Updates NASA's CCDev-2 Program

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Parabolic Arc: Boeing, Blue Origin and Sierra Nevada Work to Complete Final CCDev Milestones:

WASHINGTON (NASA PR) – Sixteen months ago, NASA signed the second round of Commercial Crew Development (CCDev2) Space Act Agreements with industry partners to advance multiple commercial crew space transportation system concepts and elements. The vast majority of the 62 performance milestones now have been completed, with only four more remaining. All CCDev2 milestones for the SAAs with SpaceX, ULA, ATK and Excalibur Almaz, Inc. have been successfully concluded.

Recently, SpaceX completed their final milestone, a second crew accommodation trial. During this review, several NASA engineers and veteran astronauts evaluated a prototype crewed Dragon spacecraft to assess operational tasks and gather data to improve crew and passenger experiences. Also, Boeing recently completed hot fire testing of the orbital maneuvering and attitude control (OMAC) engines for its CST-100, which demonstrated successful performance of the thruster design at vacuum conditions.

SNC recently conducted a captive carry test of the Dream Chaser to evaluate compatibility with the carrier helicopter in preparation for future approach and landing tests. SNC also completed testing of the nose landing gear for their flight test vehicle. Blue Origin completed a ground fire test of their pusher escape rocket motor and thrust vector control system.

SNC, Blue Origin and Boeing plan to complete their CCDev2 agreements by the end of 2012. Each of these agreements has critical risk reduction milestones remaining, which will further mature their crew transportation system development.

Blue Origin will conduct a pusher escape pad test to simulate an escape from a booster on the launch pad, and they will complete a full throttle test on their full- scale thrust chamber assembly. SNC’s remaining milestone is an approach and landing free flight test of the Dream Chaser engineering test article. Boeing will complete a ground systems software preliminary design review.

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NASA News Release:
RELEASE : 12-350
NASA and United Launch Alliance Complete Space Act Agreement

Oct. 15, 2012

WASHINGTON -- NASA partner United Launch Alliance (ULA) has completed the fifth and final milestone for its Commercial Crew Development Round 2 (CCDev2) agreement with the agency's Commercial Crew Program.

The Hazard, System Safety and Probabilistic Risk Assessment detailed how ULA's Atlas V rocket launch system hardware would ensure crew safety during launch and ascent.

"The ULA team did an outstanding job outlining how it plans to integrate its launch vehicle with completely different spacecraft designs," said Ed Mango, NASA's Commercial Crew Program manager. "We commend ULA for taking on the challenge of human spaceflight, and we look forward to learning more about their innovative and cost-saving solutions as we continue to move forward in developing a crew transportation capability for America."

During the year-long unfunded partnership, five reviews by technical experts from NASA and ULA assessed the company's design implementation plans, detailed system and sub-system analysis, qualification, certification and flight data.

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NASA News Release:
RELEASE : 12-362
NASA Commercial Crew Partner Blue Origin Completes Rocket Engine Thrust Chamber Test

Oct. 15, 2012

WASHINGTON -- NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP) partner Blue Origin has successfully fired the thrust chamber assembly for its new 100,000 pound thrust BE-3 liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen rocket engine. As part of Blue's Reusable Booster System (RBS), the engines are designed eventually to launch the biconic-shaped Space Vehicle the company is developing.

The test was part of Blue Origin's work supporting its funded Space Act Agreement with NASA during Commercial Crew Development Round 2 (CCDev2). CCDev2 continues to bring spacecraft and launch vehicle designs forward to develop a U.S. commercial crew space transportation capability that ultimately could become available for the government and other customers.

"Blue Origin continues to be extremely innovative as it develops a crew-capable vehicle for suborbital and orbital flights," said Ed Mango, CCP manager. "We're thrilled the company's engine test fire was met with success."

The test took place early this month on the E-1 test stand at NASA's Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Miss. Blue Origin engineers successfully completed the test by powering the thrust chamber to its full power level.

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Parabolic Arc:

• ULA Completes Final CCDev 2 Milestone
  
  
• Blue Origin Completes Rocket Engine Thrust Chamber Test

NASASpaceflight: Atlas V completes SAA milestones in preparation for crewed launches

ScienceDaily: Blue Origin Tests Rocket Engine Thrust Chamber

 

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NASA: RELEASE : 12-268 - NASA Commercial Crew Partner Blue Origin Completes Pad Escape Test:

VAN HORN, Texas -- NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP) partner Blue Origin conducted a successful pad escape test Friday at the company's West Texas launch site, firing its pusher-escape motor and launching a full-scale suborbital crew capsule from a simulated propulsion module.

The test was part of Blue Origin's work supporting its funded Space Act Agreement with NASA during Commercial Crew Development Round 2 (CCDev2). Through initiatives like CCDev2, NASA is fostering the development of a U.S. commercial crew space transportation capability with the goal of achieving safe, reliable and cost-effective access to and from the International Space Station and low-Earth orbit. After the capability is matured and available to the government and other customers, NASA could contract to purchase commercial services to meet its station crew transportation needs.

"The progress Blue Origin has made on its suborbital and orbital capabilities really is encouraging for the overall future of human spaceflight," CCP Manager Ed Mango said. "It was awesome to see a spacecraft NASA played a role in developing take flight."

The suborbital crew capsule traveled to an altitude of 2,307 feet (703 meters) during the flight test before descending safely by parachute to a soft landing 1,630 feet (497 meters) away.

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Science Daily: Blue Origin Completes Pad Escape Test

Discover Magazine - Bad Astronomy: Blue Origin successfully tests its crew escape system

Space News: Blue Origin Wraps Up Commercial Crew Work with Crew Escape System Test

Parabolic Arc: Blue Origin Completes Pad Abort Test (With Awesome Photos!)

NASASpaceflight: Blue Origin capsule successfully pad aborts via pusher-escape system

SPACE.com: Jeff Bezos' Secretive Spaceship Project Tests Rocket Escape System

 

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NASAKennedy:

 

[RGClark]

NASAKennedy:
Blue Origin Conducts Pad Escape Test - YouTube

With this advance, Blue Origin should at least give their capsule a name.

Bob Clark