Category Archives: Dragon

Dragon vessel from SpaceX

Into space with ATV – Back to Earth with Dragon

L'apprenti sage DVD

L'apprenti sage DVD

Students send 'Message to Earth' into space via ESA's ATV and back home via the US Dragon capsule - scroll down for link to complete DVD in YT

We have a great little story to share with you today on the completion of an imaginative journey taken by a group of young people from the local community youth group (MJC) in Elbeuf, France, 120km north-west of Paris.

The nine students, aged 9-16, sent a DVD to the ISS on board ATV Eduardo Amaldi, which launched from Kourou, French Guiana, on board Ariane flight VA205 on 23 March 2012. The disc was stored, of course, on board Europe's Columbus science module.

Youth team from MJC Elbeuf

Youth team from MJC Elbeuf

The DVD contained a video, "L'Apprenti sage," produced by the students that spotlighted their vision of our future, how society should develop and their hopes and dreams; environmental issues and the future of our planet were main themes.


L'apprenti sage - Un message à la Terre. Teaser

The group was also invited by ESA and CNES, the French space agency, to visit Europe's Spaceport at Kourou to watch the ATV-3 launch in person during 9-13 March last year.

DVD packed in ATV CTB cargo bag

DVD packed in ATV CTB cargo bag

The launch was, unfortunately, delayed, but the students had an excellent tour of the Arianespace launch facilities as well as the surrounding tropical ecosystem in French Guiana.

The closing link in this tremendous space voyage was provided by SpaceX, when the well-travelled DVD was returned to Earth via the Dragon capsule's CRS-1 mission, 8-28 October 2012. The DVD was then shipped back to Europe via Bremen and returned to the young producers in Elbeuf.

L'Apprenti sage - packing bag

L'Apprenti sage - packing bag

"It's important for all of us who work in space to ensure that young people are given opportunities to develop their interest and passion toward careers in science, technology, engineering and math," says Jean-Michel Bois, Head of the ATV Operations Division at the ATV Control Centre in Toulouse.

"This is especially crucial with young people who may not otherwise be exposed to role models or experience inspirational events related to STEM. For youth, participating in a real space adventure can change lives."

The youth were presented with certificates to mark the tremendous voyage taken by their video DVD and to offer congratulations from the managers at ATV-CC and Col-CC.

Best wishes to everyone at MJC Elbeuf!

The full DVD is now available in YT!

Certificate presented to Elbeuf MJC and the DVD Team

Certificate presented to Elbeuf MJC and the DVD Team

More details (in French) via here and here.

 

Video replay: ISS crew opens Dragon’s hatch

The ISS Expedition 31 crew opened the hatch to the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft today at 11.53 CEST (09:53 UT). Wearing protective masks and goggles, as is customary for the opening of a hatch to any newly arrived vehicle at the station, NASA astronaut Don Pettit entered the Dragon with Station Commander Oleg Kononenko.

Watch the replay:

Video replay: SpaceX Dragon captured

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft was captured at 15:56 CEST (13:56 UT) today. Operating the Station's robotic arm, Canadarm2, NASA astronaut Don Pettit grappled the Dragon, commenting: “Looks like we got ourselves a Dragon by the tail!”.

After Dragon is berthed to the Harmony module's Earth-facing port the hatches will open Saturday morning and the crew will ingress to begin several days of docked operations.

Launched from Florida on Tuesday, the Dragon spacecraft is carrying food and supplies for the Station crew. Dragon is the first privately built spacecraft to visit the ISS.

Watch the replay of the Dragon capture.

Astro Andre packs for ATV-3 and Dragon

European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers, Expedition 30 flight engineer, uses a communication system near a robotic workstation in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station.

European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers, Expedition 30 flight engineer, uses a communication system near a robotic workstation in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

(From NASA's daily Station update) Flight Engineer André Kuipers worked to transfer cargo and trash back and forth from ATV Edoardo Amaldi (Automated Transfer Vehicle-3). He also packed gear to be stowed and returned to Earth aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule.

The Falcon 9 rocket that will launch Dragon to space successfully test fired its engines for two seconds at the launch pad Monday afternoon. However, the first commercial cargo craft’s May 7 launch target appears unlikely as SpaceX continues to work through the software assurance process with NASA.

Via NASA

Training for SpaceX Dragon arrival

On 11 April 2012, NASA astronaut Don Pettit (right) and European Space Agency astronaut André Kuipers, both Expedition 30 flight engineers, conduct the first of three sessions on the ROBoT simulator in preparation for the arrival of the SpaceX Dragon.

NASA astronaut Don Pettit (right) and European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers, both Expedition 30 flight engineers, conduct the first of three sessions on the ROBoT simulator in preparation for the arrival of the SpaceX Dragon. Credit: ESA/NASA

NASA astronaut Don Pettit (right) and European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers, both Expedition 30 flight engineers, conduct the first of three sessions on the ROBoT simulator in preparation for the arrival of the SpaceX Dragon. Credit: ESA/NASA

The simulator is located in the International Space Station's Destiny laboratory. 

Slated for liftoff on 30 April 2012, at 18:22 CEST from Kennedy Space Center, the goal of Dragon's planned 21-day mission will be to test the unpiloted capsule's ability to rendezvous with the space station.

Station crew discusses life in space with media

Note the 2:39 point when Don explains André Kuipers' role in the track & capture of the Dragon space vessel (launch is set for later this month).

Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank of NASA, Flight Engineer Don Pettit of NASA and European Space Agency Flight Engineer Andre Kuipers discussed the progress of their mission on the International Space Station, their research, the upcoming landing of half of the residents on the outpost and next month's scheduled arrival of the first commercially launched cargo ship to the complex in a crew news conference conducted on April 11.

Via NASA YouTube

Dragon demonstration flight postponed

Dragon spacecraft

Dragon spacecraft

The launch of the first unmanned Dragon spacecraft has been postponed. Built by Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX)the demonstration flight of the cargo vessel was due for liftoff to the International Space Station on 7 February. A new target launch date has not been set.

André Kuipers and the rest of the resident ISS Expedition 30 crew had been due to receive the Dragon spacecraft on 10 February. After rendezvous with the orbital outpost, Dragon performs the final approach while the ISS crew grapples the vehicle with the Station’s robotic arm.

Once a successful demonstration flight has been completed, Dragon is set join the fleet of cargo spacecraft that carries food, water, equipment and science experiments to the ISS. The cargo spacecraft currently servicing the ISS are Russia’s Progress (next launch 25 Jan), the Japanese HTV and ESA’s Automated Transfer Vehicle, ATV.

ESA’s third ATV, named after Italian physicist and spaceflight pioneer Edoardo Amaldi, is scheduled for launch to the ISS from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on 9 March this year.

Follow the countdown to ATV Edoardo Amaldi in ESA's ATV blog