DragonFly (rocket)

DragonFly is a prototype low-altitude rocket-powered test article for a propulsively-landed version of the SpaceX Dragon space capsule. DragonFly is a suborbital reusable launch vehicle (RLV), intended for low-altitude flight testing.

DragonFly is expected to undergo an extensive test program to support reusable rocket technology development for a cargo-carrying and passenger-carrying shuttle capsule. The testing will be done in Texas at the McGregor Rocket Test Facility, and is expected to start in 2014 and run through at least 2015.[1][2]

History

In May 2014, SpaceX publicly announced an extensive test program for a propulsively-landed space capsule called DragonFly. The tests will be run in Texas at the McGregor Rocket Test Facility in 2014–2015.[1]

An Final Environmental Assessment was issued by the FAA in August 2014. The FAA determined that the DragonFly test program "would not significantly impact the quality of the human environment."[3] The assessment estimated that the program would take two years for SpaceX to complete (2014–2015) and considered a total of 30 annual operations of the DragonFly test vehicle in each year of operation. SpaceX would need to apply for a renewal permit in order to continue into the second full year of flight testing.[3]

Design

The DragonFly test vehicle will be powered by eight SuperDraco hypergolic rocket engines, arranged in a redundant pattern to support fault-tolerance in the propulsion system design.[4] SuperDracos utilize a storable propellant mixture of monomethyl hydrazine (MMH) fuel and nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer (NTO), the same propellants used in the much smaller Draco thrusters used for attitude control and maneuvering on the first-generation Dragon spacecraft.[2] While SuperDraco engines are capable of 73,000 newtons (16,400 lbf) of thrust, during use on DragonFly flight test vehicle each will be throttled to less than 68,170 newtons (15,325 lbf) to maintain vehicle stability.[2]

Test program

A flight test program of up to 60[3] flights has been proposed. An outline for thirty of those flights includes two propulsive assist (parachutes plus thrusters) and two propulsive landing (no parachutes) landing-only test flights where DragonFly will be dropped from a helicopter at an altitude of approximately 3,000 meters (10,000 ft). The other 26 test flights are projected to be vertical takeoff, vertical landing (VTVL) test flights that will take off from a purpose-built pad: eight to be propulsive assist hops (landing with parachutes plus thrusters) and 18 to be full propulsive hops where the landing is effected with only rocket propulsion, similar to the Grasshopper and F9R Dev booster stage test flights that SpaceX also flies out of their McGregor facility.[2]

Test flights will include a subset of tests that will test both the DragonFly space capsule and the attached trunk, an unpressurized structure that typically carries mission-specific cargo and houses the power supply system for Dragon orbital flights. The others will test landing only the capsule itself without the trunk.[4]

As of May 2014, the DragonFly test program was not expected to start until after the completion of the F9R Dev1 booster rocket testing at the McGregor facility,[4] which ended testing in August 2014.[5] However, in September 2014, following the destructive test of the F9R-Dev1 vehicle in August, SpaceX indicated that there had been a change of plans, and that the F9R Dev2 vehicle would also fly, at least initially, in McGregor for low-altitude testing, before commencing high-altitude test operations in New Mexico.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Boyle, Alan (2014-05-21). "Elon Musk's SpaceX Plans DragonFly Landing Tests". NBC News. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 James, Michael; Salton, Alexandria; Downing, Micah (November 12, 2013). "Draft Environmental Assessment for Issuing an Experimental Permit to SpaceX for Operation of the Dragon Fly Vehicle at the McGregor Test Site, Texas, May 2014 – Appendices" (PDF). Blue Ridge Research and Consulting, LCC. p. 12.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Final Environmental Assessment for Issuing an Experimental Permit to SpaceX for Operation of the DragonFly Vehicle at the McGregor Test Site, McGregor, Texas" (PDF). faa.gov. Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Abbott, Joseph (2014-05-22). "Grasshopper to DragonFly: SpaceX seeks approval for new McGregor testing". Waco Tribune. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  5. ↑ Clark, Stephen (2014-08-22). "SpaceX rocket prototype explodes in test flight". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
  6. ↑ Abbott, Joseph (2014-09-12). "SpaceX updates: Launch moved to Sept. 20; new test rocket may arrive in 2 months". Waco Tribune. Retrieved 2014-09-13.