Space News by Jeff Foust — July 9, 2018
The first SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft has completed a series of tests at a NASA center that may put the spacecraft one step closer to an uncrewed test flight later this year.
In a speech at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ Propulsion and Energy Forum here July 9, Janet Kavandi, director of NASA’s Glenn Research Center, said the spacecraft recently left the center’s Plum Brook Station after a series of thermal vacuum and acoustics tests.
“They just left yesterday or today,†she said in her remarks at the conference. “They’ve been out there twice, at least, at Plum Brook Station.†She didn’t disclose the outcome of the tests, and SpaceX did not respond to an email requesting comment on the status of the test.
The company previously indicated that the testing at Plum Brook was the last milestone before the spacecraft was shipped to Florida for final testing and integration with its Falcon 9 rocket. “Once complete, Crew Dragon will travel to Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of its first flight,†the company said in a June 20 Instagram post about the tests that were ongoing at Plum Brook.
More:
http://spacenews.com/crew-dragon-completes-thermal-vacuum-tests-ahead-of-first-test-flight/
