Dragon capsule parachute test

Unlike Orion, Dragon's parachutes actually work:
http://www.onorbit.com/node/2431

Pat

Pat Flannery wrote:
Unlike Orion, Dragon's parachutes actually work:
http://www.onorbit.com/node/2431

Pat

Says they are starting with water 'splashdowns' for the crewed version with
the intension of moving to land 'dustdowns' with addition of deployable
landing gear and thrusters at some point in the future.

That should help reduce costs. What are their landing options in case of
bad weather at the primary landing site?

Dave

On 22/08/2010 2:41 PM, David Spain wrote:
Pat Flannery wrote:
Unlike Orion, Dragon's parachutes actually work:
http://www.onorbit.com/node/2431

Pat

Says they are starting with water 'splashdowns' for the crewed version
with the intension of moving to land 'dustdowns' with addition of
deployable landing gear and thrusters at some point in the future.

That should help reduce costs. What are their landing options in case of
bad weather at the primary landing site?

Dave

Land somewhere else?

Sylvia.

Sylvia Else wrote:

Land somewhere else?

Sylvia.

Doesn't anyone sleep around here, or do you all live on the Left Coast or
Asia?

Droll Sylvia... Care to clue us in as to 'where' else is?
Central Park in Manhattan?

The other option is also to stay in orbit longer...

Dave

On 22/08/2010 2:47 PM, David Spain wrote:
Sylvia Else wrote:

Land somewhere else?

Sylvia.

Doesn't anyone sleep around here, or do you all live on the Left Coast or
Asia?

I'm in Australia. Mid Sunday afternoon here.


Droll Sylvia... Care to clue us in as to 'where' else is?
Central Park in Manhattan?

It appeared to me that a craft that returns by parachute and descends
pretty much vertically onto shock absorbing landing gear doesn't really
have much in the way of requirements for its landing area, beyond being
reasonably large, moderately flat, and devoid of significant obstacles.

There would have to be plenty of suitable places, including most of
Australia (might not be reachable from the particular orbit, but that's
another matter).

Sylvia.

Sylvia Else wrote:
On 22/08/2010 2:47 PM, David Spain wrote:
Doesn't anyone sleep around here, or do you all live on the Left Coast or
Asia?

I'm in Australia. Mid Sunday afternoon here.

....

There would have to be plenty of suitable places, including most of
Australia (might not be reachable from the particular orbit, but that's
another matter).

Sylvia.

I thought the ISS routinely passes over Australia? So what would you charge
SpaceX for landing rights to your back yard? Would they need venomous snake
and/or other large carnivorous reptile insurance?

:-D

Dave

In article , lid
says...

It appeared to me that a craft that returns by parachute and descends
pretty much vertically onto shock absorbing landing gear doesn't really
have much in the way of requirements for its landing area, beyond being
reasonably large, moderately flat, and devoid of significant obstacles.

There would have to be plenty of suitable places, including most of
Australia (might not be reachable from the particular orbit, but that's
another matter).

Great Plains in the US. It's big, it's flat, and it's fairly devoid of
high concentrations of people.

Plus, a lifting capsule design has some lift in the hypersonic regime,
so you can aim for a particular landing area. Also, for final descent,
you can use steerable parachutes. NASA spent some time and money
developing one for X-38 which may be suitable for use on a capsule.

Jeff
--
The only decision you'll have to make is
Who goes in after the snake in the morning?

On 8/21/2010 8:58 PM, Sylvia Else wrote:


I'm in Australia. Mid Sunday afternoon here.

You can't fool me, "Sylvia Else"!
You're David Sander, and you've had a sex-change operation to try to
mislead the investors in "Man Conquers Space", like me!
Well...Ms./Mr. Else/Sander; I'll have know that their are still some
Aussies around who are _honest_; and they are disgusted with the likes
of you defaming their nation's reputation.
Alan Erskine is going to hunt you down like the dingo dog you are!
He's been defamed on the internet in the past, and by God, he will not
tolerate any infamies being foisted on the good, and decent, reputation
of Australians by the likes of you!
By the time he's done with you, you'll be food for Goana lizards!
You go get him/her, Alan...and when you get him/her, beat that thing
within an inch of its life and throw it to the koalas to do with what
they please! :-D

Pat

On Aug 21, 9:58*pm, Sylvia Else wrote:
On 22/08/2010 2:47 PM, David Spain wrote:

Sylvia Else wrote:

Land somewhere else?

Sylvia.

Doesn't anyone sleep around here, or do you all live on the Left Coast or
Asia?

I'm in Australia. Mid Sunday afternoon here.



Droll Sylvia... Care to clue us in as to 'where' else is?
Central Park in Manhattan?

It appeared to me that a craft that returns by parachute and descends
pretty much vertically onto shock absorbing landing gear doesn't really
have much in the way of requirements for its landing area, beyond being
reasonably large, moderately flat, and devoid of significant obstacles.

There would have to be plenty of suitable places, including most of
Australia (might not be reachable from the particular orbit, but that's
another matter).

Sylvia.

They could always land in central Antarctica rather than the Arctic
that's becoming open water. I bet Russia has a low cost landing fee.

A lot of land was recently cleared by Katerina.

~ BG

"David Spain" wrote in message
...


Land somewhere else?

The other option is also to stay in orbit longer...


Why not make the assumption that Dragon would be as capable of landing under
adverse conditions as Soyuz is? There have been very few occasions when a
Soyuz departure from Salyut, Mir or ISS has been delayed because of weather
conditions, or targeted at a back-up landing area. Surely the American
southwest is big enough to be able to provide more than one landing area?

Eddie Lyons,
Portsmouth, UK