American Manned Spaceflight Returns Today!

[Fat Cat]

Watch here! https://www.spacex.com/launches/index.html

SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, May 27 for Falcon 9’s launch of Crew Dragon’s second demonstration (Demo-2) mission from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This test flight with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley on board the Dragon spacecraft will return human spaceflight to the United States.

The instantaneous launch window opens at 4:33 p.m. EDT, or 20:33 UTC, with backup instantaneous launch opportunities available on Saturday, May 30 at 3:22 p.m. EDT, or 19:22 UTC, and on Sunday, May 31 at 3:00 p.m. EDT, or 19:00 UTC. Tune in here to watch the launch webcast. Coverage will begin about 4 hours before liftoff.

Demo-2 is the final major test for SpaceX’s human spaceflight system to be certified by NASA for operational crew missions to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX is returning human spaceflight to the United States with one of the safest, most advanced systems ever built, and NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is a turning point for America’s future in space exploration that lays the groundwork for future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

USA! USA! USA!

[Fat Cat]

Gah. Postponed to Saturday, May 30th for weather. Will update the thread then.

[Fat Cat]

4m - Standing down from launch today due to unfavorable weather in the flight path. Our next launch opportunity is Saturday, May 30 at 3:22 p.m. EDT, or 19:22 UTC

[nafod]

I was watching the weather radar throughout...they pressed pretty hard, I thought.

[Fat Cat]

As in they really tried to make it work?

[nafod]

They started the fueling process, loading up the kerosene. Got it all loaded, then held on the liquid oxygen. Only aborted when the lightning potential was staying too high.

They use super-cooled liquid oxygen which is more dense then plain, so they get more oomph in a launch, but it has to be loaded just prior to launch while the guys are onboard. Yikes.

If there’s a fire, they fire off the escape rockets on the capsule. That’d be quite a show.

[Fat Cat]

Thanks for that explanation! Sitting on a giant tank of liquid oxygen in a lightning storm doesn't sound like much fun, but these astronaut guys are so crazy they'd probably go for it if it was up to them.

[Turdacious]

A fourth prototype of SpaceX’s next-generation Starship rocket exploded Friday after a test at the company’s development facility in Texas.

The company was conducting a trial of the rocket’s engine, in a test on the ground known as a static fire. A few minutes after the test, which initially appeared successful, the Starship prototype identified as Serial Number 4 ruptured in a fiery explosion.

This prototype is distinct from the company’s Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft, which this weekend is set to launch NASA astronauts from Florida. That rocket system has previously launched satellites and cargo to space successfully dozens of times, after years of development and testing.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/29/spacex- ... texas.html

[nafod]

I admire them for their build/test/learn approach. No paralysis by analysis for them.

[Fat Cat]

They made it to LEO and Dragon detached successfully!

[Alfred_E._Neuman]

And got the first stage back down to the drone ship.

I bet that 19 hours looking out the Dragon window seems quicker that short hop from ATL to DC. Can't imagine ever getting tired of that view.

[nafod]

Fuck yeah

[Turdacious]

I admire them for their build/test/learn approach. No paralysis by analysis for them.

So basically they're a successful startup that's acting like one? I never thought of it like that.

[Alfred_E._Neuman]

And docked with ISS.
Elon's car company drove astronauts to the rocket produced by his other company. Then flew them into LEO.

[Wild Bill]

It was most popular song about space in USSR :)
Congratulations!