Cites Strong Demand From Recent Workshop
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. announced this week the
addition of two DragonLab missions to its manifest as a result of
demand from a
workshop held at SpaceX headquarters on November
6 to introduce the new DragonLab product.
The first two flights are scheduled for 2010 and 2011
respectively from SpaceX’s launch complex (SLC40) at Cape
Canaveral, FL. SpaceX is currently working contractual arrangements
with multiple prospective customers.
DragonLab is a free-flying, reusable spacecraft capable of
hosting pressurized and unpressurized payloads to and from space.
It is the newest commercial offering from SpaceX. DragonLab
launches to orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle.
DragonLab provides a platform for in-space experimentation,
including recovery of pressurized and some unpressurized payloads,
as well as deployment of small spacecraft. As a complete system,
DragonLab provides for all aspects of operation: propulsion, power,
thermal control, environmental control, avionics, communications,
thermal protection, flight software, guidance, navigation and
control, entry, descent and landing and recovery.
"The response to our DragonLab
rollout has been absolutely astounding," said Max Vozoff, Product
Manager for Dragon and DragonLab. "Our workshop was at full
capacity and we even had to turn away qualified people. With the US
Space Shuttle retiring in two years, clearly there is great demand
from principal investigators, companies and institutions looking
for ways to fly payloads in space and return them to Earth," said
Vozoff. "We are adding these missions to our SpaceX manifest to
provide firm launch dates for users to work toward. Definitely one
mission won’t be enough to meet the large demand."
Attending the November 6 SpaceX DragonLab workshop were
representatives from six NASA centers, NASA headquarters, the
Department of Defense, university research departments and
commercial aerospace companies. Attendees discussed their needs for
using DragonLab for materials research, life sciences, biotech,
radiation effects, thermal protection system validation, and
robotic spacecraft servicing applications.
In addition, attendees toured the 550,000 square-foot SpaceX
headquarters and manufacturing facility, viewing the Dragon
spacecraft Qualification structure (just prior to its shipment to
Texas for structural testing); heat shield material production and
samples; the qualification and first flight Falcon 9 first stages;
Merlin engines and other propulsion components; the
transporter-erector and other launch pad systems being prepared for
shipment to Cape Canaveral for the Falcon 9’s arrival at its
launch site by year end.
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