GSA Technology Council

Space Exploration Technologie srecently conducted a three-day long demonstration of cargo loading and unloading procedures for its Dragon spacecraft, which NASA has contracted to provide delivery services to the International Space Station (ISS) starting in 2010.

SpaceX hosted a group of NASA personnel at its corporate headquarters in Hawthorne, CA, including astronauts Marsha Ivins and Megan McArthur, and other key personnel from NASA‘s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The tests covered a range of procedures using actual NASA cargo modules, in a variety of standard sizes, including powered cargo modules that provide temperature control for sensitive items such as medical and biological samples during their journey to the ISS, and return to Earth. Dragon is currently one of the only spacecraft in the world capable of transmitting status on environment-sensitive cargo back to Earth during transit to the ISS.

SpaceX performed the tests in an actual flight Dragon spacecraft outfitted with cargo racks, stowage lockers, as well as interior lighting, telemetry and environmental systems, as will be employed while Dragon is berthed at the ISS.

“SpaceX was honored to host the NASA crew, and pleased by their positive feedback and remarks,” said John Couluris, SpaceX Director of Mission Operations. “We look forward to the day when the first of many Dragons arrive at the ISS delivering actual cargo in support of continued ISS operations.”

Under NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, SpaceX will perform three flights of the Dragon spacecraft to demonstrate delivery of cargo to the ISS as well as returning cargo to Earth. Following those flights, SpaceX will begin the NASA Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract, conducting a minimum of 12 cargo flights between 2010 and 2015 with a guaranteed minimum of 20,000 kg to be carried to the ISS.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is a medium-to-heavy lift, two-stage launch vehicle capable of lifting approximately 11 tons to low Earth orbit (LEO) and in excess of 4.5 tons to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). Designed to the highest levels of reliability and performance, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Dragon spacecraft were selected by NASA to resupply the ISS when the Space Shuttle retires.

via: SpaceX

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) announces that Colonel Scott Henderson has joined the company. He will serve as the director of Mission Assurance and Integration and will also handle Florida external relations, assisting with state and local governmental, customer and media relations. Henderson will primarily support former astronaut Ken Bowersox, vice president of SpaceX’s Astronaut Safety and Mission Assurance office, working out of the company’s Florida office.

Henderson joins SpaceX after 25 years in the United States Air Force (USAF), an experience that began by earning a degree in Astronautical Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy. His prestigious career in the USAF included assignments in a wide variety of high level space operations and acquisition positions. A certified acquisition professional, Henderson has also earned a masters degree in Engineering Management from the Florida Institute of Technology and was a National Defense Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Prior to SpaceX, Henderson held the position of Commander with the 45th Launch Group at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida. His responsibilities in this position focused on Department of Defense (DoD), civil and commercial space launch-related activities. Henderson joins SpaceX just as the company is preparing for the first Falcon 9 launch from CCAFS.

“Scott Henderson brings a great deal of operational launch experience and technical expertise to our company,” said Bowersox. “As we begin the first flights of the Falcon 9/Dragon system, Henderson will serve as a critical link between the SpaceX Safety, Mission Assurance, Operations and Integration teams.”

via: http://www.spacex.com/

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) successfully conducted two static
firings of the first stage, nine engine cluster for its Falcon 9 launch
vehicle. The firings took place at SpaceX’s Texas Test Site, a 300-acre
structural and propulsion testing facility just outside of Waco, Texas. With
completion of these tests, the first stage has now passed both structural and
propulsion acceptance testing and will ship to Cape Canaveral in preparation
for the first flight of Falcon 9.

The first test fired for 10 seconds and occurred on October 12th at
approximately 7:30 pm CDT. The second test began around 4:30 pm CDT on October
16th, and lasted 30 seconds.

The first stage of Falcon 9 uses a cluster of nine SpaceX-designed and
developed Merlin engines. Using rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, the
cluster generates nearly a million pounds of thrust for the vehicle upon
liftoff. The Merlin engine is one of the only liquid rocket engines designed
in the United States in the last few decades, and is now among the highest
performing gas generator cycle kerosene engines ever built, exceeding the
Boeing Delta II main engine, the Lockheed Martin Atlas II main engine, and on
par with the Saturn V F-1 engine.

The stage will ship to SpaceX’s launch site at Cape Canaveral next month to
begin vehicle integration in preparation for first flight. The inaugural
flight of Falcon 9 will be a demonstration flight and will launch a Dragon
spacecraft qualification unit into orbit to provide SpaceX with valuable
aerodynamic and performance information.

via: SpaceX

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) announces the successful completion of acceptance testing of both the Falcon 9 first and second stages in preparation for the first flight of Falcon 9. Acceptance testing took place at SpaceX?s Texas Test Site, a 300-acre structural and propulsion testing facility, located just outside of Waco, Texas.

This recent series of tests subjected both stages to a variety of structural load and proof pressure tests to verify acceptability for flight. Acceptance testing began in late summer with the first stage and concluded last week at SpaceX’s Texas facility with completion of acceptance testing for the second stage.

“The successful completion of these tests marks another key milestone in our preparation for Falcon 9?s first flight,” said Elon Musk, CEO and CTO of SpaceX. “Our team will now move forward with a static fire of the first and second stages, the last major milestone before hardware is transferred to SpaceX’s launch pad at Cape Canaveral.”

The inaugural flight of Falcon 9 is a demonstration flight, and is expected to occur one to three months after Falcon 9 arrival at Cape Canaveral next month. The final launch date will depend on range scheduling, weather conditions and time required to make adjustments for any vehicle-to-ground equipment interactions. For its first flight, Falcon 9 will launch a Dragon spacecraft qualification unit into orbit to provide SpaceX with valuable aerodynamic and performance information.

The second flight of the Falcon 9/Dragon system is the first flight under NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, a new commercial-government partnership under which SpaceX will demonstrate the ability to dock with the International Space Station, transfer cargo, and return cargo safely to Earth.

via: SpaceX

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Astrium announce a contract for a SpaceX Falcon 1e to launch an Earth observation satellite designed by Astrium or its recently acquired subsidiary Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL).

The Falcon 1e is an ‘enhanced’ version of SpaceX’s successful Falcon 1 launch vehicle. Designed from the ground up by SpaceX, the Falcon 1e has upgraded propulsion, structures and avionics systems in order to further improve reliability and bring to market increased mass-to-orbit capability to better serve the needs of the small satellite community.

Astrium and SSTL provide a range of innovative, cutting edge Earth Observation satellite products and through this agreement will be able to offer customers a turnkey solution, with in-orbit delivery of a low Earth orbit satellite system.

The partnership between SpaceX and Astrium paves the way for potential future cooperation.

“SpaceX’s Falcon 1e launch vehicle was designed to provide the highest level of reliability as well as the lowest dedicated mission price of any orbital launch system,” said Elon Musk, CEO and CTO of SpaceX. “SpaceX is pleased to be the launch services provider for this mission.”

“This Falcon 1e contract allows Astrium to provide a competitive solution for in-orbit delivery of an Earth observation satellite in low Earth orbit,” said Evert Dudok CEO of Astrium Satellites. “This deal will ultimately benefit customers seeking innovative and low-cost solutions for valuable Earth observation programs.”

via: SpaceX

Spacex Delivers Hardware to Cape Canaveral in Preparation for Flight Aboard Sts-129 and Integration With the International Space Station

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) announces delivery of the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Communication Unit to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in preparation for launch on Space Shuttle Atlantis, STS-129. The unit will be delivered by Atlantis to the International Space Station (ISS) and integrated in preparation for SpaceX’s future flights to the orbiting laboratory.

Developed by SpaceX, in collaboration with NASA, the unit allows for communication between the ISS, SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, and ground-based mission control. The system also allows the ISS crew to monitor an approaching or departing capsule. As part of NASA’s COTS competition, SpaceX will conduct flights of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft, culminating in Dragon berthing with the ISS and then returning to Earth.

The unique public-private partnership created through the COTS program will allow SpaceX’s Dragon to serve as a replacement for cargo transport to the ISS when the Space Shuttle retires. Upon completion of the COTS requirements, SpaceX will begin to fulfill the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract, awarded by NASA in late 2008. The contract includes 12 cargo flights between 2010 and 2015 and represents a guaranteed minimum of 20,000 kg to be carried to the ISS. Dragon will deliver pressurized and unpressurized cargo to the ISS and return pressurized cargo back to Earth.

“SpaceX is pleased to have delivered the two-way communication system to the Cape in preparation for flight to the ISS,” said Gwynne Shotwell, President, SpaceX. “The unit had to pass NASA’s strict ISS safety standards and reviews, demonstrating our progress under the COTS program and laying the groundwork for future F9/Dragon flights to resupply cargo and possibly crew to the ISS when Shuttle retires.”

Space Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled for launch no earlier than November 12, 2009, from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39A.

via: SpaceX

Due to a potential compatibility issue between the RazakSAT spacecraft and Falcon 1 launch vehicle, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Astronautic Technology (M) Sdn Bhd (ATSB) have agreed to postpone the launch of ATSB’s RazakSAT satellite.

While both the Falcon 1 vehicle and satellite passed all preliminary checkouts and are cleared for launch, a concern has been identified regarding the potential impact of predicted vehicle environments on the satellite. Based on these concerns, the SpaceX team is evaluating options to minimize this impact and ensure mission success.

“SpaceX is committed to the safety and success of our customer’s payloads,” said Elon Musk, CEO and CTO of SpaceX. “Our engineers are addressing this issue and we look forward to launching RazakSAT once the issue is fully understood and resolved.”

“Both teams are confident the issue will be resolved,” said Dr. Ahmad Sabirin, CEO of ATSB. “We are all looking forward to a successful launch.”

via: SpaceX