SpaceX Commercial Crew Status for July 2014
Dragon Version 2. (Credit: SpaceX)
SpaceX CCiCAP Milestone Status
Award Period: August 2012 – March 2015
Milestones: 20
Milestones Completed: 14
Milestones Remaining: 6
Total Possible Award: $460 Million
Total Award to Date: $357 Million
Total Award Remaining: $103 Million
Several notable changes have occurred in SpaceX’s milestones and timelines. First, the time period has been extended from August 2014 to March 2015. This change will allow the company to complete an in-flight abort test with its Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon crew capsule.
However, the Critical Design Review (Milestone 13) also has fallen behind schedule. The milestone has been split into f0ur separate milestones, with final completion now schedules for November.
| No. |
Description | Original Date | Status | Amount |
| 1 | CCiCap Kickoff Meeting. SpaceX will hold a kickoff meeting at the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, CA, or a nearby facility to review the current state of existing hardware, processes and designs, describe plans for CCiCap program execution during both the base period and the optional period and lay the groundwork for a successful partnership between NASA and SpaceX. | August 2012 | Complete | $40 Million |
| 2 | Financial and Business Review. SpaceX will hold a financial and business review to accomplish verification of financial ability to meet NASA’s stated goals for the CCiCap program by providing NASA insight into SpaceX finances. | August 2012 |
Complete | $20 Million |
| 3 | Integrated System Requirements Review (ISRR). SpaceX will hold an integrated System Requirements Review (ISRR) to examine the functional and performance requirements defined for the entire CTS for the Commercial Crew Program design reference mission per section 3.1 of CCT-DRM-1110, as well as to evaluate the interpretation and applicability of each requirement. | October 2012 | Complete | $50 Million |
| 4 | Ground Systems and Ascent Preliminary Design Review (PDR). SpaceX will hold a Ground Systems and Ascent Preliminary Design Review (PDR) to demonstrate that the overall CTS preliminary design for ground systems and ascent meets all requirements with acceptable risk and within schedule constraints and that it establishes the basis for proceeding with detailed design. | December 2012 | Complete | $35 Million |
| 5 | Pad Abort Test Review. SpaceX will hold a Pad Abort Test Review to demonstrate the maturity of the pad abort test article design and test concept of operations. | March 2013 | Complete | $20 Million |
| 6 | Human Certification Plan Review. SpaceX will hold a Human Certification Plan Review to present the Human Certification Plan. This Human Certification Plan Review will cover plans for certification of the design of the spacecraft, launch vehicle, and ground and mission operations systems. | May 2013 | Complete | $50 Million |
| 7 | On-Orbit and Entry Preliminary Design Review (PDR). SpaceX will hold an On-Orbit and Entry Preliminary Design Review (PDR) to demonstrate that the overall CTS preliminary design for orbit, rendezvous and docking with the ISS, and entry flight regimes meets all requirements with acceptable risk and within schedule constraints and that it establishes the basis for proceeding with detailed design. | July 2013 | Complete | $34 Million |
| 7A | Delta Ground Systems Preliminary Design Review (PDR). A PDR of the delta ground systems. |
July 2013 | Complete | $1 Million |
| 8 | In-Flight Abort Test Review. SpaceX will hold an In-Flight Abort Test Review to demonstrate the maturity of the in-flight abort test article design and test concept of operations. | September 2013 | Complete | $10 Million |
| 9 | Safety Review. SpaceX will hold a Safety Review at the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, CA, or a nearby facility to demonstrate that the CTS design is progressing toward meeting the Commercial Crew Program’s safety goals. | October 2013 | Complete | $50 Million |
| 10 | Flight Review of Upgraded Falcon 9. SpaceX will conduct a review of a launch of the upgraded Falcon 9 launch vehicle demonstrating the operation of enhanced first-stage M1D engines, stage separation systems, enhanced second-stage MVacD engine and mission-critical vehicle telemetry during flight. Demonstration of the upgraded launch vehicle will serve as a risk reduction for the planned inflight abort test. | November 2013 | Compete | $0 |
| 13A | Integrated Crew Vehicle Critical Design Review (CDR). Milestone 13, Integrated Critical Design Review, has been split into four separate milestones. The goal of the CDR is to demonstrate that the maturity of the CTS design is appropriate to support proceeding with full-scale fabrication, assembly, integration and test. |
March 2014 | Complete | $27 Million |
| 15A | Dragon Parachute Tests Phases I & II. SpaceX will conduct parachute drop tests in order to validate the new parachute design as capable of supporting a pad abort event. Milestone 15A included a crane drop test. | November 2013 | Complete | $15 Million |
| 15B | Dragon Parachute Tests Phases I & II. SpaceX will conduct parachute drop tests in order to validate the new parachute design as capable of supporting a pad abort event. Milestone 15B featured a helicopter drop test. | November 2013 | Complete | $5 Million |
| TOTAL TO DATE (OUT OF $460 MILLION): |
$357 Million | |||
| 11 | Pad Abort Test. SpaceX will conduct a pad abort test of the Dragon spacecraft. The scenario where an abort is initiated while the CTS is still on the pad is a design driver for the launch abort system as it dictates the total impulse and also requires parachute deployment in close proximity to the ground. | December 2013 | 3Q 2014 | $30 Million |
| 12 | Dragon Primary Structure Qualification. SpaceX will conduct static structural testing of all Dragon primary structure components to ultimate load factors, as applicable. This series of tests will validate the Dragon structure’s ability to maintain integrity during all driving load cases as well as verify the accuracy of math models used to analyze the Dragon structure. Individual tests will be designed to exercise all credible failure modes and minimum margin areas. | January 2014 | 2nd Half 2014 | $30 Million |
| 13B | Ground Systems and Mission Operations Critical Design Review (CDR). Part 2 of the CDR focused on ground systems and mission operations. The goal of the CDR is to demonstrate that the maturity of the CTS design is appropriate to support proceeding with full-scale fabrication, assembly, integration and test. | March 2014 | August 2014 | $3 Million |
| 13C | Crew Vehicle Technical Interchange Meetings. Part 3 of the CDR. The goal of the CDR is to demonstrate that the maturity of the CTS design is appropriate to support proceeding with full-scale fabrication, assembly, integration and test. | March 2014 | September 2014 | $5 Million |
| 13D | Delta Crew Vehicle Critical Design Review (CDR). The final milestone in the CDR.The goal of the CDR is to demonstrate that the maturity of the CTS design is appropriate to support proceeding with full-scale fabrication, assembly, integration and test. |
March 2014 | November 2014 | $5 Million |
| 14 | In-Flight Abort Test. SpaceX will conduct an in-flight abort test of the Dragon spacecraft. The in-flight abort test will supplement the pad abort test and complete the corners-of-the-box stress cases. The in-flight abort scenario represents a Dragon abort while under propulsive flight of the launch vehicle during the worst-case dynamic loads on the CTS. | April 2014 | March 2015 | $30 Million |
| TOTAL: | $460 Million | |||
19 responses to “SpaceX Commercial Crew Status for July 2014”
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So why is SpaceX taking so long on the CDR?
It this because of the BS that Shelby is trying to push?
It is interesting that when this is done, they will basically be ready to fly humans.
Or am I wrong on this?
If I am wrong, then what remains?
I’d say the single biggest one is the in-flight abort test, already pushed to next year. Despite all three CCDev companies adopting a pusher abort system, there hasn’t been a single in-flight abort test of such a system yet. And if Boeing or SNC are planning on one, they haven’t announced it yet.
I’m getting the distinct impression that only SpaceX will be doing the in-flight abort test. I wonder if NASA has requested/demanded it or if SpaceX wanted it as part of their milestones.
As mentioned many times before, the cost to Boeing/SNC/NASA of trashing an Atlas V first stage would be considerable. SpaceX on the other hand can afford to do it, because it doesn’t involve contributing to the ULA holiday fund (profits).
SpaceX has always tried to deliver more than other companies. Look at OSC and SpaceX WRT COTS.
Orion was going to do an inflight abort with the first flight capsule, but they canceled it. They go through the max air pressure so fast, it is unlikely there will be an abort there. They ought to forget it. They are only charging NASA 30 million $ though. It might be delayed because they want to reuse a first stage. They should get one this flight. No storms. Should be pretty smooth water. They would have time to refurbish it. If ULA takes 18 months to build a crew access tower, how long will it take SpaceX? I still think just load horizontal and use slide lines to get out or lower back to horizontal to get the crew out.
I think Spacex’s Super draco took longer to develop then expected. But if you think of what the SD needed to do it is no surprise the development took as long as it did. The Dragon test bed vehicle for the SD (I forget its name) will be fun to watch..hope the tests start soon
jb
DragonFly
right. But once the CCiCap is done, I think that they are pretty much done and ready to go. Minor items.
It would surprise me if they do not win the next round.
Drop tests – does the parachute system work
Structural tests – is it strong enough
Propulsion tests – can it manoeuvring and de-orbit
Interface reviews – manual controls, radios, rocket connections
Abort tests – guided escape(s)
Life support, heatshield, landing, avionics/gnc
Critical Design review – has all the above been completed
Launch, orbit, re-entry, landing – examine for issues – then fly crew.
I’m not seeing much significant that SpaceX has to do for CCt. Presumably they will want to perfect the propulsive landing, but as long as the parachutes work and the thing floats, that’s a separate issue.
I agree, what remains?.
All of the tests that you mentioned will have been done prior to abort tests.
IIRC, Life support has already been tested and initially they are planning on parachute landings only.
I think upon abort they are ready.
Life support and spacesuits are key. I imagine those are milestones in the next round, which I think SpaceX will receive money to do.
???
I thought that I read that life support was already tested.
Are they not using the commercial system that NASA had funded?
Not sure about spacesuits.
The abort test is the key stage for all in the race. I do wonder what would happen if unsuccessful.
Out of the race?
Irony of ironies …. Blue Origin, who isn’t a competitor has successfully conducted an abort test… because you can’t really hide an abort test… sadly we know very little else about Blue Origin.
As far as I know, Blue Origin is still part of the program, they just aren’t a NASA-funded participant anymore.
Also keep in mind that the delays may well be nasa initiated due to lower program allocations from Congress. They money that they intend to give them for completion of the abort test may not be available until 2015
why? They had the rest of the money for Boeing and SNC.
I think the money is there. SpaceX is simply running about a year behind schedule.
For the delay in 13B, remember that SpaceX was awarded the lease to pad 39A but it was then contested and delayed. I believe this caused a 6 month delay in the actual lease signing. Since this is the pad that they intend to use for manned Dragons it is understandable that there would be a delay in CDR focused on ground systems and mission operations.
that makes sense.