SpaceX Dragon Capsule Returns To Earth With Pacific Splashdown

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/31/spacex-dragon-capsule-return-earth-pacific_n_1559393.html

SpaceX Dragon Capsule Returns To Earth With Pacific Splashdown

UPDATE: The capsule's successful splashdown was confirmed at 11:42 EDT.

by Clara Moskowitz, SPACE.com Assistant Managing Editor

Date: 31 May 2012 Time: 10:05 AM ET

This story was updated at 11:04 a.m. EDT.

The world's first commercial space cargo ship, the unmanned Dragon capsule, has begun its return trip from the International Space Station back to Earth today (May 31).

Built by commercial company Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), the Dragon capsule was detached from the space station by astronauts using the outpost's robotic arm, which officially released the spacecraft at 5:49 a.m. EDT (0949 GMT). At 10:51 a.m. EDT (1451 GMT), Dragon fired its Draco thrusters to exit orbit and begin its descent.

The vehicle is due to splash down in the Pacific Ocean at 11:44 a.m. EDT (1544 GMT).

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http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/31/11983318-spacexs-dragon-spaceship-splashes-down-ending-historic-mission?lite

By Alan Boyle

SpaceX's Dragon cargo capsule parachuted to a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean today, ending the first-ever commercial mission to the International Space Station.

The 19-foot-long (6-meter-long), gumdrop-shaped Dragon made history last week as the first U.S. craft to reach the orbital station since last year's retirement of the space shuttle fleet, and it made history today as the first commercial craft to return a shipment from orbit.

The demonstration flight began on May 22 with the Dragon's launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The mission reached its climax last Friday when astronauts used the space station's robotic arm to pull the Dragon in to its docking port on the the station's Harmony module. On the following day, when station crew members entered the Dragon for the first time, NASA astronaut Don Pettit gushed over its new-car smell.

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http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

[Was playing video of splashdown. - LRK]

NASA TV’s PUBLIC, MEDIA CHANNELS NOW IN HD
NASA Television’s Public (101) and Media (103) channels are now transmitting in high definition. 

NASA Television’s Public Channel (channel 101), the "NASA TV" most often carried by cable and satellite service providers, provides coverage of NASA missions and events, plus documentaries, archival and other special programming.

NASA TV’s Media Channel (channel 103) provides mission coverage, news conferences and relevant video and audio materials to local, national and international news-gathering organizations.

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http://www.facebook.com/SpaceX

[SpaceX following their Dragon Capsule Splashdown. - LRK -]

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Will be interesting to see what Orbital Science does.

- LRK -

Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
WordPress: http://lrkellogg.wordpress.com/
Newsletter: https://mailman1.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
===========================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK -

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Dragon Capsule opened - Next, return to Earth.

The capsule has been opened at the ISS and the word is - "There was no sign of any kind of (debris) floating around," Pettit radioed to Mission Control, adding that Dragon "smells like a brand new car."

I wonder is it will smell that way when it returns to Earth and is retrieved and opened?  

LRK

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/26/usa-spaceship-idUSL1E8GQ1Q520120526

UPDATE 1-Astronauts float inside SpaceX Dragon capsule

Sat May 26, 2012 12:22pm EDT

* Capsule to return to Earth Thursday

* SpaceX to deliver station cargo for NASA

* 2nd freighter to debut this year

By Irene Klotz

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. May 26 (Reuters) - Astronauts aboard the International Space Station opened the hatch and floated inside a Space Exploration Technologies' Dragon capsule on Saturday, the first privately owned spaceship to reach the orbital outpost, NASA said.

Running ahead of schedule, station commander Oleg Kononenko and flight engineer Don Pettit opened the hatch to Dragon just before 6 a.m. EDT (1000 GMT), NASA mission commentator Josh Byerly reported from Mission Control in Houston.

The bell-shaped capsule, which was making its second test flight, arrived at the space station on Friday.

The crew wore protective masks and goggles, but the interior of Dragon, which is 350 cubic feet (10 cubic metres), about the size of a large walk-in closet, proved clean.

"There was no sign of any kind of (debris) floating around," Pettit radioed to Mission Control, adding that Dragon "smells like a brand new car."

"It looks like it carries about as much cargo as I could put in my pickup truck," Pettit later told reporters during an in-flight press conference.

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Dragon (spacecraft)

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_(spacecraft) 

The Dragon is a reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX, a private space transportation company based in Hawthorne, California. During itsuncrewed maiden flight in December 2010, Dragon became the first commercially-built and operated spacecraft to be recovered successfully from orbit.^[6] On 25 May 2012, an uncrewed variant of Dragon became the first commercial spacecraft to successfully rendezvous with theInternational Space Station (ISS).^[7][8][9]

Dragon is contracted to deliver cargo to the ISS under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services program, and is scheduled to begin regular cargo flights in August 2012.^[10] Additionally, NASA awarded SpaceX a Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) contract in April 2011. The Dragon is planned to carry up to seven astronauts, or a mixture of personnel and cargo, to and from low Earth orbit. The Dragon's heat shield is furthermore designed to withstand Earth re-entry velocities from potential Lunar and Martian spaceflights.^[11]

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Continue to follow updates at SpaceX.

LRK

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http://www.spacex.com/updates.php

Dragon Becomes First Commercial Spacecraft to Attach to the Space Station

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Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
WordPress: http://lrkellogg.wordpress.com/
Newsletter: https://mailman1.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update

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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK -

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SpaceX's Dragon Spacecraft Re-enters Successfully

http://www.spacex.com/updates.php

Just for the record, some follow up on SpaceX's Dragon Spacecraft successful landing.
- LRK -

Some links from SpaceRef web site.
- LRK -
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http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=32222
Success! SpaceX's Dragon Spacecraft Re-enters Successfully
Lands on Target in the Pacific Ocean, 500 miles Off of the Coast of Southern California

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=35488
Video Taken On Orbit by SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft
Source: SpaceX Posted Wednesday, December 8, 2010

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=35489
SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon launch Photos
Source: SpaceX Posted Wednesday, December 8, 2010

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=35493
Video: NASA /SpaceX Post Mission Press Conference
Source: SpaceX Posted Thursday, December 9, 2010

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Spaceflight Now link
- LRK -
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http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/002/splashdown/
Dragon parachutes into the Pacific Ocean
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: December 8, 2010
SpaceX released these photos of the Dragon spacecraft parachuting and then floating in the Pacific Ocean after splashing down at 2:02 p.m. EST this afternoon.
Credit: Michael Altenhofen/SpaceX
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And more from SpaceX's multimedia page.
- LRK -

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http://www.spacex.com/multimedia/videos.php?id=54&cat=recent
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SpaceX Dragon Drop Test HD
08/12/2010
SpaceX conducted the Dragon high altitude drop test on 12 August 2010 to validate the parachute deployment systems and recovery operations. An Erickson S-64 Air-Crane nicknamed "Elvis" released Dragon from 4.26 km (14,000 feet) altitude off the coast of Morro Bay California, north of Vandenberg Air Force Base.

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And if you were a paying customer, what would it be worth to have your brand name displayed for all to see?
- LRK -

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http://www.universetoday.com/81586/spacex-reveals-dragon%E2%80%99s-secret-payload/
SpaceX Reveals Dragon’s “Secret” Payload by Nancy Atkinson on December 9, 2010
During Wednesday’s post-flight press conference, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk confirmed the rumor of a secret payload on board the Dragon spacecraft, but said he wouldn’t reveal what it actually was until Thursday. He did say, however that if you liked Monty Python, you would like this payload.
True to his word, SpaceX just issued a press release on what was inside this container, above, that was bolted to the floor of the Dragon spacecraft.
See below.

http://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/spacex-secret-2-580x433.jpg
Top Secret payload revealed. Photo Credit: Chris Thompson, SpaceX

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What next?  Take a look at the up coming SpaceX Launch Schedule.
- LRK -

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http://www.spacex.com/launch_manifest.php
LAUNCH MANIFEST

Customer	Target Date*	Vehicle	Launch Site
NASA COTS – Demo 1	2010	F9/Dragon	Cape Canaveral
NASA COTS – Demo 2	2011	F9/Dragon	Cape Canaveral
NASA COTS – Demo 3	2011	F9/Dragon	Cape Canaveral
Falcon 1e Inaugural Test Flight	2011	Falcon 1e	Kwajalein
ORBCOMM - Multiple flights	2011-2014	Falcon 1e	Kwajalein
MDA Corp. (Canada)	2011	Falcon 9	Cape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 1	2011	F9/Dragon	Cape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 2	2011	F9/Dragon	Cape Canaveral
DragonLab Mission 1	2012	F9/Dragon	Cape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 3	2012	F9/Dragon	Cape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 4	2012	F9/Dragon	Cape Canaveral
CONAE (Argentina)	2012	Falcon 9	Vandenberg**
Spacecom (Israel)	2012	Falcon 9	Cape Canaveral**
DragonLab Mission 2	2013	F9/Dragon	Cape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 5	2013	F9/Dragon	Cape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 6	2013	F9/Dragon	Cape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 7	2013	F9/Dragon	Cape Canaveral
CONAE (Argentina)	2013	Falcon 9	Vandenberg**
NSPO (Taiwan)	2013	Falcon 1e	Kwajalein
Space Systems/Loral	2014	Falcon 9	Cape Canaveral**
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 8	2014	F9/Dragon	Cape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 9	2014	F9/Dragon	Cape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 10	2014	F9/Dragon	Cape Canaveral
Astrium (Europe)	2014	Falcon 1e	Kwajalein
Bigelow Aerospace	2014	Falcon 9	Cape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 11	2015	F9/Dragon	Cape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 12	2015	F9/Dragon	Cape Canaveral
Iridium	2015-2017	Falcon 9	Vandenberg

*Target date indicates hardware arrival at launch site
**Or Kwajalein, depending on range availability

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Hope I am still around to see the Bigelow Aerospace launch in 2014.
Let the competition begin.
- LRK -

Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update

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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

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Falcon 9 lofted the Dragon capsule into orbit Wed, 08 Dec 2010 at 10:43 a.m. EST

Well I guess I should get my head out of the books and mention Falcon 9 and its successful launch, orbit, and splash down.
- LRK -

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http://www.nasa.gov/offices/c3po/home/cots_project.html

Elon Musk on Dragon's Success: "It's Just Mind-Blowingly Awesome."

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 01:11:21 PM PST

With the success of the SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon mission still fresh, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said the flight "has really been better than I expected. It's actually almost too good."

The Falcon 9 lofted the Dragon capsule into orbit this morning at 10:43 a.m. EST, lifting off from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, a few miles south of the space shuttle launch pads. The Dragon returned to Earth at about 2:02 p.m., safely splashing down in the Pacific Ocean following two orbits. It marked the first time a commercial company has recovered a spacecraft from orbit.

"There's so much that can go wrong and it all went right," Musk said. "I'm sort of in semi-shock."

NASA officials also were very pleased with the mission's results.

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Some excitement for those close to the launch.
I missed the post-mission press conference.
- LRK -

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http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=32222
Success! SpaceX's Dragon Spacecraft Re-enters Successfully

• Source: SpaceX
• Posted Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Lands on Target in the Pacific Ocean, 500 miles Off of the Coast of Southern California

SpaceX/NASA to Hold Post-Mission Press Conference at 3:30 PM EST

Cape Canaveral, FL - Today, SpaceX became the first commercial company in history to re-enter a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit.

SpaceX and NASA will have a post-mission press conference at 3:30 PM EST at the press site at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Participants include:

* Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO and CTO
* Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX President
* Alan Lindenmoyer, NASA Commercial Crew and Cargo Program Manager

Watch it live at www.nasa.gov/ntv

SpaceX launched its Dragon Spacecraft into low-Earth orbit atop a Falcon 9 rocket at 10:43 AM EST from the Air Force Station at Cape Canaveral.

The Dragon spacecraft orbited the Earth at speeds greater than 17,000 miles per hour, reentered the Earth's atmosphere, and landed in the Pacific Ocean shortly after 2:00 PM EST.

This marks the first time a commercial company has successfully recovered a spacecraft reentering from low-Earth orbit. It is a feat performed by only six nations or government agencies: the United States, Russia, China, Japan, India, and the European Space Agency.

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Good information at X The Launch Pad with video of launch and links to YouTube Falcon 9 launch as well.
- LRK -

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http://thelaunchpad.xprize.org/2010/12/spacex-cots-1-success-for-spacex-nasa.html

SpaceX COTS 1 - A Success for SpaceX, NASA, and space fans worldwide

12/08/2010 09:52:00 AM

We love the sound of rockets in the morning!

I feel alright about taking some liberties with Lt. Col.'s famous quote because, well, it's just so darn true.

In case you haven't heard, there's a Dragon above our heads now, at least for a little while. A few hours ago (at about 7:45 Pacific time), Space Exploration Technologies--more commonly known as SpaceX--achieved the successful launch of their second Falcon 9 rocket, and the first launch of their reusable Dragon spacecraft. Maiden voyages in the space exploration business don't come with terribly good statistics, and second launches are not all that much better, so all of us here at X PRIZE headquarters were doing our best to keep our expectations realistic--reading Alan Stern's instant classic OpEd on the issue was immensely helpful--but in the end, that appears not to have been necessary. From everything we could tell, today's launch was a complete success. And although the Dragon capsule's mission won't be complete until a few hours from now when (knock on digital wood) she splashes back down and is successfully recovered, we can already say that the Dragon portion of the mission was at minimum a partial success. It's amazing to note that that would (will!) be the first time a commercial entity ever successfully re-entered a resuable vehicle from orbit.

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You may also want to watch this video, which, although it isn't in HD, does continue all the way through to onboard footage of the stage separation and Dragon deployment (it's also got a little bit better rockety sound at launch).
http://www.youtube.com/user/spacevidcast#p/a/u/1/Q-ci9xIgNZM

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SpaceX web site.
http://www.spacex.com/
Dragon Returns To Earth

Alright, now back to reading about Artificial Life (AL) and things I could send to the Moon that aren't human.
I wouldn't want to be politically incorrect, now would I.
- LRK -

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http://www.amazon.com/Artificial-Institute-Sciences-Complexity-Proceedings/dp/0201525712
Artificial Life II (Santa Fe Institute Studies in the Sciences of Complexity Proceedings)
Christopher G. Langton (Author), Charles Taylor (Author), J. Doyne Farmer (Author), Steen Rasmussen (Author)

Product Description

Artificial life is a new field of scientific inquiry that studies biology by attempting to synthesize such biological phenomena as life, evolution, and ecological dynamics within computers and other "artificial" media. In addition to uncovering new ways to study life as we know it, a life extends research to the larger domain of life as it could be, whatever it might be made of and wherever it might be found in the universe.This proceedings volume, based on the second artificial life workshop held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1990, reflects the evolution and horizons of this rich field of study, and builds on the proceedings of the seminal first workshop, held at Los Alamos in 1987 (also available from Addison Wesley). This compendium includes more than 30 papers spanning the spectrum of a-life research, from studies of the origin of life to models of complex systems.

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Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update

=============================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

=============================================