Orion Service Module

Orion Service Module › Full Size

This artist's concept of the Orion Service Module was introduced today. When the Orion spacecraft blasts off atop NASA's Space Launch System rocket in 2017, attached will be the ESA-provided service module – the powerhouse that fuels and propels the Orion spacecraft.

Orion will be the most advanced spacecraft ever designed and carry astronauts farther into space than ever before. It will sustain astronauts during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space and emergency abort capability. Orion will be launched by NASA's Space Launch System (SLS), a heavy-lift rocket that will provide an entirely new capability for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit. Designed to be flexible for launching spacecraft for crew and cargo missions, SLS will enable new missions of exploration and expand human presence across the solar system.

The service module of the Orion spacecraft will provide support to the crew module from launch through separation prior to atmospheric re-entry.

Image Credit: NASA

Soyuz Re-Entry

Soyuz Re-Entry › Full Size

Seen from the International Space Station, the Soyuz TMA-05M descent module begins to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere, leaving a plasma trail as the Expedition 33 crew streaks toward a pre-dawn landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan.

Expedition 33 Commander Suni Williams and Flight Engineers Yuri Malenchenko and Aki Hoshide landed northeast of the remote town of Arkalyk at 8:56 p.m. EST Sunday (7:56 a.m. Monday, Kazakhstan time).

› More on the Landing

Credit: NASA

Shuttle Endeavour Crossing

Shuttle Endeavour Crossing › Full Size

The space shuttle Endeavour is seen atop the Over Land Transporter (OLT) after exiting the Los Angeles International Airport on its way to its new home at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, Friday, Oct. 12, 2012. 

Endeavour, built as a replacement for space shuttle Challenger, completed 25 missions, spent 299 days in orbit, and orbited Earth 4,671 times while traveling 122,883,151 miles. Beginning Oct. 30, the shuttle will be on display in the CSC's Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion, embarking on its new mission to commemorate past achievements in space and educate and inspire future generations of explorers. 

Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Endeavour's Final Flight Ends

Endeavour's Final Flight Ends › Full Size

The space shuttle Endeavour, atop the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA, lands at Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2012 in Los Angeles where it will be placed on public display at the California Science Center. Today's flight marks the final scheduled ferry flight of the Space Shuttle Program. Photo Credit: (NASA/Matt Hedges)

Space Shuttle Endeavour Over Houston, Texas

Space Shuttle Endeavour Over Houston, Texas › Full Size

Space Shuttle Endeavour is ferried by NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) over Houston, Texas on September 19, 2012. NASA pilots Jeff Moultrie and Bill Rieke are at the controls of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. Photo taken by NASA photographer Sheri Locke in the backseat of a NASA T-38 chase plane with NASA pilot Thomas E. Parent at the controls.

Photo Credit: NASA/ Sheri Locke

Expedition 32 Launches

Expedition 32 Launches › Full Size

The Soyuz TMA-05M rocket launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 10:40 p.m. EDT on Saturday, July 14, 2012, carrying Expedition 32 Soyuz Commander Yuri Malenchenko, NASA Flight Engineer Sunita Williams and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Akihiko Hoshide to the International Space Station.

Image Credit: NASA/Carla Cioffi

Enterprise on the Hudson

Enterprise on the Hudson › Full Size

Enterprise, the prototype for the space shuttle fleet, arrived at the Intrepid Museum in New York City on Wednesday, June 6, 2012, to the museum's Space Shuttle Pavilion, which will open to the public on July 19. Thousands however, got a sneak peek as they watched the shuttle move up the Hudson River.

In this image, the shuttle is being towed by barge from a port in Jersey City, N.J. to the Intrepid, a retired World War II aircraft carrier that is now used to house aerospace and maritime exhibits.

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

New York, New York, Big City of Dreams

Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
Like generations of immigrants before, shuttle Enterprise receives a welcoming salute from Lady Liberty, as the test shuttle floats up the Hudson River to its new home at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, on June 6, 2012.

SpaceX Dragon

SpaceX Makes History

SpaceX Makes History

Dragon Becomes First Commercial Spacecraft to Attach to the Space Station

Today, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) made history when its Dragon spacecraft became the first commercial vehicle in history to successfully attach to the International Space Station.  Previously only four governments – the United States, Russia, Japan and the European Space Agency – had achieved this challenging technical feat.

The vehicle was grappled by the station's robotic arm at 9:56 a.m. Eastern.  Dragon's passive common berthing mechanism successfully attached to the orbiting laboratory at 12:02 p.m Eastern.

 

Mission control at the moment of grapple

 

 

Dragon at station

 

Dragon heads to berth (attach) to the station

 

Dragon is berthed to station!

When asked for his initial thoughts on Dragon's capture and move into the history books, Elon Musk stated, "just awesome."

Broadcast quality videos, including video inside of the SpaceX factory, may be downloaded at vimeo.com/spacexlaunch.  For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv. High-resolution photos are posted at spacexlaunch.zenfolio.com.

SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer Elon Musk will join NASA Space Station Program Manager Mike Suffredini, NASA COTS Program Manager Alan Lindenmoyer and NASA Flight Director Holly Ridings  for a press conference to discuss the remarkable achievement at 1:00 PM Eastern.

This is SpaceX's second demonstration flight under a 2006 Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) agreement with NASA to develop the capability to carry cargo to and from the International Space Station. Demonstration launches are conducted to determine potential issues so that they might be addressed; by their very nature, they carry a significant risk. If any aspect of the mission is not successful, SpaceX will learn from the experience and try again.

Mission Highlights:

• May 22/Launch Day: SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched the Dragon spacecraft into orbit from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
• May 23: Dragon orbited Earth as it traveled toward the International Space Station.
• May 24: Dragon's sensors and flight systems were subjected to a series of complicated tests to determine if the vehicle was ready to berth with the space station; these tests included maneuvers and systems checks in which the vehicle came within 1.5 miles of the station. 
• May 25: NASA gave Dragon the GO to attempt berthing with the station.  Dragon approached. It was captured by station's robotic arm and attached to the station.

Coming up next:

• May 25 - 31: Astronauts open Dragon's hatch, unload supplies and fill Dragon with return cargo.
• May 31: Dragon is detached from the station and returns to Earth, landing in the Pacific, hundreds of miles west of Southern California.

# # #

Dragon is approaching the space station – UPDATED: CAPTURED!

ISS has captured the Dragon!

That's not a sim! That's the Dragon capsule held by the ISS robot arm, 30 minutes after capture. See the notes below.]

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The SpaceX Dragon capsule is currently on approach to the International Space Station. As I write this (13:00 UTC) it is about 50 meters away and moving in.

Dragon had approached to 30 meters, but a glitch made NASA ask for it to back off to 70 meters. Dragon uses a laser ranging device called LIDAR to determine its position and velocity relative to ISS. It was getting a stray reflection from a structure on ISS that was giving it bad data. The problem was quickly fixed by narrowing he LIDAR's field of view, excluding the stray reflection. Clever.

Dragon and ISS need to be in daylight for the astronauts to be able to grapple the capsule with the robot arm. That time is currently scheduled for 14:40 UTC (10:40 a.m. Eastern US time).

I will update this post as new info comes in.

[UPDATE 1 (13:22 UTC): Here's a frame grab of the Dragon as it holds 30 meters from ISS. The shadow of one of the station's solar panels is across the capsule. Lovely!]

[UPDATE 2 13:30 UTC): Another pretty shot of the Dragon capsule, this time with part of the station as well. This is a screen grab of the live NASA video stream from 14:30 UTC. Dragon is moving from 30 meters to 10 meters from ISS, where it will once again hold. At that distance, the robot arm will be able to grapple the capsule. It should reach that point around 13:55 UTC.]

[UPDATE 3 (14:38 UTC): NASA expects Dragon will reach 10 meter hold position at 13:45. The first opportunity to grapple it with the robot arm is at 14:02 UTC, which is when the pair will be in the dark. A second opportunity is at 14:28 when they are in daylight once again.]

[UPDATE 4 (13:50 UTC): We are GO for capture! Dragon is 10 meters from ISS, and they will use the robot arm in a few minutes to grapple the capsule. This shot grabbed from the live feed shows Dragon as it holds position off the ISS.]

[UPDATE 5 (13:58 UTC): CAPTURE!At 13:56 UTC history was made as the Canadian robot arm of the International Space Space grappled the SpaceX Dragon capsule, making it the first privately-owned commercial spacecraft to connect with ISS. Congrats to NASA and SpaceX for this wonderful moment. Next step: bring it in and mate it to the docking berth on the Harmony node of ISS.]

Cápsula Dragon logra histórico ensamble con ISS

25 Mayo, 2012 - 11:21

Foto: AFP

Washington.- La cápsula Dragon de la empresa estadounidense SpaceX logró ser capturada por el brazo robótico de la Estación Espacial Internacional (ISS), en un hecho sin precedentes para una nave espacial privada, que podría revolucionar los transportes al espacio.

"La captura está confirmada", dijo uno de los controladores de la agencia espacial estadounidense en el Centro Espacial Johnson en Houston, Texas (centro-sur), provocando aplausos en los centros de control de la ISS, en Houston, y de SpaceX, en Hawthorne, California (oeste).

El brazo robótico de la ISS, operado por dos de los seis astronautas a bordo del laboratorio orbital, capturó a Dragon exactamente a las 13H56 GMT, unas dos horas más tarde de lo previsto inicialmente. El acoplamiento propiamente dicho de la nave a la ISS se completará en unas tres horas.

"Parece que agarramos a un dragón por la cola", dijo el astronauta estadounidense Don Pettit, que maniobraba el brazo robótico de la ISS, al enganchar la cápsula de SpaceX.

El laboratorio orbital y la nave espacial se encontraban en ese momento a unos 400 kilómetros sobre el noroeste de Australia, indicó el comentarista de la televisión de la NASA.

La demora en la maniobra se debió a una anomalía de los principales indicadores de navegación, provocada por un reflejo luminoso de una paleta adjunta al módulo japonés Kibo de la ISS.

Una vez más SpaceX lo ha logrado. Acaba de convertirse en la primera empresa privada que, tras lanzar con éxito su propia nave espacial, logra que ésta sea capturada por el brazo robótico de la Estación Espacial Internacional", dijo un comentarista de la NASA.

La cápsula reutilizable de seis toneladas, en forma de campana y con dos antenas solares, transporta 521 kilos de suministros de alimentos y equipamiento de laboratorio a la ISS.

Dragon hizo un acercamiento sin mayores problemas, iniciado después de que los responsables de la misión en el Centro Espacial Johnson en Houston dieran luz verde a la maniobra a las 06H30 GMT.

Poco después de las 09H30 GMT, la cápsula se encontraba a 250 metros del laboratorio orbital y luego de varias maniobras se acercó al brazo robótico.

El atraque de Dragon a la ISS este viernes consistirá en acoplar la cápsula al módulo Harmony de la estación, de manera de descargar así en los próximos días los suministros que transporta, dijo SpaceX.

La apertura de la escotilla entre la estación y Dragon está prevista a las 10H00 GMT del sábado.

Los astronautas de la ISS comenzarán a vaciar la carga de la cápsula, antes de colocar los 660 kilos de materiales de experimentos científicos que la nave regresará a la Tierra.

Dragon se desacoplará de la ISS el 31 de mayo para regresar ese mismo día a la Tierra. Su amerizaje está previsto en el Pacífico, frente a las costas de California.

La nave de SpaceX -propiedad del multimillonario de 40 años Elon Musk, que hizo su fortuna cuando su empresa en internet se fusionó con el servicio de pagos online PayPal- fue lanzada el martes desde Cabo Cañaveral, Florida (sureste) en lo alto de un cohete Falcon 9.

Con la maniobra de este viernes, la nave de carga de SpaceX alcanza el punto culminante de su misión con miras a convertirse en la primera nave privada en acoplarse a la estación espacial.

Hasta ahora sólo Rusia, Japón y Europa tenían la posibilidad de transportar carga a la ISS. Estados Unidos perdió esa capacidad cuando retiró su flota de transbordadores espaciales en 2011.

El vuelo de prueba ha sido casi perfecto, de acuerdo con los informes de avance de la NASA y de SpaceX, después de que el lanzamiento marcara, según la NASA, la Casa Blanca y funcionarios de SpaceX, el comienzo de una "nueva era" para el transporte espacial.

Una misión exitosa de atraque abre el camino a un contrato de 1,600 millones de dólares de SpaceX con la NASA para abastecer a la estación espacial y regresar materiales a la Tierra en los próximos años.

Tanto SpaceX como la NASA han celebrado su flamante asociación, aunque instieron en que cualquier paso en falso que ocurriera estaría en el marco de lo esperado en misiones de prueba de este tipo.

Space Shuttle Discovery Flown Over the U.S. Capitol

Space Shuttle Discovery Flown Over the U.S. Capitol › Full Size

Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, is seen as it flies near the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, April 17, 2012, in Washington. Discovery, the first orbiter retired from NASA's shuttle fleet, completed 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, orbited the Earth 5,830 times, and traveled 148,221,675 miles. NASA will transfer Discovery to the National Air and Space Museum to begin its new mission to commemorate past achievements in space and to educate and inspire future generations of explorers.

Image Credit: NASA/Smithsonian Institution/Harold Dorwin