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Update 5:20pm EST: "Orbit raising burn successful. Dragon back on track." Update 4:10pm EST: "Thruster pods one through four are now operating nominally. Prep
by rabbitonrails 14y ago
Update 5:20pm EST:
"Orbit raising burn successful. Dragon back on track."
Update 4:10pm EST:
"Thruster pods one through four are now operating nominally. Preparing to raise orbit. All systems green."
Updates from NASA News Conference 3pm EST:
* Pods 1 and 4 are pressure nominal and thrusters active.
* Pods 2 and 3 are pressure nominal and thrusters being tested; readings are optimistic; will be turned on shortly.
* NASA requires 3 of 4 pods working to enter safe zone.
* Initial indication of root cause is blockage in oxidizer pressurization system. They fixed the problem by cycling the valves.
* No leakage or debris; all systems intact.
* No rendezvous is likely in next few days.
- jlgreco 14y agoI'm not sure if my understanding is correct, but these thruster pods are used to de-orbit the spacecraft too, right? I wonder if only one module has enough juice to de-orbit the spacecraft and retrieve it intact, if they end up needing to do that.
- rabbitonrails 14y agoYes. He said they would stay up there at least a month trying to get it to work. If they return to earth they lose one of the cargo trunks that is designed to burn up in re-entry.
- lutorm 14y agoThe thrusters are off-center, so with only one it's hard to get any delta-v without inducing large rotation rates.