The launch of SpaceX's first Falcon 9-Dragon demonstration flight for NASA is being pushed to Dec. 7, a move that slips the mission behind the upcoming launches of a Delta IV Heavy rocket and shuttle Discovery on Florida's Space Coast.The launch had been set for Nov. 18. The slip will give engineers more time to make certain the two-stage rocket and Dragon spacecraft are ready to fly. SpaceX spokeswoman Kirstin Brost said the company would have Dec. 8 and Dec. 9 as back-up launch opportunities. A hot-fire of the rocket's nine first-stage Merlin IC engines is scheduled for Dec. 3.
The Delta IV and its payload -- a classified National Reconnaissance Office cargo -- now are scheduled for launch on Nov. 18.
NASA last week set Nov. 30 as the earliest date for the launch of shuttle Discovery on its final flight -- an International Space Station outfitting mission. A gaseous hydrogen leak from the shuttle's external tank forced NASA to scrub a launch attempt last Friday.
SpaceX in 2006 was awarded a NASA contract worth up to $278 million to demonstrate the company's ability to safely and reliably deliver cargo to the International Space Station. The first flight is a demonstration and shake-down cruise for the Dragon spacecraft and will not involve a docking at the station.
The company also was awarded a $1.6 billion contract to launch 12 cargo resupply missions to the station. The first of those flights is expected to take place in the second half of 2011.
9 comments:
yep, that commercial sector launch program is coming along nicely.
United Space Alliance LLC is planning to lay off another 173 workers at the beginning of the year. USA has already made plans to have layoffs every quarter with another on the books for April 2011, and then after the decisions are made on a final shuttle flight. NASA - REAPED WHAT THEY SOWED.
NASA isn't reaping anything. Not a single NASA employee is losing their job.
Anonymous 7:06PM Shuttle workers are not NASA employees? I also thought they worked for NASA but they might just all be contract workers who are losing their jobs. With all the news coverage everyone assumes most of NASA was closing down. Contract workers already know beforehand that their jobs are only secure until the project ends & they are not permanent jobs. Don't know why the media has to make such a big deal about it then if they're not NASA employees. They should do more reporting on the commercial launch vehicles.
Why are NASA workers reaping what they sowed? Biblical term? What's that have to do with NASA?
It means that shuttle workers probably sat around not doing much work since there weren't many changes or progress in space exploration. The blueprints used came from engineers when the space program started way back when. They did manage to blow a hole in the moon and found some water ( if that's what it is) but don't know when they'll be able to go there again to explore it further. What a waste for all the money spent on war and an end to the space program. A wise person would have chosen the opposite.
Thank the drunkard Bush for ending the program.
Bush canceled Shuttle just when it was finally working amazingly well. So much of the tooling was destroyed that there was no way for Obama to extend the program. Bush tried to cancel Space Station as well, just as it was complete. ISS was designed to be supported by Shuttle, and it will be limited as a result. But if Bush had his way, there would be no Americans in space at all for years, even if he had paid for Constellation, which he did not.
Now the Republicans in Congress plan to slash the NASA budget and cut the commercial program, the only spot of hope we have left. So how did most Space Coasters vote? Republican. They have only themselves to blame.
I drove from Pennsylvania with my wife to finally see a Shuttle Launch. That was ok in itself as it was our 30th anniversary and she needed a vacation anyway. I thought I was lucky as the first week I was in Longboat Key, it was delayed and I had a place on Cocoa Beach the following week. Launch Scrubbed.
Now, I have to drive home tomorrow but am working on convincing my wife that we "need" to return on the 30th as there are two launches scheduled in that time period. Do you folks think either will launch? Or should I go home with my tail between my legs and be happy I toured the Space Center? If I thought at least one will go from the 30th to the 12th I'd come back. Can anyone give me their thoughts?
Crazy guy from Pennsylvania
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