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SpaceX tests Crew Dragon's parachute landing skills
There's a well-worn saying about what goes up. Usually it's metaphorical, but in the case of SpaceX's human-carrying Crew Dragon craft it's very, very literal. That's why the private space firm has been testing its multi-parachute descent system. The tests used four parachutes in total, and a dummy payload to simulate the expensive capsule -- all of which was ejected from a C-130 cargo plane.
SpaceX tests the safety rockets for its manned space vehicles
NASA's Commercial Crew Program is an initiative to get private companies to ferry personnel to-and-from the International Space Station. SpaceX is doing its very best to show that it can do the job, and has successfully tested one of the most important components its crewed vehicle needs: the escape engine. The company has test-fired a pair of its SuperDraco engines in Texas, demonstrating that the gear could ignite and throttle at the same time.
SpaceX Dragon V2 can seat up to seven passengers, use thrusters to land on solid ground
SpaceX's Dragon capsule has been taking cargo to the International Space Station since 2012, but it's done so lacking the chops to shuttle humans into orbit. The firm's just unveiled the next generation of the spacecraft, dubbed Dragon V2, to remedy that, and it's designed to do much more than carry people. The new craft is reusable, can hold up to seven passengers and is designed to allow for swapping crew space for additional cargo. What's more, the vessel is able to land on solid ground with the accuracy of a helicopter -- as opposed to splashing down at sea -- without parachutes. Using eight SuperDraco thrusters, engines 3D-printed from a superalloy, the Dragon V2 can blast out enough force (16,000 lbf for each engine) to slow itself down for a landing on terra firma.
SpaceX test-fires its 'super' rocket engines (video)
Spaceflight start-up, SpaceX, has been demonstrating the potency of its SuperDraco rockets, testing at its own facility over in Texas. The rockets will help land its Dragon spacecraft -- as demonstrated in a swish animation last year. They will also power emergency escape functions, something that will, according to founder Elon Musk, make the Dragon "the safest spacecraft in history." It has already made a successful orbital flight and will tote eight engines apparently offering up to 120,000 pounds of thrust to the spaceship. Unfortunately, SpaceX's plan for a February launch was postponed in favor of continued development time, but we're not going complain if the company still fulfills its promise of ferrying people to the ISS. Countdown from ten for ignition right after the break.
