COTS Demo Flight 2

COTS-2

Artist's rendering of a Dragon capsule berthing with the ISS, aided by the robotic Canadarm2.
DRAGON C2
Operator	NASA
Major contractors	SpaceX
Mission type	Demonstration
Flyby of	International Space Station
Launch date	12 January 2012[1]
Carrier rocket	Falcon 9
Launch site	Cape Canaveral LC40
Mission highlight	First docking mission with the ISS

Dragon C2, also known as COTS Demo Flight 2, is a planned second test-flight for SpaceX's unpiloted Dragon cargo spacecraft, and the third overall flight for the company's two-stage Falcon 9 launch vehicle.^[2] The flight is the second mission in NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) phase 1 program.^[2][3] The COTS program's purpose is to develop and demonstrate commercial cargo re-supply systems for the International Space Station (ISS).^[3][4] The Falcon 9 launch vehicle arrived at SpaceX's Cape Canaveral facilities at Launch Complex 40 (LC 40) in July 2011.^[5] The mission's Dragon spacecraft arrived at the launch site on 25 October 2011.^[6] Further mission delays were caused by the failure of the Russian Progress 44 cargo resupply vessel in August, that might have forced the ISS to be temporarily abandoned in mid-November.^[7] With the successful launch and docking of the Progress 45 mission, SpaceX began working towards a 19 December 2011 projected launch date.^[6] In November 2011 the launch was postponed to 12 January 2012,^[1] but that seems optimistic according to NASA officials involved with the program, and they suggest the launch will occur in late January or early February.^[8]

History

NASA and SpaceX signed the COTS agreement on 18 August 2006.^[3] The agreement called for three test-flights, under the COTS phase 1 demonstration program.^[2] The first COTS mission was completed successfully on 8 December 2010, when the Falcon 9/Dragon C1 mission became the first private-sector flight to orbit and then return a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit.^[9] Due to the mission's success, SpaceX lobbied NASA to combine the COTS 2 ISS flyby flight, which would have seen a Dragon spacecraft approach the station but stay about 10 km away from it, and the COTS 3 flight that would actually dock with the ISS.^[2] At a 15 July 2011 meeting, NASA tentatively approved combining the two COTS missions to accelerate the program into the operational supply mission phase in early 2012.^[10]

Mission plan

The proposed mission plan, which combines the objectives of the previously planned COTS 2 and COTS 3 flights into a single mission, has the Dragon spacecraft performing a space rendezvous with the International Space Station, test its communication systems with the space station,^[2] and then berth with the ISS by utilizing the station's Mobile Servicing System (Canadarm2) to capture and then position it.^[5][10] The Dragon spacecraft will then return to Earth with cargo from the ISS, with the expected splashdown and recovery zone in the Pacific ocean, off the California coast.^[11][12] NASA will decide whether or not to allow the Dragon spacecraft to berth with the ISS after it is launched, because SpaceX currently intends to launch two satellites from the Dragon sometime in the first 72 hours after launch.^[13] If allowed to berth, the mission is projected to last 22-days.^[14]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Spaceflight Now Tracking Station Worldwide launch schedule". Spaceflight Now Inc.. http://spaceflightnow.com/tracking/. Retrieved 2011-11-22. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} Svitak, Amy (2011-04-04). "New Test Plan Paves Way for Combined SpaceX COTS Demo". Space News. Springfield, Virginia, USA: Imaginova Corp. Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. http://www.webcitation.org/60U0qVa5W. Retrieved 2011-07-27. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} Braukus, Michael; Michael Braukus/Beth Dickey; Kelly Humphries (2006-08-18). "NASA Selects Crew and Cargo Transportation to Orbit Partners" (Press release). Washington: NASA. Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. http://www.webcitation.org/60U4bIOHD. Retrieved 2011-07-27. 
4. ^ "SpaceX wins NASA COTS contract to demonstrate cargo delivery to Space Station with option for crew transport" (Press release). SpaceX. 2006-08-118. Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. http://www.webcitation.org/60U4BZPTW. Retrieved 2011-07-27. 
5. ^ ^{a b} Clark, Stephen (2011-07-25). "Hired private cargo ships booked to visit space station". Spaceflight Now. Tonbridge, Kent, United Kingdom: Spaceflight Now Inc.. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. http://www.webcitation.org/60Tbd1Blh. Retrieved 2011-07-26. 
6. ^ ^{a b} Rhian, Jason (2011-10-24). "Here There Be Dragons: SpaceX’s Spacecraft Arrives at Launch Complex 40". Universe Today. Archived from the original on 2011-11-14. http://www.webcitation.org/63BjaheET. Retrieved 2011-11-14. 
7. ^ "SpaceX Hints At New Slip In NASA Cargo Demo". Aviation Week. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.. 2011-10-06. http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/asd/2011/10/05/08.xml&channel=space. Retrieved 2011-11-14. 
8. ^ Carreau, Mark (2011-11-17). "SpaceX Demo Flight To ISS May Slip". Aviation Week (New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.). http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/asd/2011/11/17/06.xml&channel=space. Retrieved 2011-11-22. 
9. ^ Chow, Denise (2010-12-08). "Millionaire's Private Space Capsule Splashes Down After Successful Maiden Voyage". Space.com (New York). Archived from the original on 2011-07-29. http://www.webcitation.org/60Wz69lmH. Retrieved 2011-07-29. 
10. ^ ^{a b} Carreau, Mark (2011-07-20). "SpaceX Station Cargo Mission Planned". Aviation Week. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.. http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/asd/2011/07/20/02.xml&headline=SpaceX%20Station%20Cargo%20Mission%20Planned. Retrieved 2011-07-26. 
11. ^ Wall, Mike (2011-07-28). "Space Station Puts Out Welcome Mat for private spaceships". Space.com (New York). Archived from the original on 2011-07-28. http://www.webcitation.org/60Wuzymda. Retrieved 2011-07-28. 
12. ^ SpaceX Media Staff (2011). "Dragon Overview". Hawthorne, CA, USA: Space Exploration Technologies Corp.. Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. http://www.spacex.com/dragon.php. Retrieved 2011-07-27. 
13. ^ Morring, Jr., Frank (2011-10-10). "SpaceX ISS Berthing Decision Coming Soon". Avation Week (New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.). http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/asd/2011/10/10/02.xml&channel=space. Retrieved 2011-11-14. 
14. ^ Staff (2011-10-25). "Prototype Spaceship Poised For Launch". Aviation Week. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.. http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?channel=space&id=news/awx/2011/10/25/awx_10_25_2011_p0-386105.xml&headline=null&prev=10. Retrieved 2011-11-14. 

‹ The template below (Future spaceflights) is being considered for deletion. See templates for discussion to help reach a consensus.›