Updates NASA's CCDev-2 Program

[orb]

NASA:
SpaceX Completes Crew Accommodations Milestone

May 8, 2012

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) has finished an important evaluation of a prototype Dragon spacecraft designed to carry people into orbit. This key milestone is part of SpaceX's partnership with NASA under a funded Space Act Agreement to advance the design of crew transportation vehicles.

The primary goal of the tests was to determine whether the layout will allow astronauts to maneuver effectively in the vehicle. Several veteran space shuttle astronauts and NASA engineers conducted the evaluation during a pair of two-day-long reviews.

"I am very pleased with the progress SpaceX and our other commercial partners are making during the CCDev2 effort," said NASA Commercial Spaceflight Director Philip McAlister. "Together with NASA’s development of beyond low Earth orbit systems, commercial crew and cargo transportation is an integral part of our overall human spaceflight program."

As part of the Commercial Crew Development Round 2, or CCDev2, agreement, the company invited the astronauts and engineers to its headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif., to conduct the evaluation. The prototype was equipped with seats, lighting, environmental control and life support systems, conceptual displays and controls, cargo racks and other interior systems.

"This milestone demonstrated the layout of the crew cabin supports critical tasks," said SpaceX Commercial Crew Development Manager Garrett Reisman. "It also demonstrated the Dragon interior has been designed to maximize the ability of the seven-member crew to do their job as effectively as possible."

Click on image to enlarge​

Image above: NASA astronauts and industry experts check out the crew accommodations in SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. On top, from left, are NASA Crew Survival Engineering Team Lead Dustin Gohmert, NASA astronauts Tony Antonelli and Eric Boe, and SpaceX Mission Operations Engineer Laura Crabtree. On bottom, from left, are SpaceX Thermal Engineer Brenda Hernandez and NASA astronauts Rex Walheim and Tim Kopra.

Image credit: SpaceX​

During the reviews, space shuttle veterans Rex Walheim, Tony Antonelli, Eric Boe and Tim Kopra participated in so-called "human factor assessments." This included entering and exiting Dragon under normal and emergency scenarios. They also performed reach and visibility evaluations.

"As an anchor customer for commercial transportation services, we are happy to provide SpaceX with knowledge and lessons learned from our 50 years of human spaceflight," said Commercial Crew Program Manager Ed Mango. "We appreciate the opportunity SpaceX gave us to provide feedback on these critical interior systems while the company maintains its flexibility to appeal to other customers."

This is the seventh of 10 milestones SpaceX must meet under the CCDev2 agreement, which continues through July 31. This includes the development of a launch abort system for crew escape during launch or ascent.

All of NASA's industry partners continue to meet their established milestones in developing safe, reliable and affordable commercial crew transportation capabilities.

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NASA Press Release: RELEASE : 12-150 - NASA Commercial Partner SpaceX Completes Crew Accommodations Milestone

Florida Today: SpaceX completes commercial crew milestone

Parabolic Arc: NASA Commercial Partner SpaceX Completes Crew Accommodations Milestone

 

[orb]

Parabolic Arc: ATK’s Commercial Crew Effort Gets a Spacecraft

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Partially related good news: SpaceX and Bigelow Aerospace will offer crewed Missions to Private Space Stations!

For Immediate Release

May 10, 2012



SpaceX and Bigelow Aerospace Join Forces to Offer Crewed Missions to Private Space Stations



Hawthorne, CA, and Las Vegas, NV- Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Bigelow Aerospace (BA) have agreed to conduct a joint marketing effort focused on international customers. The two companies will offer rides on SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, using the Falcon launch vehicle to carry passengers to Bigelow habitats orbiting the earth.



According to Bigelow Aerospace’s President and Founder, Robert T. Bigelow, “We’re very excited to be working with our colleagues at SpaceX to present the unique services that our two companies can offer to international clientele. We’re eager to join them overseas to discuss the substantial benefits that BA 330 leasing can offer in combination with SpaceX transportation capabilities.”



The BA 330 is a habitat that will provide roughly 330 cubic meters of usable volume and can support a crew of up to six. Bigelow Aerospace plans to connect two or more BA 330s in orbit to provide national space agencies, companies, and universities with unparalleled access to the microgravity environment.



“SpaceX and BA have a lot in common. Both companies were founded to help create a new era in space enterprise,” said SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell. “Together we will provide unique opportunities to entities -- whether nations or corporations -- wishing to have crewed access to the space environment for extended periods. I’m looking forward to working with Bigelow Aerospace and engaging with international customers,” Shotwell explained.



SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft will be capable of carrying seven passengers to orbit. With the company’s Falcon family of rockets, SpaceX is working to create the world’s safest human spaceflight system.



The companies will kick off their marketing effort in Asia. Representatives from Bigelow and SpaceX will meet with officials in Japan shortly after the next launch of the Falcon 9 and Dragon spacecraft.



About SpaceX:

SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches the world’s most advanced rockets and spacecraft. With a diverse manifest of launches to deliver commercial and government satellites to orbit, SpaceX is the world’s fastest growing space launch company. In 2010, SpaceX became the first commercial company in history to put a spacecraft into orbit and return it safely to Earth. With the retirement of the space shuttle, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft will soon carry cargo and astronauts to and from the International Space Station for NASA. Founded in 2002 by Elon Musk, SpaceX is a private company owned by management and employees, with minority investments from the Founders Fund, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, and Valor Equity Partners. The company has over 1,700 employees in California, Texas, Washington, D.C., and Florida. For more information, visit spacex.com.



About Bigelow Aerospace:

Bigelow Aerospace is an entrepreneurial company dedicated to revolutionizing space commerce and exploration via the development of next-generation expandable habitat technology. Bigelow Aerospace’s habitats will offer unprecedented amounts of volume on-orbit while providing astronauts with enhanced protection against radiation and physical debris. Bigelow habitats are also lighter and more affordable than traditional rigidized metallic structures. Bigelow Aerospace is the first and only organization to demonstrate expandable habitat technology in orbit, via the successful launch of Genesis I in 2006 and Genesis II in 2007. Bigelow Aerospace has manufacturing facilities and offices in Nevada and Maryland. For more information, visit www.bigelowaerospace.com.

 

[orb]

Parabolic Arc: Spacecraft Technology Expo Commercial Crew Panel

 

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Parabolic Arc: NASA Marshall Completes Wind Tunnel Tests on SNC’s Dream Chaser:

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (NASA PR) – NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., successfully completed wind tunnel testing for Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC) Space Systems of Louisville, Colo. The test will provide aerodynamic data that will aid in the design of the new Dream Chaser® Space System.

During tests at Marshall’s wind tunnel facility, a scale model of SNC’s Dream Chaser orbital crew vehicle was mounted on a scale model of the United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V launch vehicle. Over 400 data runs were performed at subsonic, transonic and supersonic speeds to study the effects of how air moves past the model. Nine full-stack configurations were tested over a Mach range of .4, or 304 miles per hour at sea level, to Mach 5, or 3,800 miles per hour at sea level, at various launch vehicle roll angles.

The data generated from this test series, coupled with data from computational fluid dynamics studies, will define the aerodynamic characteristics of the Dream Chaser – Atlas V launch stack during the ascent phase of flight. Obtaining this data will enable higher-fidelity loads analysis, better definition of launch vehicle performance, and will aid in further refining Dream Chaser’s trajectory design for orbital vehicle launches.

“We’re glad Marshall could support SNC in completing these wind tunnel tests quickly and affordably and early in the design phase,” said Teresa Vanhooser, manager of the Flight Programs and Partnerships Office at Marshall. “Our trisonic wind tunnel and engineering staff helps partners understand the aerodynamic integrity and stability of spacecraft and launch vehicles, like the Dream Chaser, over a variety of wind speeds and phases of flight.”

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[orb]

NASA:
RELEASE : 12-170
NASA Commercial Crew Partner Boeing Meets Software Milestone

May 24, 2012

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The Boeing Company has successfully completed a new milestone in the development of software that will operate its Crew Space Transportation (CST) spacecraft. The company is one of NASA's partners developing commercial crew transportation capabilities to ferry U.S. astronauts to and from low Earth orbit and the International Space Station.

With the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) of its software on May 18, the company now has completed more than 40 milestones under partnerships supporting NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP).

"When it comes to designing a spacecraft safe enough to transport humans, software is as important as the hardware," said Ed Mango, CCP manager. "Boeing has made an excellent effort to take safety into consideration while developing critical software components of its spacecraft."

Boeing's CST-100 is designed to be a reusable, capsule-shaped spacecraft, capable of transporting up to seven people or a combination of people and cargo. It is compatible with a variety of expendable launch vehicles. Boeing has selected United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket for initial CST-100 test flights.

Software is essential to all operational aspects of the spacecraft, including launch, orbital maneuvering, docking with and separating from the space station, re-entry and landing. The testing is part of a NASA-funded Space Act Agreement under the second round of the agency's commercial crew development (CCDev2) activities, which could eventually lead toward human spaceflight certification of the CST-100.

The Boeing team is on schedule to complete its remaining CCDev2 milestones in the next few months, including an orbital maneuvering/attitude control engine hot fire test that will provide additional data on significant elements of the spacecraft design.

All of NASA's industry partners, including Boeing, continue to meet their established milestones in developing commercial crew transportation capabilities.

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Parabolic Arc: Sierra Nevada Completes Four Dream Chaser Milestones:

Sparks, NV –May 29, 2012 (SNC PR) – Sierra Nevada Corporation’s (SNC) Space Systems announces that the Dream Chaser® Space System has successfully completed four additional NASA Commercial Crew Development Round 2 (CCDev2) Program Milestones.

The four Milestones included: Separation System Testing, Flight Article Main Landing Gear Drop Testing, Captive Carry Interface Testing, and a Captive Carry Flight Test Readiness Review.

Dream Chaser’s Separation System Testing served to evaluate the Dream Chaser-to-Atlas V launch vehicle separation system. Such a system will be used to release the Dream Chaser from the Atlas V second stage after the launch vehicle has placed it into low Earth orbit.

The Flight Article Main Landing Gear Drop Testing successfully evaluated the performance of the landing gear selected for use on the Engineering Test Article for Approach and Landing Tests (ALT), scheduled for later this year. The Captive Carry Interface Test successfully tested the release mechanism that will be used during ALT, as well as for Captive Carry.

During the Captive Carry Flight Test Readiness Review, completed on May 24th, SNC management approved proceeding with the first full scale flight test of the Dream Chaser Flight Vehicle. During this risk reduction test, the Dream Chaser will fly under an Erickson Sky Crane helicopter to verify proper aerodynamic flight performance that will inform future free flight testing. The flight will occur near the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Jefferson County, Colo.

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Parabolic Arc: Sierra Nevada Begins Dream Chaser Flight Test Program:

Louisville, Colo. – May 30, 2012 (SNC PR) – Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) announces the beginning of its Dream Chaser® Space System’s flight test program with a successful captive carry of a full scale Dream Chaser Flight Vehicle near the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Colorado.

This test marks the completion of the 12th Program Milestone for NASA’s Commercial Crew Development Round 2 (CCDev) Program and the 16th overall for SNC under NASA’s Commercial Crew Development Program.

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Parabolic Arc: Blue Origin Completes Spacecraft System Requirements Review:

KENT, Wash. (Blue Origin PR) – Blue Origin successfully completed a System Requirements Review (SRR) of its orbital Space Vehicle on May 15-16. Blue Origin is maturing the design of the Space Vehicle in partnership with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) under the agency’s Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program.

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SPACE.com: New Private Space Plane Passes 1st Flight Test

 

[RGClark]

Nice images and videos of the CCDEV programs here:

Spaceships will follow Dragon's trail.
By Alan Boyle
http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/01/12014835-spaceships-will-follow-dragons-trail

Bob Clark

 

[orb]

NASASpaceflight: Dream Chaser passes PDR, heads towards integrated system testing

Parabolic Arc: Sierra Nevada Completes Dream Chaser Preliminary Design Review

NASA: RELEASE : 12-186 - NASA Partner Sierra Nevada Completes Preliminary Design Review Of Dream Chaser Vehicle To Transport Astronauts

SPACE.com: New Private Space Plane Passes Key Design Review

 

[anemazoso]

Thanks for posting all the news so consistently orb. I felt like you deserved a little more than a click of a mouse to show my gratitude.

A lot of the pics I've see of Dream Chaser in the air and some of the renders make me think of a Chevy Corvett or Porsche or maybe others. It looks like a sports car, like it's just suppose to go really fast. Pretty cool stuff. Too bad we will never see it in space.

 

[Unstung]

SPACE.com: "NASA and Congress Find Common Ground On Private Space Taxis"

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas — the top Republican on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and the Senate Appropriations commerce, justice, science subcommittee — applauded NASA’s agreement to limit the number of companies that would continue to receive development funding for competing crew transport systems.

EDIT: http://orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?p=361959

 

[orb]

Parabolic Arc: Commercial Crew Partners Milestone Progress Report:

CCDev milestones status, June 2012. (Credit: NASA)​

NASA PR – NASA’s commercial crew partners continue to achieve exciting milestones as the Commercial Crew Development Round 2 (CCDev2) Space Act Agreements enter their home stretch. Since the agreements were awarded in April 2011, the partners have achieved 48 of the 62 planned test, demonstration, and technical review milestone events. With the maturation of spacecraft and launch vehicle designs being accomplished under CCDev2, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is well positioned to move into the integrated capability design and testing phase. Awards for new Space Act Agreements are expected in July/August 2012.

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NASA: CCDev2 June 2012 60 Day Report

 

[dumbo2007]

Merlin 1D firing !

 

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NASA: NASA and Excalibur Almaz Inc. Complete Space Act Agreement:

Excalibur Almaz Inc. (EAI) has successfully completed its Commercial Crew Development Round 2 (CCDev2) partnership with NASA's Commercial Crew Program. Through CCDev2, NASA is spurring innovation and development of safe, reliable and cost-effective spacecraft and launch vehicles capable of transporting astronauts to low Earth orbit and the International Space Station.

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Parabolic Arc: Excalibur Almaz Completes Commercial Crew Agreement with NASA

 

[orb]

NASA News Release:
RELEASE : 12-231
NASA's Commercial Crew Partner Sierra Nevada Completes Dream Chaser Nose Landing Gear Test

July 11, 2012

LOUISVILLE, Colo. -- NASA partner Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has completed a successful test of the nose landing gear for its full-scale Dream Chaser engineering flight test vehicle. The completed test and an upcoming flight test are part of SNC's Commercial Crew Development Round 2 (CCDev2) agreement with NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

The gear test is an important milestone to prepare for the upcoming approach and landing test of the Dream Chaser Space System later this year. It evaluated the impact the nose landing gear will experience on touchdown in order to ensure a safe runway landing.

SNC is one of seven companies developing commercial crew transportation capabilities to ferry U.S. astronauts to and from low Earth orbit and the International Space Station. The Dream Chaser is the only spacecraft under CCDev2 that is winged and designed to land on a conventional runway. It is designed to carry as many as seven astronauts to space.

"The landing gear system must perform flawlessly, just like the space shuttle orbiter's did, for the safe return of the crew," CCP program manager Ed Mango said. "It's great to see that SNC is building on that experience while developing the Dream Chaser spacecraft."

SNC tested the spacecraft's main landing gear in February. This nose landing gear test completes the milestones leading up to the upcoming approach and landing test, which will complete the CCDev2 partnership.

"This test marks a significant point in the development of the Dream Chaser orbital crew vehicle. As the last milestone before free flight of the Dream Chaser spacecraft, we are now preparing for the approach and landing tests to be flown later this year," said Jim Voss, SNC vice president of space exploration systems and program manager for the Dream Chaser.

All of NASA's industry partners, including SNC, continue to meet their established milestones in developing commercial crew transportation capabilities under CCDev2.

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NASA: Nose Landing Gear Tested for Dream Chaser Spacecraft

NASASpaceflight: Dream Chaser Nose Landing Gear Skid System ready for landing tests

Parabolic Arc: Sierra Nevada Completes Dream Chaser Nose Landing Gear Test

 

[orb]

NASA / NASA News Release:
RELEASE : 12-233
NASA Commercial Partner SpaceX Completes Dragon Design Review

July 12, 2012

HAWTHORNE, Calif. -- NASA partner Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) has completed an important design review of the crewed version of its Dragon spacecraft. The concept baseline review presented NASA with the primary and secondary design elements of its Dragon capsule designed to carry astronauts into low Earth orbit, including the International Space Station.

SpaceX is one of several companies working to develop crew transportation capabilities under the Commercial Crew Development Round 2 (CCDev2) agreement with NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP). Through CCDev2, NASA is helping the private sector develop and test new spacecraft and rockets with the goal of making commercial human spaceflight services available to commercial and government customers.

In the June 14 review conducted at the company's headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif., SpaceX provided details about each phase of a potential crewed mission. This included how the company plans to modify its launch pads to support such missions, Dragon's docking capabilities, the weight and power requirements for the spacecraft, and prospective ground landing sites and techniques. The company also outlined crew living arrangements, such as environmental control and life support equipment, displays and controls.

"SpaceX has made significant progress on its crew transportation capabilities," NASA CCP Manager Ed Mango said. "We commend the SpaceX team on its diligence in meeting its CCDev2 goals to mature the company's technology as this nation continues to build a real capability for America's commercial spaceflight needs."

Safety was a key focus of the review. The SpaceX team presented NASA with analyses on how its SuperDraco launch abort system would perform if an emergency were to occur during launch or ascent. The review also outlined plans for getting astronauts away from danger quickly and safely on the way to low Earth orbit, in space and during the return home.

"The successful conclusion of the concept baseline review places SpaceX exactly where we want to be -- ready to move on to the next phase and on target to fly people into space aboard Dragon by the middle of the decade," said SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer Elon Musk.

All of NASA's industry partners, including SpaceX, continue to meet their established milestones in developing commercial crew transportation capabilities under CCDev2.

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Parabolic Arc: SpaceX Completes Dragon Crewed Design Review

SPACE.com: Private Manned Space Capsule Passes Major Review

 

[SpaceNut]

The thing I like about SpaceX is the speed at which they move. I'm tired of waiting year after year for some significant milestone to be reached, only to be faced with years waiting for the next milestone. SpaceX is on the move now that they've got the basics of getting up into orbit down, and it appears to be full steam ahead on many fronts.

The successful trip to ISS and back, the new D version of Merlin successfully test fired, the development of grasshopper is hopping off the page and jumping into initial test trials, and now this... not to mention another trip to the ISS very soon, and we're also looking forward to an F9 Heavy launch early next year. That's more major milestones reached than most aerospace companies do in 10 years let alone far less than 1.

If SpaceX keeps this up, I just might actually live to go into space someday... one can hope.

 

[orb]

Parabolic Arc: ATK Completes Final Milestone Under Commercial Crew Space Act Agreement:

ARLINGTON, Va., July 17, 2012 (ATK PR) – ATK successfully completed the last Liberty space transportation system milestone under the company’s unfunded Space Act Agreement (SAA) with NASA for the Commercial Crew Development Program (CCDev-2).

The final milestone under the SAA was a Program Status Review (PSR) for the Liberty system. During the PSR, the Liberty team presented NASA with detailed progress of the program, including integrated master schedule, DAC cycle status, system requirements, software status, flight test plan, system safety review, ground processing certification plan and schedule for initial operation capability.

The CCDev-2 Liberty SAA enabled NASA and the Liberty team to share technical information related to theLiberty transportation system during the preliminary design review phase of the program. ATK completed five milestones and held three Technical Interchange Meetings, all on internal funding.

“It has been a privilege working with NASA to complete the SAA for the Commercial Crew program,” said Kent Rominger, ATK vice president and program manager for Liberty. “The feedback we received from the NASA Liberty team has helped further the development of the entire system and we believe ensures the program is on target for Liberty to provide a capable and safe commercial transportation to the International Space Station (ISS) by mid-decade.”

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NASA: NASA and ATK Complete Space Act Agreement

SPACE.com: Private Spaceship and Rocket Pass Key NASA Test