Comments on: Starliner and Orion drop tests

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 01:00:11 +0000

In reply to Gealon. Gealon: My wording might have caused confusion. Starliner has begun land drop tests. Orion has begun water drop tests. This was not to imply that no previous drop tests had been done.

By: Edward

Edward — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 00:42:18 +0000

Gealon,
Good catch. The Orion article says, “Thursday’s drop was the ninth in a series of 10 tests taking place at Langley’s Landing and Impact Research Facility.”

This is clearly not a beginning.

The Starliner article says, “Before beginning the land test series, the team wrapped up the last of 14 abort water landing scenarios at Langley’s 20-foot-deep Hydro Impact Basin.”

For Starliner, this is the beginning of drop tests on land, but several water tests have also been done. It seems that Langley’s Hydro Impact Basin has been busy for the past few years.

By: Gealon

Gealon — Sat, 27 Aug 2016 22:14:40 +0000

Wait wait wait wait… What do they mean they’ve “begun” drop tests? I seem to recall seeing drop tests of the Orion test capsule showing up for years now on Nasa TV. I remember they even had this giant trapeze setup so they could skid the capsule into the water sideways. So are they that desperate to maintain interest that they had to take years old news and recycle it now? Or have I just hallucinated the past few years of Nasa TV?

By: Localfluff

Localfluff — Sat, 27 Aug 2016 10:07:32 +0000

Edward, “Wiki says 60 hours, five days, but that’s maybe with a minimum crew. That’s still not enough to round the Moon. Maybe it could be upgraded, I suppose it depends on the service module. I see a quote by Elon Musk ten years ago claiming that Dragon will have a 30-man-day life-support system. If SpaceX has planned to gradually upgrade its Dragon as it has its Falcon, it might become Moon capable. I bet that Elon Musk himself will be an early passenger.

By: Edward

Edward — Sat, 27 Aug 2016 00:54:29 +0000

Greg the Geologist asked: “what is the difference between the Orion and Starliner capsules? Are they variants of the same craft, or completely different designs?”

Orion is designed for a crew of four and longer flights that go deeper into space. Starliner has no Orion heritage, and is designed for seven people for only 2-1/2 days, or for seven months when it is docked to the ISS.

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Fri, 26 Aug 2016 23:01:23 +0000

In reply to Greg the Geologist. Greg the Geologist: Boeing is not the prime contractor for Orion. Lockheed Martin holds that contract.

By: Greg the Geologist

Greg the Geologist — Fri, 26 Aug 2016 22:29:39 +0000

Since Boeing is a prime contractor on Orion (I believe), what is the difference between the Orion and Starliner capsules? Are they variants of the same craft, or completely different designs?