DragonCapsule
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NASA and SpaceX reschedule the first crew capsule test flight
We're a few weeks away from the first uncrewed Demo-1 flight test to the Space Station, but NASA and SpaceX have pushed the mission back slightly. According to a post from the Commercial Crew Program, switching the date back ten days from January 7th to January 17th will allow time for the Dragon capsule to return from its 16th ISS supply run (if you're quick, you can catch the spacecraft docking live this morning, two days after it launched). Its competition, Boeing's Starliner, is scheduled for a test in March. Getting this test done to gather data and test the in-flight abort function ahead of a flight with the Crew Dragon capsule that carries astronauts onboard is critical, as Commercial Crew Program manager Kathy Lueders said "The upcoming steps before the test missions are critical, and their importance can't be understated. We are not driven by dates, but by data. Ultimately, we'll fly SpaceX Demo-1 at the right time, so we get the right data back to support the in-flight abort test and the next test flight when our astronauts are aboard."
SpaceX Dragon capsule makes safe return from the ISS
Around a month ago, SpaceX launched one of its Dragon cargo capsules into space, loading it up with supplies destined for the International Space Station. Now, it has made it safely back to Earth, splashing into the Pacific Ocean just after 6PM Eastern. SpaceX tweeted the capsule's progress throughout the day, noting its successful departure burns that separated it from the ISS and when to expect its arrival.
Here's a full-length look at SpaceX's spacesuit
Elon Musk dropped a carefully cropped look at the SpaceX suit for astronauts on his Instagram a couple of weeks ago, and came back with a more revealing picture today. Modeled in front of the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft, it gives a better idea of what we might be able to expect. It's far sleeker than what we've seen in use from NASA until now, and as Musk noted previously, it apparently actually works.
Elon Musk implies SpaceX won't land Dragon capsules on Mars
In February, SpaceX admitted its plan to shoot its Dragon capsule (without people) to Mars by 2018 was a little too ambitious, and bumped up the launch date to 2020. But it seems that approach was too uncertain for NASA's -- and Elon Musk's -- strict safety standards for a Martian landing. Today, the SpaceX founder suggested that the "Red Dragon" project is done and the current capsule won't be used for propulsive landings on the red planet. But don't worry -- the he's got a better plan that the company's cooking up for its next interplanetary hardware proposal.
SpaceX delays first manned Dragon capsule launch until 2018
Elon Musk's plan to put a human crew in space using a Dragon capsule won't happen in 2017 after all. Although SpaceX was scheduled to launch a manned NASA mission next year, that mission has now been delayed until 2018 while Musk's company continues to evaluate its Falcon 9 rocket fueling system.
NASA orders a second ISS crew delivery from SpaceX
It's been awhile since NASA has sent an astronaut to the stars from domestic soil, but it could be come commonplace soon enough. Today, the space agency announced that it ordered a second ISS crew rotation mission from Elon Musk's SpaceX. This is the fourth flight NASA has ordered through its Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contracts, and a big step forward towards eliminating the space agency's reliance on Russia for crew rotation.
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.
