SpaceX To Launch ISS-Bound Supply Ship In November

[Ringel05]

With the demise of the space shuttle program fresh in my mind, I’m forced to find my space-related solace wherever I can. Luckily, with companies like SpaceX still devoted to removing the obstacles to commercial space flight, I can’t be too bummed — and as Reuters has reported, SpaceX is preparing their next step. After their literal show of force a few months back, SpaceX is aiming their sights just a little higher.

Late this November, SpaceX is set to launch their second test pod to the International Space Station and bring her back home again. Should it succeed, Elon Musk and company will have come one step closer to their goal of becoming one of two commercial entities who can deliver cargo to the ISS. SpaceX is also looking to transport people between the station and home, and is currently looking at their Dragon multipurpose craft to do much of the people moving.

SpaceX To Launch ISS-Bound Supply Ship In November | TechCrunch

 

[westwall]

I wish them the best luck in the world! It's nice to see someone with vision and a willingness to push the envelope.

 

[flacaltenn]

Oh Oh... Those damn Ruskies.. They took all the keys to the ISS and now they think they OWN the place...


Russians-Nyet To SpaceX ISS Visit For Now « AmericaSpace

Evidently, SpaceX isn't gonna be cleared for a docking.. Well mateys, we'll board her anyway.. Aye Aye..

 

[Ringel05]

Oh Oh... Those damn Ruskies.. They took all the keys to the ISS and now they think they OWN the place...


Russians-Nyet To SpaceX ISS Visit For Now « AmericaSpace

Evidently, SpaceX isn't gonna be cleared for a docking.. Well mateys, we'll board her anyway.. Aye Aye..

From the link you posted. I'm pretty sure NASA would have said the same thing.

Since the Dragon spacecraft has only flown once and its in-orbit autonomous rendezvous and docking capabilities remain unfinished and therefore untested, the Russians have a good point.

 

[flacaltenn]

Well at least them fly by and toss out some cookies or something..

Imagine the photo op.. A little "fresh-air" EVA exercise for the Russian crew, and cookies for everyone.

 

[Conservative]

The Russians nixing this article was from April. As recently as 3-4 days ago, the flyby and docking in November/December was a go.

SpaceX Sets Next Launch for Nov. 30 : Discovery News

Space Exploration Technologies plans to fly its second Dragon capsule on Nov. 30 -- and park it at the International Space Station, combining two test flights into one...

Final approval for SpaceX to dock at the station won't come until after the Dragon is safely in orbit. The next space station crew, which is launching on Sept. 22 on a Russian Soyuz rocket, has been to SpaceX's Hawthorne, Calif., facility to be trained on Dragon systems.

"There's a point where we will basically command (the Dragon) into free drift,” NASA astronaut Dan Burbank told Discovery News. “We'll tell its motion control system to stop firing the jets and then it allows us at that point to bring the space station robotic arm up and then very gently and carefully capture it."

Burbank and his crewmates on the station would then fly the robot arm and Dragon over to a docking port on the Harmony node, near the shuttle's now-mothballed berthing slip.