SpaceX and NASA have together agreed to a new plan for the inflight abort test, moving from late 2015 to early 2017. The test will now occur after the first demo mission of the Crew Dragon spacecraft in order to gain as much useful data as possible before the transport of astronauts to the ISS from American soil.
The inflight abort test is a milestone set out by SpaceX on their Commercial Crew program. The test is designed to ensure that the Crew Dragon spacecraft can escape the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket at max-Q, the moment in which the rocket experiences maximum dynamic pressure. This usually occurs around 70 seconds after liftoff at an altitude of 11km (35,000 feet). Originally planned for later this year, the launch was expected to occur from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The Dragon used in the pad abort test would be refurbished, and flown again in this test.
However, the new plans released a few days ago now state that the inflight abort test will occur after the first demo flight to the ISS for the Crew Dragon spacecraft. Scheduled for late 2016, this would mean the inflight test is now expected to take place in early 2017. Due to changes in the design of Crew Dragon spacecraft, the Dragon used for the demo flight will be refurbished and used for the test as the pad abort article is no longer as useful for an important test such as this.
"Testing the actual flight design always results in higher fidelity data and ultimately reduces risk for later crew flights” said William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator of the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters.
However, the new plans released a few days ago now state that the inflight abort test will occur after the first demo flight to the ISS for the Crew Dragon spacecraft. Scheduled for late 2016, this would mean the inflight test is now expected to take place in early 2017. Due to changes in the design of Crew Dragon spacecraft, the Dragon used for the demo flight will be refurbished and used for the test as the pad abort article is no longer as useful for an important test such as this.
"Testing the actual flight design always results in higher fidelity data and ultimately reduces risk for later crew flights” said William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator of the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters.
In addition to the change of date and spacecraft, SpaceX now plan to conduct the test from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The historic launch site once was host to the mighty Saturn V Apollo launches to the Moon, as well as 135 Shuttle launches that helped build the ISS, the largest human construct in space. Since the end of the Shuttle era the launchpad has undergone drastic renovations. SpaceX hope to debut the Falcon Heavy from LC-39A at the end of this year, however the recent mishap with the CRS-7 mission has potentially moved this into next year. The launchpad is also planned to be used for the Commercial Crew program, with the first crewed flight expected to launch in mid to late 2017.