In 2006, anticipating the end of government-funded short flights to the Space Station, NASA started the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program in cooperation with Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX), the company that Silicon Valley superman Elon Musk started after founding PayPal and Tesla Motors. The goal behind this effort is a division of labor: if Musk can take over delivering payloads to low Earth orbit, NASA will be free to focus on long term goals like interplanetary flight.The big moment for SpaceX was supposed to come February 7, when the firm planned on launching its Dragon capsule to the International Space Station carrying hundreds of pounds of supplies for the astronauts aboard. That launch from Cape Canaveral has since been delayed, with SpaceX saying that the Dragon needs more work. The company hasn't yet named another launch date.It's a blow to SpaceX because the mission is slated to be the first full test of the platform's capabilities, but it's not particularly unexpected when you consider it's an all-new platform. And what an interesting platform it is: Though designed to transport cargo, it can also be used as a platform for orbital technology demonstrations and scientific instrument testing or reconfigured to carry a crew of seven into orbit.To make the most of this dual capability and facilitate turn around time between different types of missions, the cargo and crew configurations of Dragon are nearly identical. Cargo transport configuration features a modular cargo rack system to accommodate pressurized cargo while manned launched refit the interior with couches, controls with manual override capability, and upgraded life-support. This overlap makes for a minimal design that is simpler to rate as safe for a human occupant.For William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, a successful demonstration will open a new avenue for spaceflight. "We look forward to a successful mission, which will open up a new era in commercial cargo delivery for this international orbiting laboratory.""SpaceX is on the forefront of demonstrating how a partnership between the government and private industry can lead to new capabilities and provide a large return on investment," said Alan Lindenmoyer, program manager for COTS at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.The Dragon spacecraft has three main elements: The nosecone protects the vessel and the docking adaptor during ascent; the spacecraft houses the crew or pressurized cargo, depending on the mission, and also contains a service section with the spacecraft's avionics such as its reaction control system and parachutes; and the Trunk provides additional storage of unpressurized cargo and will house Dragon's solar arrays and thermal radiators.Beyond transporting astronauts and cargo to low Earth orbit, SpaceX is working on developing Dragon into a fully commercial non-ISS station called DragonLab. Though still in the early stages, DragonLab represents the emergence of a new type of orbiting laboratory.Whenever it happens, the planned test flight will send the Dragon capsule to the International Space Station carrying hundreds of pounds of supplies for the astronauts aboard. Dragon will approach the ISS and the station crew will grapple the capsule with its robotic arm. The capsule will then dock with the ISS's Harmony node and stay for a week while the crew unloads its bounty. Then, the crew will do the same process in reverse, using the arm to remove the capsule. Dragon will return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.Connections:
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SpaceX's Dragon's first test flight
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