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Part of the reasoning behind this design is that it was originally planned to land dragon propulsively using the launch abort system.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Karcz |last2=Davis |last3=Aftosmis |last4=Allen |last5=Bakhtian |last6=Dyakanov |last7=Glass |last8=Gonzales |last9=Heldmann |last10=Lemke |last11=Marinova |last12=McKay |last13=Stoker |last14=Wooster |last15=Zarchi |title=RED DRAGON: LOW-COST ACCESS TO THE SURFACE OF MARS USING COMMERCIAL CAPABILITIES |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20120013431/downloads/20120013431.pdf |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=ntrs.nasa.gov}}</ref> (These plans were dropped after skepticism from ] and the cancellation of SpaceX's ] capsule.)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=2017-07-19 |title=SpaceX drops plans for powered Dragon landings |url=https://spacenews.com/spacex-drops-plans-for-powered-dragon-landings/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=SpaceNews |language=en-US}}</ref> Additionally, the ability to keep the abort system attached to the rocket throughout the entire ascent rather than jettisoning the launch escape system after stage separation allows for an abort capability in all stages of flight, increasing crew safety.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harwood |first=William |date=2020-05-27 |title=SpaceX Crew Dragon abort system a major boost for crew safety - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/spacex-nasa-launch-abort-rescue-scenarios/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Part of the reasoning behind this design is that it was originally planned to land dragon propulsively using the launch abort system.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Karcz |last2=Davis |last3=Aftosmis |last4=Allen |last5=Bakhtian |last6=Dyakanov |last7=Glass |last8=Gonzales |last9=Heldmann |last10=Lemke |last11=Marinova |last12=McKay |last13=Stoker |last14=Wooster |last15=Zarchi |title=RED DRAGON: LOW-COST ACCESS TO THE SURFACE OF MARS USING COMMERCIAL CAPABILITIES |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20120013431/downloads/20120013431.pdf |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=ntrs.nasa.gov}}</ref> (These plans were dropped after skepticism from ] and the cancellation of SpaceX's ] capsule.)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=2017-07-19 |title=SpaceX drops plans for powered Dragon landings |url=https://spacenews.com/spacex-drops-plans-for-powered-dragon-landings/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=SpaceNews |language=en-US}}</ref> Additionally, the ability to keep the abort system attached to the rocket throughout the entire ascent rather than jettisoning the launch escape system after stage separation allows for an abort capability in all stages of flight, increasing crew safety.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harwood |first=William |date=2020-05-27 |title=SpaceX Crew Dragon abort system a major boost for crew safety - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/spacex-nasa-launch-abort-rescue-scenarios/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>


Crew Dragon's "trunk", or cargo bay, also plays an important role in the abort sequence. Rather than leaving the trunk with the rocket like ] or ], Dragon keeps the trunk attached during an abort for aerodynamic stability.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The SpaceX Crew Dragon - NASA |url=https://www.nasa.gov/podcasts/houston-we-have-a-podcast/the-spacex-crew-dragon/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |language=en-US}}</ref> It is separated once the ]s stop firing. Crew Dragon's "trunk", or cargo bay, also plays an important role in the abort sequence. Rather than leaving the trunk with the rocket like ] or ], Dragon keeps the trunk attached during an abort for aerodynamic stability.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The SpaceX Crew Dragon - NASA |url=https://www.nasa.gov/podcasts/houston-we-have-a-podcast/the-spacex-crew-dragon/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |language=en-US}}</ref>


== Abort Modes == == Abort Modes ==

Revision as of 13:59, 26 September 2024

The launch escape system of the crew dragon capsule
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Crew Dragon Launch Abort System
Crew Dragon prototype DragonFly performing a pad abort demonstration.
ManufacturerSpaceX
Country of originUnited States
Launch history
StatusOperational
Crew Dragon Launch Abort System
Powered by8 * SuperDraco
Maximum thrust71 kN
Burn time25 seconds
PropellantNTO/MMH

The Crew Dragon Launch Abort System is a propulsive device designed to accelerate the SpaceX Crew Dragon Spacecraft away from a failing rocket. It is equipped with 8 SuperDraco engines capable of generating 71 kN of thrust.

The abort system has several modes, or procedures for performing an abort in different phases of flight, including a pad abort, an in-flight abort, and the ability to use the abort system to fly into a lower than expected orbit should a failure occur late in flight.

Recovery zones are placed along the 51.64 degree inclination of the ISS (International Space Station), and can be targeted with higher levels of precision than spacecraft such as Orion and Shenzhou due to the throttling abilities of the SuperDraco engines. The recovery areas for a 2a abort are along the East Coast of the United States and the Canadian Maritime provinces, with a 2b abort landing the Crew Dragon capsule near Novia Scotia and the 2c and 2d abort modes resulting in a landing in Western Ireland. 1a and 1b aborts result in landings near the American East Coast.

Design

Crew Dragon C204 during the Demo-2 mission.

Traditionally, spacecraft like Apollo and Soyuz have utilized solid-fueled "puller" launch escape systems, with the main spacecraft beneath a protective fairing attached to the escape system. Once in space, the escape system and the fairing are jettisoned, with the spacecraft's mode of abort switched to using its orbital maneuvering thrusters or upper stages. Crew Dragon, however, has its abort system permanently attached to the sides of the spacecraft.

Part of the reasoning behind this design is that it was originally planned to land dragon propulsively using the launch abort system. (These plans were dropped after skepticism from NASA and the cancellation of SpaceX's Red Dragon capsule.) Additionally, the ability to keep the abort system attached to the rocket throughout the entire ascent rather than jettisoning the launch escape system after stage separation allows for an abort capability in all stages of flight, increasing crew safety.

Crew Dragon's "trunk", or cargo bay, also plays an important role in the abort sequence. Rather than leaving the trunk with the rocket like Apollo or Soyuz, Dragon keeps the trunk attached during an abort for aerodynamic stability.

Abort Modes

The Crew Dragon has multiple abort modes for different phases of flight, each with its own landing zones and procedures. As the flight progresses, SpaceX mission control calls out switches between abort modes.

Time Phase Recovery Zone
T - 37 minutes Pad Abort Launch abort armed; Recovery zone in Florida Coast
T + 00 minutes, 00 seconds Stage 1a Recovery zones from Florida Coast to North Carolina
T + 01 minutes, 15 seconds Stage 1b Recovery zones along Virginia Coast
T + 02 minutes, 32 seconds Stage 2a Stage separation; Recovery zones along North American east coast
T + 08 minutes, 05 seconds Stage 2b Retrograde burn to land near Novia Scotia
T + 08 minutes, 28 seconds Stage 2c Prograde burn to land west of Ireland
T + 08 minutes, 38 seconds Stage 2d Retrograde burn to land west of Ireland
T + 08 minutes, 44 seconds Stage 2e Uses SuperDracos and Dracos to abort to orbit

References

  1. ^ "SpaceX Dragon Overview". spacex.com. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  2. Berger, Eric (2016-04-30). "From zero to 100mph in 1.2 seconds, the SuperDraco thruster delivers". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  3. "International Space Station - NASA". Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  4. Jones, Daniel L. "Orion Launch Abort System (LAS) | Propulsion on Pad Abort 1 (PA-1)" (PDF). ntrs.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  5. ^ Gebhardt, Chris (2020-05-21). "Examining Crew Dragon's launch abort modes and splashdown locations". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  6. Gilbert, Michael G. "THE MAX LAUNCH ABORT SYSTEM – CONCEPT, FLIGHT TEST, AND EVOLUTION" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  7. Hanneke Weitering (2019-04-24). "The Emergency Launch Abort Systems of SpaceX and Boeing Explained". Space.com. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  8. Karcz; Davis; Aftosmis; Allen; Bakhtian; Dyakanov; Glass; Gonzales; Heldmann; Lemke; Marinova; McKay; Stoker; Wooster; Zarchi. "RED DRAGON: LOW-COST ACCESS TO THE SURFACE OF MARS USING COMMERCIAL CAPABILITIES" (PDF). ntrs.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  9. Foust, Jeff (2017-07-19). "SpaceX drops plans for powered Dragon landings". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  10. Harwood, William (2020-05-27). "SpaceX Crew Dragon abort system a major boost for crew safety - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  11. "The SpaceX Crew Dragon - NASA". Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  12. DeSisto, Austin (2020-05-24). "Crew Dragon Launch Day Timeline: From Suit Up to Docking with the ISS". Everyday Astronaut. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
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