Unexpected! SpaceX Reveals New Landing Method for Dragon Crew 8, Unlike Any Other...

over the past four years dragon has successfully completed 15 crude missions proving itself to be one of the most reliable spacecraft for transporting humans to and from space currently Dragon relies on parachutes for its Landings but what if in the near future it used thrusters instead NASA and SpaceX are indeed exploring this possibility but why consider this new method and how might it affect dragon's operations we'll dive into these questions in today's episode of great SpaceX recently SpaceX successfully launched the crew 9 mission to the ISS further solidifying its pivotal role in supporting us and NASA space operations this Mission continues spacex's impressive track record with the ISS program following standard procedure once crew 9 completes its Handover Crew 8 will return to Earth however this upcoming turn may include something new and Innovative during the crew 9 pre-launch Conference Steve Stitch NASA's manager of the commercial crew program introduced an exciting new feature of the Dragon spacecraft the use of its super Draco thrusters as a backup Landing system this system provides an additional safety measure in the unlikely event of a parachute system failure Stitch explained uh we have a unique capability for the first time on Crew 8 and crew n uh it's an emergency contingency capability for landing where if the main parachutes were all to fail uh the super Draco thrusters will fire right before um the vehicle would make contact with the water and and then it would be an emergency configuration to to save the crew on a really bad days spacex's VP of build and flight reliability elaborated on how the system works the way it works is in the case where all the parachutes totally fail this essentially fires the thrusters at the very end that essentially gives the crew a a chance to to land safely and essentially escape the vehicle this Thruster Landing capability will only be used if all four parachutes fail reinforcing its role as a backup rather than a replacement for the current system the integration of parachutes and thrusters adds an extra layer of safety ensuring that future Dragon missions can handle even the most extreme conditions while the concept of using super Draco engines for land feels futuristic almost like something out of Science Fiction the real value lies in the enhanced safety it provides in the event of a parachute failure the thrusters would slow The Descent preventing a hard impact with the water and ensuring a softer safer Landing for the crew this backup system represents a major Leap Forward in spacecraft safety highlighting spacex's commitment to advancing both space exploration technology and Astronaut protection dragon's new Landing capability not only increased inrees the safety and efficiency of current missions but will also be critical for future deep space Explorations such as returning humans to the moon and Mars This addition to dragon's Landing capabilities marks a significant Leap Forward in spacecraft safety and Innovation Elon musk's confident remark on X if you've got it flaunt it underscores the importance of this backup system similarly Jared isman commander of the polaron mission shared his enthusiasm stating we were always confident in the shoots but this backup capability is pretty impressive it's clear that both SpaceX leadership and astronauts are excited about this new development the concept of using thrusters for landing isn't new for SpaceX years ago the company proposed Landing dragon on Mars using thrusters but NASA raised concerns about the system's safety particularly the need for landing legs which would interfere with dragon's heat shield with the focus now on water Landings those concerns have been addressed allowing SpaceX to revisit and refine this Innovative approach what makes this Thruster based Landing system so compelling is its ability to mitigate common challenges associated with parachute Landings while parachutes are generally reliable they can still fail due to punctures or deployment issues thrusters by contrast offer enhanced control providing SpaceX with greater flexibility and Precision in emergency situations this system adds a critical layer of redundancy ensuring astronauts safety even in the unlikely event of a total parachute failure if fully implemented this would Mark a significant shift in Dragon's Landing procedure Bill gersen Meer from SpaceX noted that while the Thruster system has flown before this is the first time it'll be part of a NASA Mission Sarah Walker spacex's director of dragon mission management explained that the super Draco thrusters were originally planned for Cru 7 in August of 2023 but the test was cancelled due to a GPS sensor issue musk emphasized Dragon was always designed to land propulsively but I didn't want to risk it as the primary method this backup system aligns with spacex's long-term vision for spacecraft Innovation although parachutes have proven reliable in past missions the upcoming crew 8's return on October 8th presents a unique opportunity to test the Thruster system while parachute failures are not expected activating the thrusters near the ocean surface could provide valuable data and bring us closer to making proposal Landings a standard feature for Dragon what do you think of this exciting development if you're eager to see it in action comment cool below and don't forget to like share and subscribe for more SpaceX updates the addition of Thruster Landings further elevates dragon's superiority over other spacecraft in the industry this brings us to a comparison with Boeing's Starliner both dragon and Starliner were selected by NASA for the commercial crew program yet their performances have been vastly different dragon has successfully launched 10 missions for NASA along with five private missions consistently breaking records in contrast Starliner has encountered numerous delays high costs and persistant issues from testing through to launch and operations at the ISS one of Starliner most significant challenges during its last mission involved its thrusters five out of its 28 engines were damaged although four were restored one engine failed completely as a result NASA and Boeing decided to return Starliner without a crew leaving two astronauts aboard the ISS with these ongoing technical problems it could be a long time if ever before Starliner can adopt a landing method similar to dragons for now Starliner remains limited to its current parachute based landing approach which itself has had issues in fact delays in the cft1 mission were partly due to problems with its parachute system last year Starliner parachute Landings on land aided by cushions are simply not as advanced as Dragon Thruster assisted water Landings and they carry inherent risks in terms of both safety and Aesthetics it's clear that Starliner Landing method falls short when compared to dragons next let's consider new Shephard while these two spacecraft have different Mission profiles comparing their Landing methods is still relevant new Shephard like Starliner relies on parachutes and lands on Solid Ground without cushions as it returns from a lower altitude during the ns25 flight in May one of new Shepard's 3 parachutes failed to open fortunately the spacecraft landed safely with the remaining two but the incident underscored the risks associated with parachute Landings any malfunction could pose significant dangers to the crew especially since blue origin has not yet demonstrated a backup solution involving thrusters finally let's discuss the Dreamchaser this spacecraft employs a completely different design Landing like a conventional aircraft on a Runway instead of using parachutes this method is often viewed as an advantage over traditional spacecraft however dragon's impressive Thruster Landing method could overshadow Dreamchasers strengths many people may prefer the dramatic movie like Landing of a spacecraft using thrusters over the more conventional airplane landing regarding safety dragon's Landing method is also Superior dreamchaser's design presents challenges for implementing a backup solution in case of engine failure additionally while landing on a Runway may seem impressive it could result in a violent impact that risks failure looking ahead the integration of Thruster Landings could unlock even more potential for Dragon in July SpaceX announced plans to land dragon on the west coast after the crew 9 mission where weather conditions are more favorable this approach would also allow SpaceX to recover the trunk helping to reduce space debris however this method presents challenges due to the greater distance as Dragon still needs to launch from the East Coast landing on land could save considerable time and Recovery effort though it comes with higher risks compared to water Landings which provide a natural cushion having a backup solution is critical if the parachutes encounter any unexpected issues fortunately SpaceX will have the chance to test the thrusters Landing system during Crew 8 this Innovation also positions SpaceX for future exploration beyond Earth's orbit before Starship becomes fully operational Dragon could be selected for Missions to other celestial bodies in environments without an atmosphere where parachutes are ineffective or in the absence of water Thruster Landings could become dragon's primary method of Landing this small change in landing strategy could lead to significant advancements in space exploration as SpaceX and dragon continue to push the boundaries the new Thruster Landing capabilities will Empower them to confidently reach new destinations in space most importantly these enhancements will raise safety standards ensuring the best possible outcomes for every Mission are you ready for this exciting new chapter in space travel well folks that's about it for today's episode thank you so much for tuning in and as always this has been Kevin from great SpaceX until next time keep looking up