the first launch would need to occur in July 2022, in preparation for the projected arrival of human colonists in 2025.[81] As of May 2013, they had no relationship with SpaceX,[82] and SpaceX has made no comment on any early Mars mission for any customers.

Development funding

In 2014, SpaceX released the total combined development costs for both the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and the Dragon capsule. NASA provided US$396 million while SpaceX provided over US$450 million to fund both development efforts.[83]

Design

Dragon CRS

For the ISS Dragon cargo flights, the ISS's Canadarm2 grapples its Flight-Releasable Grapple Fixture and berths Dragon to the station's US Orbital Segment using a Common Berthing Mechanism.[84] The CRS Dragon does not have an independent means of maintaining a breathable atmosphere for astronauts and instead circulates in fresh air from the ISS.[85] For typical missions, Dragon is planned to remain berthed to the ISS for about 30 days.[86]

The CRS Dragon's capsule can transport 3,310 kg (7,300 lb) of cargo, which can be all pressurized, all unpressurized or anywhere in between. It can return to Earth 3,310 kg (7,300 lb), which can be all unpressurized disposal mass or up to 2,500 kg of return pressurized cargo, driven by parachute limitations. There is a volume constraint of 14 m3 (490 cu ft) trunk unpressurized cargo and 11.2 m3 (400 cu ft) of pressurized cargo (up or down).[7] The trunk was first used operationally on the Dragon's CRS-2 mission in March 2013.[87] Its solar arrays produce a peak power of 4 kW.[10]

The CRS Dragon design was modified beginning with the fifth Dragon flight on the SpaceX CRS-3 mission to the ISS in March 2014. While the outer mold line of the Dragon was unchanged, the avionics and cargo racks were redesigned in order to supply substantially more electrical power to powered cargo devices, including the GLACIER and MERLIN freezer modules for transporting critical science payloads.[88]

Dragon CRS 3 views
Dragon CRS 3 views
Dragon CRS Isometric view

DragonLab

When used for non-NASA, non-ISS commercial flights, the uncrewed version of the Dragon spacecraft is called DragonLab.[19] It is reusable, free-flying, and capable of carrying both pressurized and unpressurized payloads. Its subsystems include propulsion, power, thermal and environmental control, avionics, communications, thermal protection, flight software, guidance and navigation systems, and entry, descent, landing, and recovery gear.[6] It has a total combined upmass of 6,000 kilograms (13,000 lb) upon launch, and a maximum downmass of 3,000 kilograms (6,600 lb) when returning to Earth.[6] As of April 2014, there are two DragonLab missions listed on the SpaceX launch manifest: one in 2016 and another in 2018.[89] The same two missions were listed on the SpaceX manifest in November 2011.[90] The Russian Bion satellites and the American Biosatellites once performed similar uncrewed payload-delivery functions.

Dragon V2

The Dragon V2 stands on a stage inside SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif., prior to its unveiling.

The version 2 Dragon spacecraft will be capable of land touchdowns.[91]

It will include side-mounted thruster pods as well as much larger windows, and landing legs which extend from the bottom of the spacecraft.

The Dragon V2 spacecraft was unveiled on May 29, 2014—after originally being expected to be unveiled in 2013[92] —a crew-carrying variant of Dragon that varies considerably from the cargo-carrying Dragon that has been flying to the International Space Station in 2010–2014. Dragon V2 could make its first flight as early as late 2015, with its first flight with people as early as 2016. A launch pad abort test of Dragon V2 is planned for 2014.[93][94][95] The dates for the first orbital flights of Dragon V2 are highly dependent on decisions that the US Congress and NASA have yet to make, including at what pace the US would like to resume crew-carrying spaceflight responsibilities from the Russian Soyuz approach that has been used since 2011.[95]

Dragon V2 includes the following features:[93][94]

  • fully reusable; capable of being flown multiple times, resulting in a significant reduction in the cost of access to space. SpaceX anticipates on the order of ten flights are possible before significant refurbishment of the space vehicle would be required.
  • capable of carrying seven astronauts
  • supports both propulsive-landing "almost anywhere in the world" with the accuracy of a helicopter, plus a backup parachute-enabled landing capability
  • eight side-mounted SuperDraco engines, clustered in redundant pairs in four engine pods, with each engine capable of producing 71 kilonewtons (16,000 lbf) of thrust
  • capable of autonomous docking to space stations. Dragon V1 utilized berthing, a non-autonomous method of attachment to the ISS that was completed by use of the Canadarm robotic arm.
  • pilot capability to park the spacecraft using manual controls if necessary
  • four extensible landing legs
  • the first fully printed engine, the SuperDraco. Engine combustion chamber is printed of Inconel, an alloy of nickel and iron, using a process of direct metal laser sintering. Engines are contained in a protective nacelle to prevent fault propagation in the event of an engine failure.
  • composite-carbon-overwrap titanium spherical tanks for holding the helium used for engine pressurization and also for the SuperDraco fuel and oxidizer
  • updated third-generation PICA-X heat shield
  • tablet-like computer that swivels down for optional crew control by the pilot and co-pilot
  • tan leather seats
  • a reusable nose cone which can pivot on a hinge to enable in-space docking, while returning to the covered position for reentry and future launches[95]

SpaceX is competing for a contract with NASA to deliver some number of specific crew-transport missions to the ISS under the third phase of the Commercial Crew Development program. However, Musk said that "SpaceX will attempt to continue development of the enhanced Dragon even if it loses the contest for the NASA contract."[93]

According to Elon Musk in a question and answer conference at the May 29th unveiling of the Dragon V2, Dragon V1 will be used in tandem with Dragon V2 as a cargo ferry for coming years.

Dragon V2 development history

2012 DragonRider mockup, showing the LES engines mounted on the outside of the capsule, when the design was not yet final.[96]

The crewed variant of Dragon was initially called DragonRider. It was intended from the beginning to support a crew of seven or a combination of crew and cargo.[97][98] It was planned to be able to perform fully autonomous rendezvous and docking with manual override capability; and was designed to use the NASA Docking System (NDS) to dock to the ISS.[19][99] For typical missions, DragonRider would remain docked to the ISS for a period of 180 days, but would be designed to be able to do so for 210 days, the same as the Russian Soyuz spacecraft.[100][101][102] From the earliest design concepts which were publicly released in 2010, SpaceX planned to use an integrated pusher launch escape system for the Dragon spacecraft, claiming several advantages over the tractor detachable tower approach used on most prior crewed spacecraft.[103][104][105] These advantages include the provision for crew escape all the way to orbit, reusability of the escape system, improved crew safety due to the elimination of a stage separation, and the ability to use the escape engines during the landing phase for a precise solid earth landing of the Dragon capsule.[106] An emergency parachute will be retained as a redundant backup for water landings.[106]

As of 2011, the Paragon Space Development Corporation was assisting in the development of DragonRider's life support system.[107] In 2012, SpaceX was in talks with Orbital Outfitters regarding the development of a spacesuit that would be worn during launch and re-entry.[108]

At a NASA news conference on 18 May 2012, SpaceX confirmed again that their target launch price for crewed Dragon flights is $140,000,000, or $20,000,000 per seat if the maximum crew of 7 is aboard, and if NASA orders at least four DragonRider flights per year.[109] This contrasts with the 2014 Soyuz launch price of $76,000,000 per seat for NASA astronauts.[110]

List of Dragon missions

List includes only completed or currently manifested missions. All NASA CRS missions are currently scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40. Launch dates are listed in UTC.

Mission name Launch date (UTC) Remarks Outcome
SpX-C1 (COTS 1) 8 December 2010[111] First Dragon mission, second Falcon 9 launch Success[3]
SpX-C2+ (COTS 2) 22 May 2012[4] First Dragon mission with complete spacecraft, first rendezvous mission, first berthing with ISS Success[56]
SpaceX CRS-1 8 October 2012[15][16][112] First Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission for NASA, first non-demo mission. Falcon 9 rocket suffered a partial engine failure during launch but was able to deliver Dragon into orbit.[14] However, a secondary payload did not reach its correct orbit.[113] Mission success; launch anomaly[59]
SpaceX CRS-2 1 March 2013[114][115] First launch of Dragon using trunk section to carry cargo.[87] Launch was successful, but anomalies occurred with the spacecraft's thrusters shortly after liftoff. Thruster function was later restored and orbit corrections were made,[114] but the spacecraft's rendezvous with the ISS was delayed from its planned date of 2 March until 3 March, when it was successfully berthed with the Harmony module.[116][117] Dragon splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean on 26 March.[118] Mission success; spacecraft anomaly[114]
SpaceX CRS-3 18 April 2014[119] [120] First launch of the redesigned Dragon: same outer mold line with the avionics and cargo racks redesigned in order to supply substantially more electrical power to powered cargo devices, including additional cargo freezers for transporting critical science payloads.[88] Rescheduled for the 18th due to a helium leak. Mission success[121]
DragonV2 abort test Spring 2014[122] Pad abort test
SpaceX CRS-4 8 August 2014[123][124][125]
DragonV2 abort test Summer 2014 In-flight abort test; no earlier than April 2014[78]
SpaceX CRS-5 27 November 2014[126][127]
SpaceX CRS-6 5 December 2014[128] Hardware scheduled to arrive at launch site in 2014[129]
SpaceX CRS-7 TBA Hardware scheduled to arrive at launch site in 2014[129]
SpaceX CRS-8 2015[130] Hardware scheduled to arrive at launch site in 2015.[129] As of January 2013, will deliver the Bigelow BEAM module in the unpressurized cargo trunk.[130]
DragonV2 CC-1 2016[89]
SpaceX CRS-9 TBA Hardware scheduled to arrive at launch site in 2015[129]
SpaceX CRS-10 TBA Hardware scheduled to arrive at launch site in 2015[129]
SpaceX CRS-11 TBA Hardware scheduled to arrive at launch site in 2015[129]
SpaceX CRS-12 TBA Hardware scheduled to arrive at launch site in 2015[129]
DragonV2 CC-2 2018[89]

Specifications

Size comparison of the Apollo (left), Orion (center) and Dragon (right) capsules

Uncrewed version

The following specifications are published by SpaceX for the non-NASA, non-ISS commercial flights of the refurbished Dragon capsules, listed as "DragonLab" flights on the SpaceX manifest. The specifications for the NASA-contracted Dragon Cargo were not included in the 2009 DragonLab datasheet.[6]

Pressure vessel
  • 10 m3 (350 cu ft) interior pressurized, environmentally controlled, payload volume.[6]
  • Onboard environment: 10–46 °C (50–115 °F); relative humidity 25~75%; 13.9~14.9 psia air pressure (958.4~1027 hPa).[6]
Unpressurized sensor bay (recoverable payload)
Unpressurized trunk (non-recoverable)
  • 14 m3 (490 cu ft) payload volume in the 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) trunk, aft of the pressure vessel heat shield, with optional trunk extension to 4.3 m (14 ft 1 in) total length, payload volume increases to 34 m3 (1,200 cu ft).[6]
  • Supports sensors and space apertures up to 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in) in diameter.[6]
Power, telemetry and command systems

Radiation tolerance

Dragon uses a "radiation-tolerant" design in the electronic hardware and software that make up its flight computers. The system uses three pairs of computers, each constantly checking on the others, to instantiate a fault-tolerant design. In the event of a radiation upset or soft error, one of the computer pairs will perform a soft reboot.[45] Including the six computers that make up the main flight computers, Dragon employs a total of 18 triple-processor computers.[45]

See also

Comparable vehicles

References

  1. ^ "SPACEX WINS NASA COMPETITION TO REPLACE SPACE SHUTTLE" (Press release). Hawthorne, California: SpaceX. 8 September 2006. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  2. ^ a b Clark, Stephen (18 May 2012). "Q&A with SpaceX founder and chief designer Elon Musk". SpaceFlightNow. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  3. ^ a b c Bates, Daniel (9 December 2010). "Mission accomplished! SpaceX Dragon becomes the first privately funded spaceship launched into orbit and guided back to Earth". Daily Mail. London. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
  4. ^ a b c "SpaceX Launches Private Capsule on Historic Trip to Space Station". Space.com. 22 May 2012.
  5. ^ a b c "SpaceX Brochure – 2008" (PDF). Retrieved 9 December 2010.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "DragonLab datasheet" (PDF). Hawthorne, California: SpaceX. 8 September 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  7. ^ a b "The ISS CRS contract (signed December 23, 2008)"
  8. ^ Bowersox, Ken (25 January 2011). "SpaceX Today" (PDF). SpaceX. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  9. ^ Musk, Elon (17 July 2009). "COTS Status Update & Crew Capabilities" (PDF). SpaceX. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  10. ^ a b "The Annual Compendium of Commercial Space Transportation: 2012" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. February 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  11. ^ a b "SpaceX's Dragon captured by ISS, preparing for historic berthing". NASASpaceflight.com. 25 May 2012.
  12. ^ Chang, Kenneth (25 May 2012). "Space X Capsule Docks at Space Station". New York Times. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  13. ^ "SpaceX's Dragon Docks With Space Station—A First". National Geographic. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  14. ^ a b c "Liftoff! SpaceX Dragon Launches 1st Private Space Station Cargo Mission". Space.com. 8 October 2012 (UTC). {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ a b "Falcon 9 undergoes pad rehearsal for October launch". Spaceflight Now. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  16. ^ a b "Worldwide Launch Schedule". Spaceflight Now. 7 September 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  17. ^ "Press Briefed On the Next Mission to the International Space Station". NASA. 20 March 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
  18. ^ a b Clark, Stephen (16 July 2010). "Second Falcon 9 rocket begins arriving at the Cape". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  19. ^ a b c d "Dragon Overview". SpaceX. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  20. ^ a b "SpaceX Updates — December 10, 2007". SpaceX. 10 December 2007. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  21. ^ "Second Falcon 9 rocket begins arriving at the Cape". Spaceflight Now. 16 July 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  22. ^ "SpaceX CRS-2 Dragon return timeline". Spaceflightnow. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2013. The unpressurized trunk section of the Dragon spacecraft separates. The trunk is designed to burn up on re-entry, while the pressurized capsule returns to Earth intact.
  23. ^ Jones, Thomas D. (December 2006). "Tech Watch — Resident Astronaut". Popular Mechanics. 183 (12): 31. ISSN 0032-4558.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  24. ^ "SpaceX • COTS Flight 1 Press Kit" (PDF). SpaceX. 6 December 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  25. ^ "Dragon Drop Test – August 20, 2010". Spacex.com. 20 August 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
  26. ^ a b "Commercial Crew Development (CCDEV) video" (video). SpaceX. 14 January 2011. 3:40. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
  27. ^ "Elon Musk Congressional testimony October 26, 2011" (PDF).
  28. ^ "5 Fun Facts About Private Rocket Company SpaceX". Space.com. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  29. ^ Chow, Denise (8 December 2010). "Q & A with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk: Master of Private Space Dragons". Space.com. New York. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  30. ^ "Fibersim helps SpaceX manufacture composite parts for Dragon spacecraft". ReinforcedPlastics.com. 15 June 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  31. ^ "Production at SpaceX". SpaceX. 24 September 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  32. ^ a b Berger, Brian (8 March 2006). "SpaceX building reusable crew capsule". MSNBC. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
  33. ^ a b "NASA selects crew, cargo launch partners". Spaceflight Now. 18 August 2006. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  34. ^ Thorn, Valin (11 January 2007). "Commercial Crew & Cargo Program Overview" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  35. ^ a b Boyle, Alan (18 August 2006). "SpaceX, Rocketplane win spaceship contest". MSNBC. New York. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  36. ^ a b Berger, Brian (19 October 2007). "Time Runs out for RpK; New COTS Competition Starts Immediately". Space.com. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
  37. ^ Bergin, Chris (19 February 2008). "Orbital beat a dozen competitors to win NASA COTS contract". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 18 December 2011. {{cite news}}: Check |archiveurl= value (help)
  38. ^ a b "F9/Dragon Will Replace the Cargo Transport Function of the Space Shuttle after 2010" (Press release). Hawthorne, California: SpaceX. 23 December 2008. Retrieved 26 January 2009.
  39. ^ "SpaceX Manufactured Heat Shield Material Passes High Temperature Tests Simulating Reentry Heating Conditions of Dragon Spacecraft" (Press release). SpaceX. 23 February 2009. Retrieved 16 July 2009.
  40. ^ Chaikin, Andrew (January 2012). "1 visionary + 3 launchers + 1,500 employees = ? : Is SpaceX changing the rocket equation?". Air & Space Smithsonian. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
  41. ^ "UPDATE: Wednesday, September 23, 2009" (Press release). Hawthorne, California: SpaceX. 23 September 2009. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  42. ^ Update: 23 September 2009. SpaceX.com. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  43. ^ a b Bergin, Chris (28 March 2010). "SpaceX announce successful activation of Dragon's CUCU onboard ISS". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  44. ^ "Former astronaut Bowersox Joins SpaceX as vice president of Astronaut Safety and Mission Assurance" (Press release). SpaceX. 18 June 2009. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  45. ^ a b c Svitak, Amy (18 November 2012). "Dragon's "Radiation-Tolerant" Design". Aviation Week. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  46. ^ Guy Norris (20 September 2009). "SpaceX, Orbital Explore Using Their Launch Vehicles To Carry Humans". Aviation Week. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  47. ^ "SpaceX Achieves Orbital Bullseye With Inaugural Flight of Falcon 9 Rocket: A major win for NASA's plan to use commercial rockets for astronaut transport". SpaceX. 7 June 2010.
  48. ^ "Private space capsule's maiden voyage ends with a splash". BBC News. 8 December 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  49. ^ "STS-133: SpaceX's DragonEye set for late installation on Discovery". NASASpaceflight.com. 19 July 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  50. ^ "NASA Statements On FAA Granting Reentry License To SpaceX" (Press release). 22 November 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  51. ^ Ray, Justin (9 December 2011). "SpaceX demo flights merged as launch date targeted". Tonbridge, Kent, United Kingdom: Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 9 December 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  52. ^ "ISS welcomes SpaceX Dragon". Wired. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  53. ^ "SpaceX's Dragon already achieving key milestones following Falcon 9 ride". NASASpaceflight.com. 22 May 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  54. ^ "NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 22 May 2012". NASA via SpaceRef.com. 22 May 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  55. ^ Pierrot Durand (28 May 2012). "Cargo Aboard Dragon Spacecraft to Be Unloaded On May 28". French Tribune.
  56. ^ a b "Splashdown for SpaceX Dragon spacecraft". BBC. 31 May 2012.
  57. ^ "SpaceX Dragon Capsule opens new era". Reuters via BusinessTech.co.za. 28 May 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  58. ^ "NASA Administrator Announces New Commercial Crew And Cargo Milestones". NASA. 23 August 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  59. ^ a b "SpaceX capsule returns with safe landing in Pacific". BBC. 28 October 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  60. ^ "NASA expects a gap in commercial crew funding". Spaceflightnow.com. 11 October 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  61. ^ "This Week in Space interview with Elon Musk". Spaceflight Now. 24 January 2010.
  62. ^ "Elon Musk's SpaceX presentation to the Augustine panel". YouTube. June 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  63. ^ Rosenberg, Zach (30 March 2012). "Boeing details bid to win NASA shuttle replacement". FlightGlobal. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  64. ^ "COMMERCIAL CREW INTEGRATED CAPABILITY". NASA. 23 January 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  65. ^ Clark, Stephen (11 October 2010). "NASA expects a gap in commercial crew funding". Spaceflightnow. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  66. ^ Chow, Denise (18 April 2011). "Private Spaceship Builders Split Nearly $270 Million in NASA Funds". Space.com. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  67. ^ "Space Act Agreement No.NNK11MS04S between NASA and SpaceX for CCDev 2" (PDF). NASA. 18 April 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  68. ^ Paur, Jason (27 October 2011). "SpaceX Launch Abort System Receives Preliminary Approval". Wired. San Francisco. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  69. ^ "CCDev 2 Milestone Schedule" (PDF). NASA. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  70. ^ "ISS Update: SpaceX Space Act Agreement Status". NASA. 23 March 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  71. ^ "SpaceX Tests New ‘Super’ Rocket Engines". Wired. 1 February 2012.
  72. ^ "Boeing, SpaceX and Sierra Nevada Win CCiCAP Awards". Spacenews.com. 3 August 2012.
  73. ^ Messier, Doug (17 January 2014). "NASA Commercial Crew Partner SpaceX Tests Dragon Parachute System". Parabolic Arc. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  74. ^ a b c d "NASA Commercial Crew Partner SpaceX Tests Dragon Parachute System". NASA. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  75. ^ Norris, Guy (1 July 2013). "Boeing, SpaceX Detail Capsule Test Plans". Aviation Week. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  76. ^ a b c Halvorson, Todd (3 July 2013). "SpaceX presses ahead on crew testing at Cape Canaveral". Florida Today. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  77. ^ a b "NASA Commercial Crew Partner SpaceX Completes Two Human-Critical Reviews". NASA. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  78. ^ a b c d e f "Space Act Agreement NO. NNK12MSO2S between NASA and SpaceX For CCiCap". NASA/SpaceX. 24 July 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  79. ^ a b c Wall, Mike (31 July 2011). "'Red Dragon' Mission Mulled as Cheap Search for Mars Life". Space.com. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
  80. ^ a b c "NASA ADVISORY COUNCIL (NAC) – Science Committee Report" (PDF). NASA Ames Research Center. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
  81. ^ "Roadmap". Mars One. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  82. ^ Shubber, Kadhim (13 May 2013). "Mars One will take you to the Red Planet, if it can raise the cash". Wired.co.uk. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  83. ^ Shotwell, Gwynne (4 June 2014). Discussion with Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO, SpaceX. Atlantic Council. Event occurs at 12:20–13:10. Retrieved 8 June 2014. NASA ultimately gave us about $396 million; SpaceX put in over $450 million ... [for an] EELV-class launch vehcle ... as well as a capsule
  84. ^ Bergin, Chris (12 April 2012). "ISS translates robotic assets in preparation to greet SpaceX's Dragon". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  85. ^ "SpaceX Dragon Air Circulation System" (PDF). SpaceX / American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)
  86. ^ "NASA Advisory Council Space Operations Committee" (PDF). NASA. July 2010. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  87. ^ a b Bergin, Chris (19 October 2012). "Dragon enjoying ISS stay, despite minor issues – Falcon 9 investigation begins". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 21 October 2012. CRS-2 will debut the use of Dragon's Trunk section, capable of delivering unpressurized cargo, prior to the payload being removed by the ISS' robotic assets after berthing.
  88. ^ a b Gwynne Shotwell (21 March 2014). Broadcast 2212: Special Edition, interview with Gwynne Shotwell (audio file). The Space Show. Event occurs at 18:35–19:10. 2212. Archived from the original (mp3) on 22 March 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2014. looks the same on the outside ... new avionics system, new software, and new cargo racking system
  89. ^ a b c "Launch Manifest". SpaceX. 3 November 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  90. ^ "Launch Manifest". Hawthorne, California: SpaceX. 2011. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  91. ^ Gwynne Shotwell (21 March 2014). Broadcast 2212: Special Edition, interview with Gwynne Shotwell (audio file). The Space Show. Event occurs at 24:05–24:45 and 28:15–28:35. 2212. Archived from the original (mp3) on 22 March 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2014. we call it v2 for Dragon. That is the primary vehicle for crew, and we will retrofit it back to cargo.
  92. ^ Kramer, Miriam (28 March 2013). "SpaceX's Dragon Capsule 2.0 Looks Like 'Alien Spaceship,' Elon Musk Says". Space.com. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  93. ^ a b c Norris, Guy (30 May 2014). "SpaceX Unveils 'Step Change' Dragon 'V2'". Aviation Week. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  94. ^ a b Kramer, Miriam (30 May 2014). "SpaceX Unveils Dragon V2 Spaceship, a Manned Space Taxi for Astronauts — Meet Dragon V2: SpaceX's Manned Space Taxi for Astronaut Trips". space.com. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  95. ^ a b c Bergin, Chris (2014-05-30). "SpaceX lifts the lid on the Dragon V2 crew spacecraft". NASAspaceflight.com. Retrieved 2014-05030. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  96. ^ Simberg, Rand (14 June 2012). "Elon And Charlie". Transterrestrial Musings. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  97. ^ "Q+A: SpaceX Engineer Garrett Reisman on Building the World's Safest Spacecraft". PopSci. 13 April 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012. DragonRider, SpaceX's crew-capable variant of its Dragon capsule
  98. ^ "SpaceX Completes Key Milestone to Fly Astronauts to International Space Station". SpaceX. 20 October 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  99. ^ Parma, George (20 March 2011). "Overview of the NASA Docking System and the International Docking System Standard" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 30 March 2012. iLIDS was later renamed the NASA Docking System (NDS), and will be NASA's implementation of an IDSS compatible docking system for all future US vehicles
  100. ^ Bayt, Rob (26 July 2011). "Commercial Crew Program: Key Driving Requirements Walkthrough". NASA. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  101. ^ Oberg, Jim (28 March 2007). "Space station trip will push the envelope". MSNBC. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  102. ^ Bolden, Charles (9 May 2012). "2012-05-09_NASA_Response" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  103. ^ With the exception of the Project Gemini spacecraft, which used twin ejection seats: "Encyclopedia Astronautica: Gemini Ejection". Astronautix.com. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  104. ^ Chow, Denise (18 April 2011). "Private Spaceship Builders Split Nearly $270 Million in NASA Funds". New York: Space.com. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  105. ^ "Spaceship teams seek more funding". MSNBC Cosmic Log. 10 December 2010. Retrieved 14 December 2010.
  106. ^ a b "SpaceX Updates – Taking the next step: Commercial Crew Development Round 2". SpaceX. 17 January 2010. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
  107. ^ "In the news Paragon Space Development Corporation Joins SpaceX Commercial Crew Development Team". Paragon Space Development Corporation. 16 June 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  108. ^ Sofge, Eric (19 November 2012). "The Deep-Space Suit". PopSci. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  109. ^ Star Wars: The Battle to Build the Next Shuttle: Boeing, SpaceX and Sierra Nevada. Bloomberg News. 2014-05. Event occurs at 2:05. Retrieved 2014-05-06. {{cite AV media}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  110. ^ "SpaceX scrubs launch to ISS over rocket engine problem". Deccan Chronicle. 19 May 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  111. ^ "SpaceX Launches Success with Falcon 9/Dragon Flight". NASA. 9 December 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
  112. ^ "Private Spacecraft to Launch Space Station Cargo On Oct. 7". LiveScience. 25 September 2012.
  113. ^ "Falcon 9 Drops Orbcomm Satellite in Wrong Orbit". Aviation Week. 8 October 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  114. ^ a b c "Dragon Spacecraft Glitch Was 'Frightening,' SpaceX Chief Elon Musk Says". Space.com. 1 March 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  115. ^ "Dragon Mission Report". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  116. ^ "NASA says SpaceX Dragon is safe to dock with the International Space Station on Sunday". The Verge. 2 March 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  117. ^ "SpaceX hits snag; Dragon capsule won't dock with space station on schedule". WKMG TV. 1 March 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  118. ^ "SpaceX Dragon cargo ship splashes into Pacific". Boston Globe. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  119. ^ "Range Realigns – SpaceX CRS-3 mission targets April 14". nasaspaceflight.com. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  120. ^ "CRS-3 Update". http://new.livestream.com. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  121. ^ "[SpaceX] Launch of SpaceX's Dragon CRS-3 Spacecraft on Falcon 9v1.1 Rocket". SpaceVids.tv. 18 April 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  122. ^ "SpaceX progress on Dragon abort test and Raptor engine". NasaSpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  123. ^ Lindsey, Clark (4 January 2013). "NewSpace flights in 2013". NewSpace Watch. Retrieved 3 January 2013. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  124. ^ "NASA's Consolidated Launch Schedule". NASA. 4 April 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  125. ^ "SpaceX Launch Manifest". SpaceX. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  126. ^ Lueder, Kathryn (16 February 2012). "ISS Commercial Resupply Services". NASA. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  127. ^ "Worldwide launch schedule". spaceflightnow.com. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  128. ^ "ISS Calendar". Spaceflight101. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  129. ^ a b c d e f g "SpaceX Launch Manifest". SpaceX. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
  130. ^ a b Lindsey, Clark (16 January 2013). "NASA and Bigelow release details of expandable module for ISS". NewSpace Watch. Retrieved 24 January 2013. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dragon (spacecraft).
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=SpaceX_Dragon&oldid=612744665"