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miércoles, 23 de mayo de 2012

Astronomy: SpaceX Launches Falcon 9/Dragon on Historic Mission

Hi My Friends: A VUELO DE UN QUINDE EL BLOG., The SpaceX second demonstration mission for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program is under way, and NASA is updating its coverage of the Dragon spacecraft's flight to the International Space Station.

SpaceX Dragon Transports Student Experiments to Space Station:
WASHINGTON -- The SpaceX Dragon capsule, which on Tuesday became the first commercially developed and built spacecraft to launch to the International Space Station, is carrying among its cargo a suite of 15 science experiments designed by students.

Known collectively as Aquarius, the experiments will assess the effects of microgravity on physical, chemical and biological systems. The students have been immersed in every facet of research, from definition of the investigation to experiment design, proposal writing and a formal NASA proposal review for selection of flight experiments.

"This unique student activity adds a new dimension to the International Space Station and its role as America's only orbiting national laboratory," said Leland Melvin, NASA's associate administrator for Education. "It also clearly demonstrates that students still can actively participate in NASA microgravity opportunities in the post-shuttle era."

Aquarius is sponsored by the Student Space Flight Experiments Program (SSEP), which is a cooperative venture by the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE) and NanoRacks LLC, a national science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education initiative. The organizations work together to give 300 to 1,000 students across a community the opportunity to design and propose microgravity experiments to fly in low Earth orbit.

The first two SSEP payloads flew in 2011 aboard space shuttles Endeavour and Atlantis on the STS-134 and STS-135 missions respectively. This third round of experiments will be the first to be conducted in orbit by space station astronauts.

The announcement of opportunity for Aquarius was released in July 2011. It elicited responses from 12 communities in nine states and the District of Columbia. A total of 779 student teams, with 41,200 members ranging from fifth graders to community college, submitted proposals. After a formal two-step review process in fall 2011, the final 15 flight experiments were selected. They all passed a formal NASA flight safety review, clearing the final hurdle on their journey to launch.

This is one of many programs that use NASA's science and exploration missions to encourage students to pursue a STEM-centric school curriculum. Building a robust cadre of scientists and engineers for the future is a high priority for NASA's Office of Education.

The Dragon flight to the International Space Station is the second demonstration mission for SpaceX under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. The demonstration flight is intended to lead to regular resupply missions to the space station.

To learn more about the SSEP, including future opportunities for student participation, visit:


To learn more about NASA's education program, visit:

To learn more about the International Space Station, visit:


SpaceX Launches NASA Demonstration Mission to Space Station:
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The second demonstration mission for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program is under way as SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft lifted off Tuesday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 3:44 a.m. EDT.

"I want to congratulate SpaceX for its successful launch and salute the NASA team that worked alongside them to make it happen," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said. "Today marks the beginning of a new era in exploration; a private company has launched a spacecraft to the International Space Station that will attempt to dock there for the first time. And while there is a lot of work ahead to successfully complete this mission, we are certainly off to good start. Under President Obama’s leadership, the nation is embarking upon an ambitious exploration program that will take us farther into space than we have ever traveled before, while helping create good-paying jobs right here in the United States of America."

The Dragon capsule will conduct a series of checkout procedures to test and prove its systems, including the capability to rendezvous and berth with the International Space Station. On Thursday, May 24, Dragon will perform a flyby of the space station at a distance of approximately 1.5 miles to validate the operation of sensors and flight systems necessary for a safe rendezvous and approach. Live NASA TV coverage beginning at 2:30 a.m.

Following analysis of the flyby by NASA and SpaceX managers, the Dragon capsule will be cleared to rendezvous and berth with the space station on Friday, May 25, marking the first time a commercial company has attempted this feat. The Expedition 31 crew on board the station will use the orbiting complex's robotic arm to capture Dragon and install it on the bottom side of the Harmony node. NASA TV will provide live coverage beginning at 2 a.m.

"This flight is an important milestone as NASA and SpaceX develop the next generation of U.S. spacecraft to carry the critically important experiments, payloads and supplies to our remarkable laboratory in space," said William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for NASA's Human Exploration Operations Directorate at the agency's Headquarters in Washington.

SpaceX and Orbital Sciences, which will perform its own test flight later this year, have been working under NASA's COTS program, which provides investments to stimulate the commercial space industry in America. Once the companies have successfully completed their test flights, they will begin delivering regular cargo shipments to the station.

"NASA is working with private industry in an unprecedented way, cultivating innovation on the path toward maintaining America's leadership in space exploration," said Philip McAlister, director for NASA's Commercial Spaceflight Development.

In parallel to COTS, NASA's Commercial Crew Program is helping spur innovation and development of new spacecraft and launch vehicles from the commercial industry to develop safe, reliable and cost-effective capabilities to transport astronauts to low Earth orbit and the space station.

NASA also is developing the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System (SLS), a crew capsule and 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 and Orion will expand human presence beyond low Earth orbit and enable new missions of exploration across the solar system.

For up-to-date SpaceX mission information and a schedule of NASA TV coverage, visit:


For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:

For more information about NASA's commercial space programs, visit:
 

For an interactive overview of NASA's commercial space programs, visit:

For an interactive overview of the future of American human spaceflight, visit:

 
 Station Crew To Take Questions About Commercial Spacecraft:
 HOUSTON -- International Space Station crew members will answer questions from reporters following the scheduled hatch opening of SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. Three of the six Expedition 31 station residents will be available during a news conference that will be carried live on NASA Television and streamed on the agency's website at 10:25 a.m. CDT on Saturday, May 26. The news conference is subject to change depending on real-time operational events aboard the space station.

Expedition 31 flight engineers Don Pettit and Joseph Acaba of NASA and Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency will speak with reporters. The crew members will discuss the demonstration flight of the Dragon spacecraft and the implications of commercial spaceflight for the space station. Dragon is set to be the first commercial cargo spacecraft to berth to the station. Because this is a test flight, the Dragon is carrying non-critical cargo, including additional food and clothing for the station residents. Dragon also is carrying a collection of student experiments.

Media can ask questions from NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston or via telephone. To participate in the news conference in-person, U.S. journalists must call the Johnson newsroom by 1 p.m. on Friday, May 25, at 281-483-5111. To participate in the briefing by phone, representatives from accredited media organizations must call the Johnson newsroom 15 minutes before the start of the conference. Priority will be given to journalists participating in-person. Questions by phone will be taken as time permits.

The exact time of the news conference is subject to change. For NASA TV streaming video, schedule and downlink information, visit:


For more information about the SpaceX mission, visit:

To follow Twitter updates from Pettit, Acaba and Kuipers, visit:
 
 
 
For more information about the International Space Station and its crew, visit:
Image above: The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., to begin a demonstration flight. Photo credit: NASA TV
› View larger image

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket thundered into space and delivered a Dragon cargo capsule into orbit on May 22, 2012. The launch began an ambitious mission to show that the company is ready to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.

"We're now back on the brink of a new future, a future that embraces the innovation the private sector brings to the table," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. "The significance of this day cannot be overstated. While there is a lot of work ahead to successfully complete this mission, we are off to a good start."

Working with an instantaneous launch window, SpaceX, short for Space Exploration Technologies of Hawthorne, Calif., proceeded through a flawless countdown. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida came at 3:44 a.m. EDT, just as the station was crossing 249 miles above the North Atlantic.

"Every bit of adrenaline in my body released at that moment," said Elon Musk about the moment the rocket lifted off the pad. Musk is the founder, CEO and chief designer of SpaceX. "People were really giving it their all. For us, it was like winning the Super Bowl."

The launch came three days after the rocket aborted a previous launch attempt. William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, lauded the company for getting the craft ready for the successful launch.

"They stayed focused and kept moving forward," Gerstenmaier said. "Things are moving in the right direction."

Dragon is carrying about 1,200 pounds of supplies for the crew of the station and experiments designed by students. The spacecraft can hold 7,300 pounds of material for delivery to the station, but since this is a test flight, the manifest was limited to important but not critical materials. Food and clothing make up the bulk of the supplies.

The launch put the Dragon on a course to rendezvous with the space station in three days. A detailed series of navigation and other systems tests will be performed in space before the capsule is allowed to move close enough to the station for astronauts to grab it with the robot arm and connect it to the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module.

The tests include a careful approach to the station that calls for the spacecraft to pause several times. The space station crew also will show that they can communicate directly with the uncrewed Dragon capsule. If all the testing goes well, they will go ahead with the rendezvous and berthing.

"There's still a thousand things that have to go right, but we are looking forward to this exciting mission," said Alan Lindemoyer, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew and Cargo Program.

The Dragon will remain connected to the station for about three weeks, allowing astronauts to empty it before loading used scientific equipment inside for the return to Earth. Reversing the process of connecting the spacecraft to the station, astronauts will use the robotic arm to remove the Dragon capsule. The Dragon will then de-orbit and return to Earth under parachutes, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast.

 Steven Siceloff
NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center
Updated Coverage for NASA/SpaceX Mission to Station :
 WASHINGTON -- The SpaceX second demonstration mission for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program is under way, and NASA is updating its coverage of the Dragon spacecraft's flight to the International Space Station.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon lifted off at 3:44 a.m. EDT Tuesday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. During the flight, the Dragon capsule will conduct a series of checkout procedures to test and prove its systems, including the capability to rendezvous and berth with the space station.

One of the primary objectives for the flight is a flyby of the space station at a distance of approximately 1.5 miles to validate the operation of sensors and flight systems necessary for a safe rendezvous and approach.

The spacecraft also will demonstrate the ability to abort the rendezvous. Once Dragon successfully proves these capabilities, it will be cleared to berth with the space station.

NASA TV MISSION COVERAGE

Thursday, May 24 (Flight Day 3): Live NASA Television coverage from NASA's Johnson Space Center mission control in Houston as the Dragon spacecraft performs its flyby of the International Space Station to test its systems begins at 2:30 a.m. EDT and will continue until the Dragon passes the vicinity of the station. A news briefing will be held at 10 a.m. following the activities.

Friday, May 25 (Flight Day 4): Live coverage of the rendezvous and berthing of the Dragon spacecraft to the station begins at 2 a.m. and will continue through the capture and berthing of the Dragon to the station's Harmony node. A news briefing will be held at 1 p.m. after Dragon is secured to the station.

Saturday, May 26 (Flight Day 5): Live coverage of the hatch opening and entry of the Dragon spacecraft begins at 5:30 a.m. and will include a crew news conference at 11:25 a.m.

NASA TV also will provide live coverage of the departure and reentry of the Dragon spacecraft once a date is determined.

JOHNSON MEDIA ACCREDITATION

Media who currently are credentialed with badges from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch activities will have their badges honored at Johnson for the duration of the SpaceX mission. Please contact the Johnson newsroom for work space information. The deadline has passed for U.S. and international media wanting access only to Johnson. For mission information, contact the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 or visit:

 
For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:

For up-to-date SpaceX mission information and a schedule of NASA TV coverage, visit:
Guillermo Gonzalo Sánchez Achutegui 
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