posted 10-25-2013 09:34 PM               

SpaceX completes review of crew abort test

NASA partner Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) recently laid out its plan to demonstrate the Dragon spacecraft's ability to carry astronauts to safety in the event of an in-flight emergency.

This review of the in-flight abort test plan provided an assessment of the Dragon's SuperDraco engines, the software that would issue the abort command, and the interface between the Dragon spacecraft and the Falcon 9 rocket on which the spacecraft will be launched.

"It's critical to have a launch abort system in which NASA and SpaceX can have confidence," said Phil McAlister, director of Commercial Spaceflight Development at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "When you put humans aboard, safety and reliability are paramount and this review and the upcoming tests will help prove their space transportation system is on the right track."

Experts from NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration attended the review of the in-flight abort test plan Sept. 17, 2013 at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif. Attendees also had the opportunity to view the Dragon test spacecraft, which is being manufactured for an upcoming pad abort test and, potentially, the in-flight abort test.

"With NASA's support, SpaceX continues to implement the necessary modifications to equip Dragon to fly crew," said Garrett Reisman, commercial crew project manager at SpaceX. "SpaceX and NASA believe in rigorous flight testing and we are looking forward to putting our SuperDraco launch abort system through these critical tests, starting with the pad abort test in the spring and followed by the in-flight abort test in the summer."

The in-flight abort test will take place along Florida's space coast. During the test, a Dragon spacecraft will launch on a standard Falcon 9 rocket and an abort command will be issued approximately 73 seconds into the flight. At that point, the spacecraft will be flying through the area of maximum dynamic pressure, or Max Q, where the combination of air pressure and speed will cause maximal strain on the spacecraft.

Dragon will be outfitted with about 270 special sensors to measure a wide variety of stresses and acceleration effects on the spacecraft. An instrumented mannequin, similar to a crash test dummy, also will be inside. The spacecraft's parachutes will deploy for a splashdown in the Atlantic, where a ship will be pre-positioned for simulated rescue operations. The test spacecraft will be returned to Port Canaveral by barge so data can be retrieved and incorporated into the system's design.

posted 07-01-2015 04:08 PM               

More fidelity for SpaceX in-flight abort reduces risk

Following the successful pad abort test in May [2015], SpaceX began developing a plan that would move its in-flight abort test to provide higher fidelity data and reduce risk to future crews launched to the International Space Station in the Crew Dragon spacecraft. NASA and SpaceX agreed to consider this proposed change prior to the mishap of SpaceX's seventh commercial resupply services mission.

The change comes after the company's successful pad abort test May 6 demonstrating the effectiveness of the Crew Dragon launch abort system. SpaceX is using the data collected during the test to confirm analysis models and inform the final spacecraft design.

"Testing the actual flight design always results in higher fidelity data and ultimately reduces risk for later crew flights," said William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator of the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. "This change supports a philosophy of testing as you fly, which our experience has shown to be a good strategy for development and complements well the earlier system information gained from the pad abort test."

SpaceX originally intended to refurbish the pad abort vehicle for use in the in-flight abort test it was targeting for later this year. But since the pad abort vehicle began production more than two years ago, SpaceX has refined the Crew Dragon's design, and the planned design now differs from the pad abort vehicle design.

As a result, using the pad abort vehicle to conduct the in-flight abort test would not provide the best quality data. SpaceX can further reduce risk for later crewed flights and improve the fidelity of the data by using a Crew Dragon built to the current design.

"This is the kind of innovative, flexible thinking we want from our partners," said Kathy Lueders, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. "The safety of our astronauts is paramount, and we are very happy that our partners are strategically re-assessing their plans for efficiencies."

In the updated plan, SpaceX would launch its uncrewed flight test (DM-1), refurbish the flight test vehicle, then conduct the in-flight abort test prior to the crew flight test. Using the same vehicle for the in-flight abort test will improve the realism of the ascent abort test and reduce risk. Further, the test would be performed from Kennedy Space Center's historic Launch Complex 39A instead of from Vandenberg Air Force Base.

The in-flight abort test is part of NASA's Commercial Crew Integrated Capability Space Act Agreement with SpaceX, so the updated plan would entail extending that agreement. No changes would be made in the milestone content, and NASA would incur no additional expense associated with moving the test date. SpaceX's planning indicates the company can implement the new plan without affecting its October 2017 certification date for the Crew Dragon and crew transportation system as part of its Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract with NASA.

SpaceX has consulted with NASA on this new plan, and the company should complete its full assessment of the new plan and present its findings, including the new in-flight abort test date, to NASA within the next few weeks. NASA then will review the new plan and likely approve it, unless there is some technical issue.

posted 10-03-2019 03:38 PM               

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft that will be used for the In-Flight Abort test have arrived at SpaceX facilities in Cape Canaveral, Fla. for preparation ahead of the test!

posted 10-08-2019 11:40 AM               

For what it's worth, the SpaceX schedule, which I've just reviewed in depth, shows Falcon and Dragon at the Cape and all testing done in about 10 weeks.

We had to reallocate some resources to speed this up and received great support from Airborne, our parachute supplier. I was at their Irvine factory with the SpaceX team on Saturday and Sunday. We’re focusing on the advanced Mk3 chute, which provides highest safety factor for astronauts.

All hardware is at the Cape. Need to do static fire and reconfigure for flight. Launch probably late November/early December.

posted 11-13-2019 04:51 PM               

SpaceX Completes Crew Dragon Static Fire Tests

Today (Nov. 13), SpaceX completed a series of static fire engine tests of the Crew Dragon spacecraft in advance of an in-flight launch escape demonstration, known as the In-Flight Abort Test.

The engine tests, conducted near SpaceX's Landing Zone 1 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, began with two burns for a duration of one-second each for two of Crew Dragon's 16 Draco thrusters. The Draco thrusters are used for on-orbit maneuvering and attitude control, and would also be used for re-orientation during certain in-flight launch escapes. Following these initial Draco thruster burns, the team completed a full-duration firing for approximately nine seconds of Crew Dragon's eight SuperDraco engines. The SuperDraco engines are designed to accelerate Dragon away from the F9 launch vehicle in the event of an emergency after liftoff.

In quick succession, immediately after the SuperDracos shut down, two Dracos thrusters fired and all eight SuperDraco flaps closed, mimicking the sequence required to reorient the spacecraft in-flight to a parachute deploy attitude and close the flaps prior to reentry. The full sequence, from SuperDraco startup to flap closure, spanned approximately 70 seconds.

In April, during a similar set of engine tests, the spacecraft experienced an anomaly which led to an explosion and loss of the vehicle. In the following months, an Anomaly Investigation Team made up of SpaceX and NASA personnel determined that a slug of liquid propellant in the high-flow helium pressurization system unexpectedly caused a titanium ignition event resulting in an explosion. Based on that investigation's findings and months of testing, SpaceX redesigned components of the system to eliminate the possibility of slugs entering the high-flow pressurization system.

Today's tests will help validate the launch escape system ahead of Crew Dragon's in-flight abort demonstration planned as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. SpaceX and NASA will now review the data from today's test, perform detailed hardware inspections, and establish a target launch date for the In-Flight Abort Test.

posted 12-06-2019 06:09 PM               

SpaceX In-Flight Abort Test Launch Date Update

NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than Jan. 4, 2020, for a critical In-Flight Abort Test of the Crew Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, pending U.S. Air Force Eastern Range approval.

As part of the test, SpaceX will configure Crew Dragon to trigger a launch escape shortly after liftoff and demonstrate Crew Dragon's capability to safely separate from the Falcon 9 rocket in the unlikely event of an in-flight emergency. The demonstration also will provide valuable data toward NASA certifying SpaceX's crew transportation system for carrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station.

The demonstration of Crew Dragon's launch escape system is part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program and is one of the final major tests for the company before NASA astronauts will fly aboard the spacecraft.

posted 12-18-2019 01:05 PM               

SpaceX In-Flight Abort Test Launch Date Update

NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than Jan. 11, 2020, for a critical In-Flight Abort Test of the Crew Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, pending U.S. Air Force Eastern Range approval.

posted 01-06-2020 07:32 PM               

SpaceX In-Flight Abort Test Launch Date Update

NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, for an In-Flight Abort Test of the Crew Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, pending U.S. Air Force Eastern Range approval.

The new date allows additional time for spacecraft processing.

Above: SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft inside of a SpaceX processing facility at Cape Canaveral in Florida. (SpaceX)

posted 01-11-2020 03:20 PM               

Static fire of Falcon 9 complete — targeting January 18 for an in-flight demonstration of Crew Dragon's launch escape system, which will verify the spacecraft's ability to carry astronauts to safety in the unlikely event of an emergency during ascent.

posted 01-13-2020 11:27 AM               

SpaceX, NASA Gear up for In-Flight Abort Demonstration

NASA and SpaceX are preparing to launch the final, major test before astronauts fly aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agency's Commercial Crew Program. The test, known as in-flight abort, will demonstrate the spacecraft's escape capabilities — showing that the crew system can protect astronauts even in the unlikely event of an emergency during launch. The uncrewed flight test is targeted for 8 a.m. EST Saturday, Jan. 18, at the start of a four-hour test window, from Launch Complex 39A in Florida.

SpaceX performed a full-duration static test Saturday, Jan. 11, of the Falcon 9 and completed a static fire of the Crew Dragon on Nov. 13, setting the stage for the critical flight test.

Prior to launch, SpaceX and NASA teams will practice launch day end-to-end operations with NASA astronauts, including final spacecraft inspections and side hatch closeout. Additionally, SpaceX and NASA flight controllers along with support teams will be staged as they will for future Crew Dragon missions, helping the integrated launch team gain additional experience beyond existing simulations and training events.

After liftoff, Falcon 9's ascent will follow a trajectory that will mimic a Crew Dragon mission to the International Space Station matching the physical environments the rocket and spacecraft will encounter during a normal ascent.

For this test, SpaceX will configure Crew Dragon to intentionally trigger a launch escape prior to 1 minute, 30 seconds into flight to demonstrate Crew Dragon's capability to safely separate from the Falcon 9 rocket in the unlikely event of an in-flight emergency. Once the launch escape sequence begins, Falcon 9's first stage Merlin engines will shut down and Crew Dragon's SuperDraco thrusters will begin their firing sequence. The launch vehicle and spacecraft will separate, and Crew Dragon's SuperDracos will burn to completion.

After Crew Dragon's SuperDracos shutdown, the spacecraft will passively coast to apogee, the highest point in its arc. Near apogee, Crew Dragon's trunk will separate and the smaller Draco thrusters will re-orient the spacecraft for reentry and parachute deploy. At the appropriate conditions, Dragon's drogue and main parachutes will sequence to provide for a soft landing in the Atlantic Ocean near SpaceX Dragon recovery teams.

Following Crew Dragon's separation, Falcon 9 is expected to aerodynamically break up offshore over the Atlantic Ocean. Expected breakup time will vary based upon a number of factors, including day of launch winds and expected minor variations in vehicle attitudes and positions, but could occur shortly after separation or later upon reentry from the upper atmosphere. In either scenario, a dedicated team of SpaceX Falcon 9 recovery personnel will be staged and ready to begin recovering debris immediately after breakup.

As part of the Dragon recovery operation, Air Force Detachment-3 personnel will work with the SpaceX recovery team to observe Crew Dragon and practice their initial approach to the spacecraft in the open ocean, mimicking an actual rescue operation before the SpaceX team recovers Crew Dragon for return to Cape Canaveral.

SpaceX's uncrewed in-flight abort demonstration test of Crew Dragon's launch escape capabilities is designed to provide valuable data toward NASA certifying SpaceX's crew transportation system for carrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station.

posted 01-19-2020 10:35 AM               

SpaceX destroys rocket in test of Crew Dragon in-flight abort

A SpaceX launch has ended in an abort, dropping its crew capsule into the ocean and leaving its rocket in pieces — exactly to plan.

In the last major trial before it can begin launching astronauts, SpaceX conducted an in-flight abort test with its Crew Dragon spacecraft on Sunday (Jan. 19). The company purposely triggered the uncrewed capsule to fly away from its booster in a demonstration of the Crew Dragon's emergency launch escape system.