Questions tagged [dragon]
SpaceX cargo capsule for lifting payloads to orbit. Launched on a Falcon 9 rocket. Use [dragon-v2] for the Crew Dragon version of this project.
98
questions
5
votes
1
answer
616
views
Dragon re-entry flight profile?
I was looking online for a profile depicting the Dragon re-entry similar to those showing the launch and first stage re-entry (e.g. https://www.elonx.net/wp-content/uploads/...
- 1,962
2
votes
0
answers
215
views
Apparent close encounter of Inspiration4: Is the airspace cleared for returning spacecraft?
In the recording of the SpaceX live-stream covering the return of the Inspiration4 crew one can see an aircraft cross path with the capsule at 22:59:58. This image is a frame grab of the scene seen ...
- 1,962
5
votes
0
answers
112
views
When docked, do Dragon solar panels contribute to ISS mains power?
What it says on the tin.
Does a docked Dragon trunk section contribute to the ISS's batteries? I'm aware it would probably be minimal though due to orientation and occlusion of the panels, and when ...
- 16.2k
22
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What standard was used by NASA to certify the Dragon capsule controls as safe for crewed flight?
After watching the livestreams of Crew-1 and Crew-2 missions, I was curious about the certification the capsule had to go through, especially with the new control panels which seem to be largely ...
- 653
1
vote
2
answers
252
views
Dragon RCS: Four controlled degrees of freedom... or six?
Would Dragon's RCS clusters allow it to translate cleanly left-right and backward-forward, like a crab? Or are they meant only for roll/pitch/yaw control + longitudinal (up/down) translation, like an ...
user39728
3
votes
2
answers
370
views
Dragon ballistic/drag coefficients?
I'm looking for some estimates of Dragon's ballistic or drag coefficients in its reentry (heat shield forward) configuration. Estimates for other spacecraft would be useful also as they would give me ...
user39728
7
votes
0
answers
157
views
Crew Dragon: How thick is the skin?
Auto body panels are about 20-gauge, or just under 1 mm thick. This is fine for many reasons: thin panels are light for good fuel economy and crumple easily for shock absorption without unnecessary ...
user39728
2
votes
1
answer
104
views
Dragon Launch Escape: Attitude Control?
I've read the superdracos have a deep throttle range suited for attitude control during powered landings---an old requirement that's long been dropped.
This has me wondering: are the superdracos ...
user39728
5
votes
1
answer
268
views
Crew Dragon: Could launch escape thrust determine payload capacity?
The superdracos in Dragon's launch escape system each produce $\color{black}{\texttt{71.2 kN}}$ (16,000 lbf) of thrust. There are eight superdracos, giving a combined thrust of $\color{black}{\texttt{...
user39728
2
votes
0
answers
37
views
Dragon launch escape: roll control?
Dragon’s four superdraco pods are positioned well for pitch and yaw control, but not for roll control.
So I’m wondering how they’ll control for roll during launch escape—or if they’ll even control for ...
user39728
2
votes
1
answer
99
views
Dragon launch escape: is nose cone ejected for parachute deployment?
Dragon’s landing parachute is stowed roughly in the nose cone hinge area, and this leads me to believe the nose cone has to open for the chute to deploy.
In normal operations, I believe the nose cone ...
user39728
2
votes
1
answer
181
views
Dragon Superdracos: how much MMH/NTO propellant?
How much Monomethylhydrazine + Dinitrogen tetroxide
(MMH/NTO) hypergolic propellant does the Dragon crew module carry and how much burn time does that afford them during launch escape if one is ...
user39728
2
votes
1
answer
112
views
Why might particulate matter be shaken loose during Crew Dragon Demo-1 launch?
Here is the picture of Expedition 58 crew members enter the Dragon 2 of Crew Dragon Demo-1 for the first time. They are wearing protective gear to avoid breathing particulate matter that may have ...
- 23
2
votes
1
answer
265
views
How is PICA different from other heat shielding materials?
What are the differences and why did SpaceX prefer to use PICA?
6
votes
1
answer
197
views
Did the people aboard SpaceX Dragon Crew-1 flight pilot the Dragon or were they just passengers?
On November 15, 2020, four astronauts left Cape Canaveral for the ISS about the SpaceX Dragon Crew-1 mission. Did any of them fly it or were they simply paying passengers in a space craft that ...
- 291
6
votes
0
answers
92
views
SpaceX Dragon Shape: Power Series, Ellipsoid, or Haack/Von Karman?
The SpaceX Dragon module has a round apex typical of power series, ellipsoid, and Haack/Von Karman shapes. I'm wondering which of these SpaceX actually used. References would be appreciated.
My guess ...
user36480
3
votes
0
answers
101
views
Is there an official flight profile of the reentry of the Dragon spacecraft? [duplicate]
I wonder whether there's an official plan of the reentry and landing of either the former Dragon spacecraft or the Dragon V2/Crew Dragon, with details like altitudes, velocities, burn length and ...
- 428
2
votes
0
answers
148
views
What is the splash down speed of the manned dragon capsule? [duplicate]
What's the rated speed of the crewed dragon capsule? Do we have any data on the actual measurement for the demo mission?
I'd also appreciate any info on speed for Soyuz, other soviet manned, Apollo, ...
- 121
7
votes
2
answers
562
views
How could SpaceX’s crew Dragon land with abort thrusters in case of emergencies?
Reading this question and this article linked in one answer, in case of two or three main parachute failure, how could super-dracos be able to slow down vertical velocity short before touchdown, since ...
- 3,906
2
votes
0
answers
66
views
Why was the SpaceX Demo 2 spashdown livestream so devoid of visuals?
Today's successful splashdown was tremendously boring compared to what we are used to from SpaceX launches. The mission statistics, the timeline, inner cockpit, etc was not shown during the telecast. ...
- 482
8
votes
1
answer
458
views
What goes in the bottom of the Dragon structural dome?
The Dragon has a structural dome shaped like a truncated cone (A below) on a stubby cylinder (B).
Q: Is the crew section entirely in the truncated cone, or is it split in two stories with the second ...
user36480
4
votes
1
answer
693
views
What are these cartridges with holes on the Dragon trunk?
You can see them on the rim in a hexagonal pattern in the picture below. Also present in the latest version of the Dragon trunk, but less clearly than here. They alternate in color from nickel to ...
user36480
8
votes
1
answer
376
views
How does the Dragon trunk separate from the Falcon second stage?
I've pored over the pictures and still I can't figure it out.
I know the second stage separates from the first stage using positive force from pneumatic pushers.
I also know that the payload ...
user36480
6
votes
1
answer
357
views
Is the Falcon 9 second stage engine throttled down to limit maximum acceleration
Is the Falcon 9 second stage Merlin vacuum engine throttled down during its burn to limit the maximum acceleration experienced by the Dragon or Crew Dragon capsule?
As the second stage consumes ...
- 664
7
votes
1
answer
261
views
Do astronauts on the ISS ever secure unpressurized cargo with an EVA to then be brought inside through an airlock?
Spacex's Dragon and JAXA's HTV are currently the only vehicles that can bring unpressurized cargo in addition to the pressurized one inside the vehicle.
In the odd event that the ISS urgently needs ...
- 4,910
6
votes
1
answer
177
views
What is the specified procedure to follow if there is a fail to create an airtight seal during hard dock?
I was watching the docking process of Dragon to the ISS including both the "soft dock" process, which was then followed by the hard dock involving 2 sets of 6 locking mechanisms.
I believe I'm ...
- 161
8
votes
1
answer
421
views
What is this diagram shown during Dragon docking with the ISS?
While docking with the ISS, the live stream showed this diagram with a green line starting at the capsule and looping around the area of the ISS. It would sporadically change and loop around the ...
- 848
2
votes
0
answers
31
views
How much do Dragon’s propellant tanks weigh?
I’m trying to figure out how much dragon xl might weigh, and I would like to approximate how much tank weight gets added per kilogram of extra propellant.
I asked About how much do hydrazine/N2O4 ...
- 1,023
3
votes
2
answers
317
views
About how much do hydrazine/N2O4 tanks weigh per kilogram of propellant
I am trying to do some back of the napkin math on the proposed SpaceX DragonXL to figure out how much extra fuel it needs versus the original dragon, but I don’t know how much parasitic weight from ...
- 1,023
12
votes
1
answer
230
views
Why couldn't the (original) Dragon land in the Atlantic?
Some of the coverage of the last flight of an original Dragon freighter mentions that the coming Dragon 2 will be able to land in the Atlantic, with resulting advantages:
Beginning with the CRS-21 ...
- 12.5k
7
votes
1
answer
278
views
Does Dragon have any timeframes during launch where there is not a planned survivable abort mode?
The space shuttle had many scenarios with combinations of SSMEs or SRB failures where there was no planned survivable abort available because of a variety of factors (aerodynamics, energy, g forces, ...
- 343
5
votes
0
answers
157
views
How does the SpaceX Dragon nosecone separate?
SpaceX's Dragon uses a nosecone to protect the docking port during ascent.
The nosecone seems very large. 1/3 of the capsule's height large. And yet, it separates while the second stage engine is ...
- 599
4
votes
1
answer
260
views
Dragon capsule thrust requirements
SuperDraco engines installed inside Dragon capsules assume launch escape capability, propulsive landing, reaction control system and main propulsion.
Launch escaping and propulsive landing seem to ...
- 3,906
1
vote
0
answers
52
views
How do the chutes stay separate? [duplicate]
In the below picture the parachutes are spread out, but ordinarily drag would pull all the chutes to the same position directly behind the capsule. How is this spread achieved?
- 1,311
3
votes
0
answers
47
views
Is there video from the Falcon second stage of the Dragon solar panels deploying?
We get video from the second stage of the Dragon leaving the second stage.
And we get video from the Dragon of its solar panels deploying.
But a cool view would be of the Dragon's solar panels ...
- 39
1
vote
0
answers
91
views
SpaceX Avionics [closed]
Just wondering what are some avionics aboard the falcon 9 and heavy. also what are some avionics on the dragon? Just general avionics that play a pivotal role in space travel.
- 11
2
votes
0
answers
70
views
Will a Cygnus and Dragon be on station at the same time in April 2019?
According to the launch schedule at the moment I looked (which is of course only a snapshot in time) there is a Cygnus mission (NG-11) scheduled for Apr 17, 2019.
There is a SpaceX Dragon Cargo ...
- 78.6k
6
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Crew Dragon SuperDraco Engine Covers
(Source: Nasa Spaceflight article)
While looking at the new images of the upcoming crew dragon launch I noticed a distinct lack of holes in the part of the dragon the Engines are supposed to be in. ...
- 3,372
4
votes
1
answer
294
views
How does SpaceX's Dragon get to the ISS?
How does SpaceX's Dragon capsule get to the ISS? Does Dragon use the onboard Draco thrusters in order to raise its orbit to the station or does the second stage of the Falcon 9 perform the majority of ...
- 43
6
votes
1
answer
242
views
What is the circular item that fell off of the returning booster during the CRS-16 mission?
During reentry of the first stage booster on the Dragon Resupply Mission (CRS-16), there was a ring-looking item that floated away from the booster.
I would imagine it is some sort of ice debris, but ...
- 320
-2
votes
1
answer
607
views
Shape of Dragon Crew capsule affecting ballistic descent?
\ I I don't think anyone has the seen the actual dimensions of dragon version 2, but assuming it is what SpaceX will be using to take people to space, I think it will have issues regarding stability ...
- 721
1
vote
1
answer
1k
views
What if an ISS astronaut refused to leave the space station? [duplicate]
When a mission to the ISS ends and the astronauts/cosmonauts shall leave the ISS with the Soyuz/Dragon spacecraft, what if an astronaut refuses to enter the Soyuz? What if he/she wants to remain on ...
- 414
26
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Would this chair support astronaut during launch in Crew Dragon
Recently reporters were allowed to take pictures of Crew Dragon and the SpaceX flight suit. Among them is this picture:
I was under the impression that:
Chairs needed to be custom molded / adjusted ...
- 16.2k
3
votes
0
answers
114
views
What are the chances that the ISS transits the moon as seen from your house (or headquarters)?
In this answer I tried to do a simple probablistic estimate on the distribution of the ISS's ground track passes over Earth's equator.
Recently there is a photo of the ISS passing over SpaceX ...
- 149k
12
votes
1
answer
341
views
How is Dragon-v2 prepared for being docked for months at ISS?
The Dragon spacecraft is being certified for manned spaceflight. If it's to replace Soyuz, though, it will have to serve as an escape pod for the crew. The current delivery missions are proving its ...
- 54k
4
votes
1
answer
576
views
Reuse statistics of SpaceX Dragon capsules?
The question about the rolled-up and deployable solar array How does ROSA unroll? (Roll Out Solar Array) begins:
The upcoming SpaceX launch with the apparently first re-use of a dragon capsule will ...
- 149k
8
votes
1
answer
287
views
Why don't ISS supply missions use their full payload capacity?
I was reading a NASA study talking about the benefits of flying the Dragon spacecraft vs the Space Shuttle. The study mentions that both launch systems use only about 2/3 of their payload capacity ...
- 367
10
votes
1
answer
403
views
Could Dragon 1.0 be used as an emergency Earth return vehicle
In a completely hypothetical scenario, say both of the Soyuz vehicles docked to the station were damaged/destroyed, but there was a Dragon 1.0 on the station left intact. Although i don't believe it ...
- 4,275
7
votes
1
answer
481
views
When will they be landing Dragon retropropulsively?
I keep expecting SpaceX to start doing powered landings of the dragon, or at least tests. But to my knowledge they haven't even done a drop test yet. Does anyone know what their plans are in regards ...
- 4,774
8
votes
3
answers
373
views
Where/how did the CRS-10 Dragon capsule "wait" before the 2nd, successful docking attempt?
After one halted attempt at docking with the ISS, the CRS-10 Dragon capsule successfully completed the maneuver. In the time between the two attempts, Dragon must have maintained some kind of orbit ...
- 149k