SpaceX is preparing the COTS-1 mission for launch sometime later this summer, provisionally set for late August or early September. Yesterday a big part of this preparation occurred with a successful 40 second test burn of the COTS-1 first stage at SpaceX's Texas test facility;
(watch full screen for best effect - shot by civilians near the test site)
This 40 second burn was a departure from the original schedule which called for a 10 second burn last Thursday and a 30 second burn this week. Seems they're getting more and more confident after the success of Falcon 9/flight 1 June 4 - as in being very sure of their vehicle and their knowledge of its performance.
COTS-1 will be the first flight of a fully mission capable cargo version of their Dragon spacecrafts ability to resupply the International Space Station, for which SpaceX has a $1.6 billion contract with NASA. This mission calls for 5 orbits, testing of Dragon's orbital maneuvering systems, comms, telemetry, re-entry, parachutes and spashdown in the Pacific off the California coast.
IF this mission goes well there were originally supposed to be two others: COTS-2 for a longer flight and near-approach to the ISS, and COTS-3 which would dock at the ISS and deliver a non-critical cargo.
I say 'originally' because if COTS-1 goes well COTS-2 may be cleared to perform both its mission and that of COTS-3, accelerating the schedule considerably and basically leaving the other commercial spacecraft companies in the dust.
Once the COTS tests are done and cargo missions commence you can bet your bippy work on the remaining pieces of a manned Dragon will accelerate: some life support parts, the launch abort system, seating etc. No need to "man rate" it or the Falcon 9 since both were designed for manned flights from day one.
(watch full screen for best effect - shot by civilians near the test site)
This 40 second burn was a departure from the original schedule which called for a 10 second burn last Thursday and a 30 second burn this week. Seems they're getting more and more confident after the success of Falcon 9/flight 1 June 4 - as in being very sure of their vehicle and their knowledge of its performance.
COTS-1 will be the first flight of a fully mission capable cargo version of their Dragon spacecrafts ability to resupply the International Space Station, for which SpaceX has a $1.6 billion contract with NASA. This mission calls for 5 orbits, testing of Dragon's orbital maneuvering systems, comms, telemetry, re-entry, parachutes and spashdown in the Pacific off the California coast.
IF this mission goes well there were originally supposed to be two others: COTS-2 for a longer flight and near-approach to the ISS, and COTS-3 which would dock at the ISS and deliver a non-critical cargo.
I say 'originally' because if COTS-1 goes well COTS-2 may be cleared to perform both its mission and that of COTS-3, accelerating the schedule considerably and basically leaving the other commercial spacecraft companies in the dust.
Once the COTS tests are done and cargo missions commence you can bet your bippy work on the remaining pieces of a manned Dragon will accelerate: some life support parts, the launch abort system, seating etc. No need to "man rate" it or the Falcon 9 since both were designed for manned flights from day one.
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