SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft is using ruggedised solar arrays to power equipment during its inaugural flight to the International Space Station on February 7, the first American commercial transport vehicle to do so.
NASA has agreed to allow private entity, SpaceX (an abbreviation of “Space Exploration Technologies”) to send its Dragon spacecraft to rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS) in a single flight as part of its Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program
COTS is a public/private partnership designed to cut the cost of venturing into space and augment NASA’s now-axed Shuttle program.
The Dragon is a free-flying, reusable spacecraft, with some of its equipment, including heating and cooling systems, powered by a 5-kilowatt solar panel array that unfolds from protective fairings after launch.
The Dragon’s hold is made up of a pressurized capsule and unpressurised trunk capable of transporting pressurized cargo, unpressurised cargo, and/or crew members.
In December 2008, NASA announced the selection of the Dragon and its launch vehicle, the Falcon 9, to resupply the International Space Station (ISS) when the Space Shuttle retires. SpaceX received an initial $1.6 billion contract for a minimum of 12 flights, with an option to order additional missions.
The February 7 launch will test whether NASA’s COTS scheme can compete with an increasingly globalised space race.
“SpaceX has made incredible progress over the last several months preparing Dragon for its mission to the space station,” says William Gerstenmaier, NASA’s associate administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate.
“We look forward to a successful mission, which will open up a new era in commercial cargo delivery for this international orbiting laboratory.”
In a blog posting on the company’s website, SpaceX founder “Elon” took somewhat of a shot at China’s commercial spacecraft sector.
“SpaceX currently has the best launch prices in the world and they don’t believe they can beat them. This is a clear case of American innovation trumping lower overseas labour rates.”
Related : SpaceX Mission Updates
