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SpaceX Reveals the Controls of Its Dragon Spacecraft For the First Time (arstechnica.com)
On Monday, SpaceX let reporters take a look inside its Crew Dragon capsule for the first time, as well as hear from the four astronauts: Bob Behnken, Doug Hurley, Victor Glover and Mike Hopkins. Ars Technica writes about several pieces of hardware observed at the event in Hawthorne, California: During the event at SpaceX, engineers guided reporters through various displays. Outside, under a resplendent blue sky with the rolling hills of Palos Verdes in the distance, media was invited to crawl into a low-fidelity mockup of the crew Dragon spacecraft. This was a roomy vehicle, especially in comparison to NASA's current ride to the space station, a cramped Soyuz with a capacity of three. The Dragon will comfortably carry a normal complement of four for NASA, but seven seats can fit inside. On the second floor of its main factory, where astronauts have trained in recent years, SpaceX also showed off two simulators publicly for the first time. This marked the first time SpaceX has revealed details about the controls and the interior of its crewed spacecraft. The cockpit simulator demonstrated the controls that Dragon astronauts will have at their command. In comparison to the space shuttle and its more than 1,000 buttons, switches, and controls, the Dragon capsule has a modest array of three flat screens and two rows of buttons below.
These touch screens selectively display the necessary controls during flight and are the primary interface astronauts have with the vehicle. Below are two rows of manual buttons, 38 in total, that provide back-up control of the spacecraft. Many of the buttons are situated beneath clear panels, intended to never be used, because they are often the third option after the touch screens and ground control of the Dragon. One control stood out -- a large black and red handle in the middle of the console with "EJECT" printed in clear white letters above it. This initiates the launch escape system, which rapidly pulls the spacecraft away from the rocket in the case of an emergency during the ascent into space. It must be pulled, then twisted. Normally the flight computers would initiate such a maneuver, but the prominence of the escape system handle underlines its importance. Notably, after the vehicle reaches orbit, this control becomes "deadened," such that accidentally pulling it in space would do nothing. CNBC has included several pictures of the Crew Dragon capsule mock-up in their report. CNN also has a first look video with text and quotes from the astronauts.
These touch screens selectively display the necessary controls during flight and are the primary interface astronauts have with the vehicle. Below are two rows of manual buttons, 38 in total, that provide back-up control of the spacecraft. Many of the buttons are situated beneath clear panels, intended to never be used, because they are often the third option after the touch screens and ground control of the Dragon. One control stood out -- a large black and red handle in the middle of the console with "EJECT" printed in clear white letters above it. This initiates the launch escape system, which rapidly pulls the spacecraft away from the rocket in the case of an emergency during the ascent into space. It must be pulled, then twisted. Normally the flight computers would initiate such a maneuver, but the prominence of the escape system handle underlines its importance. Notably, after the vehicle reaches orbit, this control becomes "deadened," such that accidentally pulling it in space would do nothing. CNBC has included several pictures of the Crew Dragon capsule mock-up in their report. CNN also has a first look video with text and quotes from the astronauts.
this control becomes "deadened," such that accidentally pulling it in space would do nothing.
Cool, the whole thing looks neat. Too bad I'll never get to ride in it, as a pilot OR a passenger. (Well, maybe ashes, but I doubt I'd pass the fitness exam even then.)
... "
That being said: After a successful launch and orbit insertion -- Musk: "Here, hold my beer and watch this! You just need to pull and turn it the other way and
If the universe is someone's simulation -- does that mean the stars are just stuck pixels?
I think you mean thank you mr musk for providing the government with much cheaper launch vehicles so they can save money versus ula that they can now spend on the poor and disadvantaged.
I have trouble operating touchscreens in a moving car. I wonder what it'll be to operate them atop a rocket pulling multiple g's.
This is your sig. There are thousands more, but this one is yours.
Three touch screens and lack of buttons... there are some physical knobs hard to tell from the images... overall looks painful.
High G's...Vibrations...space suite gloves and touch screens??
the Dragon capsule has a modest array of three flat screens and two rows of buttons
People won't like being forced to use buttons. Either allow them to use their keyboard/mouse/gamepad of choice or the average consumer just isn't going to buy this thing.
Best way to help the poor is create jobs that pay well. Last night I saw Domino's was hiring drivers for 15-20/hr. Local McDonald's is hiring at 12/hr. Plenty of jobs available.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
I donno about that "space suit" though. What will THAT thing look like and act if you put even half an atmosphere of pressure into it?
The Pillsbury Doughboy?
They have already taken it into the vacuum tank multiple times and the Kevlar /leather based suit holds up great.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
Robots and nuclear powered spacecraft are both very expensive...
They showed off both the controls and the interior in 2014. Neither were final at the time to be sure (the controls have changed dramatically and the wall panels were missing), but this is definitely not the first time they've shown the controls or the interior. The controls they're showing now don't appear to be final either, as the control panels aren't fully populated: one of them just has a pull ring instead of any actual controls.
They appear to have given up any illusions of manual piloting, as the most prominent part of the original control interface that is missing is the manual joystick.
Thats right, there is no good place to start a job except at the top of the pay scale. You are the one that is repulsive. I am sure idiot, that you have no problem phasing in alternate energy to ultimately replace fossil fuels. But when it comes to a job, you have to have everything at once. And not start slowly to get better. Again, you are the repulsive one
Anonymous comments are as pathetic as the anonymous "sources" that contaminate gutless journalism from the New York Time
Ever talk to people that have 2 jobs? Wait, that would require thought on your part. Never mind, go back to sweeping up cigarette butts. Your skill set can not handle anything else.
Anonymous comments are as pathetic as the anonymous "sources" that contaminate gutless journalism from the New York Time
They'd still be poor and disadvantaged, and we wouldn't have a spaceship. Everybody loses.
Was better, just a little cramped.
They could knock that button count down by half if they would just install the latest version of MechJeb.
Beware of Sales Reps bearing gifts.
All of this has been developed with feedback from the crews, coordinated by a NASA astronaut with three Shuttle missions under his belt. Somehow I think that these people know better than you what's laughable and what will work, anonymous coward.
I like it, man! Far out! It's groovy!