Dragon V2

Also Dragon Lab

The Dragon V2 Man rated Capsule(Crewed Dragon)

The First manned flight for the Dragon V2 is currently set for Jan 2019 (was May 2017).

Trunk and V2 capsule with nose-cone closed

Under the nose-cone door is the docking adapter

Full autonomous Rendezvous and Docking System is implemented using GPS, Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) and Star Trackers.

The "Trunk" Command/Service Module beneath the capsule supports the two Solar arrays, Radiators and possibly extra fuel.

The Trunk will be jettisoned before re-entry and burn up in earth atmosphere.

V2 Detail

Flight Controls

Dual redundant displays and flight computers

Communications is based on S-Band transmission enabling use of NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) System

Heat Contol

The Heat shield PICA-X supports de-orbit from both translunar and transmars re-entries velocities.

To regulate Temperatures inside the Capsule pumped fluid cooling loops are integrated (two for redundancy) with Radiators mounted to the Trunk structure. The 14.9psi cabin pressurization uses several fans to control Air Circulation, Internal Temperature and Internal Humidity regulation.

Engines

The V2 uses 4 pairs of SuperDracos engines each capable of 73,000 newtons (16,400 lbf) of thrust and a Isp(SL) of 235s

The pairs of thrusters allow for redundancy, if one the motor pairs fail the other motor can use the same fuel.

It uses monomethyl hydrazine fuel and nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer. Launch Abort System Burn Duration will only be 5 seconds.

DragonFly (rocket), a prototype low-altitude reusable rocket use the same SuperDracos engines will be used for flight testing at NASA's McGregor Rocket Test Facility with up to 30 tests between 2014-15, The first 4 tests dropped from 10,000ft from a helicopter with 5 second burns, the rest were with Improved SuperDraco able to burn for 25 Seconds.

Dragonfly hover test 24 November 2015

The FAA have now approved SpaceX to continue Dragonfly testing through into 2017.

Propulsive landing of Crewed Dragon has been dropped in 2017 due to the amount of testing, development, time and Cost NASA wanted to allow for landing legs to come through the pica-x heat shield.

For the final version of the V2 improved SuperDraco engines could be used in order to support landings on land but now unlikely as NASA has approved Parachute landings in Water. The V2 has parachutes and a Iridium Recovery Beacon installed.

Thought: Elon states the V2 has life support for 5+ days, the improved SuperDraco engines appear to have the required thrust to land and take off from the moon, with a updated Command/Service(Trunk) module to return to earth orbit and to refuel the V2 for landing back on earth, The Falcon Heavy could achieve this. (Spacevidcast)

NASA stipulation for Crewed Dragon 2 to carry additional supplies on ISS missions, so there will only be four seats built into the Crewed Dragons (Although it is designed to have upto 7 seats)

Inside SpaceX HQ and their crewed Dragon Capsule

Icebreaker Life Mission was a NASA project looking at seeing if an unmanned "Red Dragon" (Now cancelled) could have been used for a sample return mission to Mars after drilling the samples with the "Icebreaker Life drill".