Tags: SpaceX, NASA, Dragon Capsule, Falcon 9
Publication: FloridaToday.com
Publication Date: 11/24/2012

SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft on the barge after being retrieved from the Pacific Ocean after splashdown. Image credit: SpaceX

SpaceX and NASA are continuing the investigation of what caused the engine shutdown during the launch of the first commercial resupply mission to the ISS on Oct. 7. While SpaceX already delivered a Falcon 9 rocket to Cape Canaveral for its next mission, the investigation will delay it even more. It is now expected to launch early March.

NASA’s Advisory Council’s Human Exploration and Operations Committee learned of other anomalies that didn’t affect the mission. First, the Dragon capsule lost use of a flight computer from an apparent radiation hit, but Dragon had two more working computers – it only needs one to fly. Radiation hits are also suspected of damaging a GPS unit and other components. Three of the 18 sensors on the spacecraft’s Draco thrusters failed but this didn’t violate flight requirements.

Additionally, after splashdown, all three coolant pumps and power for the freezer holding biological samples failed but nothing was damaged.

NASA officials have not expressed urgency for the next Dragon mission stating that there is still “plenty of time” to solve the issues and launch. SpaceX is under a $1.6 billion contract to launch 12 missions for the agency.

The Dragon capsule for March’s launch is scheduled for delivery to Cape Canaveral next month.

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