3 ms·

Servicing Hubble require EVA. Does Dragon has an airlock?

dredmorbius 2y ago
Old-school space-walks involved depressurising the capsule. Soyuz, Gemini. Some of the Apollo missions had an EVA during the return transit to recover cameras on the exterior of the Command Module (CM). Those spacewalks occurred on Apollo 15 (see: <https://www.space.com/20565-al-worden-apollo-15-astronaut.html https://www.space.com/20565-al-worden-apollo-15-astronaut.ht...>) and Apollo 9, which didn't land on the Moon (see: <https://www.lpi.usra.edu/lunar/missions/apollo/apollo_9/ https://www.lpi.usra.edu/lunar/missions/apollo/apollo_9/>). According to this Stackexchange post, the entire CM was depressurised: <https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/38239/how-did-apollo-15s-depressurization-work https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/38239/how-did-apol...> During lunar landings, EVAs also required full depressurisation of the Lunar Module. Repressurisation took about two minutes: <https://www.nasa.gov/history/alsj/alsj-ECSQuickRef.html https://www.nasa.gov/history/alsj/alsj-ECSQuickRef.html>
- SergeAx 2y ago
  Okay, can Dragon be depressurized and then repressurized back? Somehow I think it will require a lot of additions to its construction, and also alternative hatch instead of docking module (was already done with transparent dome for Inspiration4 mission.
  - dredmorbius 2y ago
    SpaceX have announced an EVA suit, so they do apparently have plans to support such missions. This article states that the entire capsule would be depressurised and repressurised, as there's no integrated airlock. It also specifically mentions the prospect of servicing Hubble (though with no details). <https://www.extremetech.com/aerospace/spacex-unveils-eva-spacesuit-for-upcoming-private-spacewalk https://www.extremetech.com/aerospace/spacex-unveils-eva-spa...> (May 6, 2024) That strikes me as both the most basic approach and a capability which would be useful for other reasons as well. Another option might be to carry along an airlock, perhaps stowed in Dragon's trunk, and mounted during flight, though that itself might require an initial (full-capsule-depressurisation) EVA.

Old-school space-walks involved depressurising the capsule. Soyuz, Gemini. Some of the Apollo missions had an EVA during the return transit to recover cameras on the exterior of the Command Module (CM). Those spacewalks occurred on Apollo 15 (see: <https://www.space.com/20565-al-worden-apollo-15-astronaut.html https://www.space.com/20565-al-worden-apollo-15-astronaut.ht...>) and Apollo 9, which didn't land on the Moon (see: <https://www.lpi.usra.edu/lunar/missions/apollo/apollo_9/ https://www.lpi.usra.edu/lunar/missions/apollo/apollo_9/>). According to this Stackexchange post, the entire CM was depressurised: <https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/38239/how-did-apollo-15s-depressurization-work https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/38239/how-did-apol...> During lunar landings, EVAs also required full depressurisation of the Lunar Module. Repressurisation took about two minutes: <https://www.nasa.gov/history/alsj/alsj-ECSQuickRef.html https://www.nasa.gov/history/alsj/alsj-ECSQuickRef.html>

SergeAx 2y ago
Okay, can Dragon be depressurized and then repressurized back? Somehow I think it will require a lot of additions to its construction, and also alternative hatch instead of docking module (was already done with transparent dome for Inspiration4 mission.
- dredmorbius 2y ago
  SpaceX have announced an EVA suit, so they do apparently have plans to support such missions. This article states that the entire capsule would be depressurised and repressurised, as there's no integrated airlock. It also specifically mentions the prospect of servicing Hubble (though with no details). <https://www.extremetech.com/aerospace/spacex-unveils-eva-spacesuit-for-upcoming-private-spacewalk https://www.extremetech.com/aerospace/spacex-unveils-eva-spa...> (May 6, 2024) That strikes me as both the most basic approach and a capability which would be useful for other reasons as well. Another option might be to carry along an airlock, perhaps stowed in Dragon's trunk, and mounted during flight, though that itself might require an initial (full-capsule-depressurisation) EVA.