Private space station delivery to launch Sunday

ap ^ | October 6, 2012, 8:23 PM

[BenLurkin]

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. A private company is on the verge of launching another cargo ship to the International Space Station.

On Sunday night, California-based SpaceX will attempt to send a Dragon capsule to the orbiting lab and its three-member crew.

Liftoff of the company's unmanned Falcon rocket is scheduled for 8:35 p.m. EDT. Forecasters put the odds of acceptable weather at 60 percent. Thick clouds and rain are the main concerns.

A Dragon cargo ship successfully docked to the space station last May, but that was considered a test flight. The coming mission is the first under a $1.6 billion contract with NASA that calls for a dozen resupply flights by SpaceX, essential in the post-shuttle era.

"We got there once. We demonstrated we could do it, so there might be a teeny, teeny bit of relaxation. Not a lot, though," SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell told reporters Saturday night.

NASA was monitoring a potentially threatening piece of orbiting junk, but said that even if the space station had to steer clear of the object, that would not delay the SpaceX mission.

This newest Dragon will haul about 1,000 pounds of food, clothes and gear, including ice cream for the American, Russian and Japanese astronauts on board. (The ice cream will go up in freezers meant for research). Almost twice as much cargo will come back.

[JRandomFreeper]

I wonder how much the resupply missions figure into man-rating the Dragon.

/johnny

[jeffc]

We need a Henry Ford of space travel/rockets.

[mrsmith]

“$1.6 billion contract with NASA that calls for a dozen resupply flights ... 1,000 pounds”

$134,000 a pound?
I thought it was less than that to LEO.

[RobertClark]

You gotta have your pizza!

[GeronL]

cool

[RobertClark]

[mrsmith]

The reporter or I messed up I hope. The Shuttle was under 30 grand a pound and it was much more expensive than most vehicles.

[CarmichaelPatriot]

“$1.6 billion contract with NASA that calls for a dozen resupply flights ... 1,000 pounds”

$134,000 a pound?

I thought it was less than that to LEO.

It's returning cargo from orbit, as well. Round trip is much more expensive than a one way trip.

[NonValueAdded]

Brevard County, Florida Historic LAUNCH ping.

Let me know if you want on or off this ping list.
(not associated with the county government)

[BwanaNdege]

” 6,000 kg (13,228 lbs) payload up-mass to LEO;

3,000 kg (6,614 lbs) payload down-mass

Payload Volume: 10 m3 (350 ft3) pressurized,

14 m3 (490 ft3) unpressurized “

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

[mrsmith]

Well they claim a 13,000 pound LEO payload for the Dragon which gives a more reasonable cost per pound, though still on the high side. Maybe this is a special low weight flight.

Of course flight frequency is what really determines costs.

[BwanaNdege]

I forgot to say that they are probably working up to full payload capacity.

This is only their second trip.

[Bogey78O]

I think other estimates included everything not part of the ship in calculating cost per pound.

[albionin]

I think once space becomes a business (asteroid mining) that the technology will really take off like a rocket.

[JRandomFreeper]

The 12 flight contract is for 20 metric tons, total.

/johnny

[Jack Hydrazine]

Coverage will be at the following links.

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/004/status.html

http://www.spacex.com/

http://www.ustream.tv/SpaceX

http://new.livestream.com/accounts/142499/events/626741

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

[Jack Hydrazine]

Commercial resupply of space station blasts off Sunday
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/004/121005preview/

[DocRock]

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