SpaceX rockets and launches

[Detroit City]

Not much choice if you want to convincingly demonstrate emergency escape during the most critical ascent phase through the upper troposphere. The F9 first and second stages were fully fuelled and the first stage going to survive re-orientation. The second stage fell intact to the ocean surface where it exploded on impact.

I suppose you're right 2hats

 

[weltweit]

2hats Am I right in presuming this is part of qualifying to take astronauts to the space station?

 

[2hats]

2hats Am I right in presuming this is part of qualifying to take astronauts to the space station?

Human spaceflight qualification requirement.

 

[a_chap]

I haven't watched this (I'd rather eat razor blades than listen to Elon Musk) but I'll post it here for those who are interested:

 

[ricbake]

P

Human spaceflight qualification requirement.

Presumably it wasn't a requirement NASA had to meet in 1986...

 

[2hats]

P

Presumably it wasn't a requirement NASA had to meet in 1986...

There was an ejector seat option (on Columbia and Enterprise) but only for commander and pilot, so it was disabled in late 1982 (after STS-4 when more than two people would fly), and was of dubious utility since the operator(s) would likely have ended up passing through the SRM exhaust plume (and it wasn't qualified to be used at altitudes and velocities seen post SRB shutdown).

 

[HAL9000]

Apollo had a reasonable escape system, it was a costly omission for the shuttle program.

 

[paul mckenna]

Watched the live feed for this, the control room watchers (?) were quite noisy each time there was a success point.

I stopped watching (as we lost the feed) just after they said the dragon capsule had splashed down and of the fast boats was heading over to it ...

It's almost as if i were there in person

 

[Crispy]

No I was just surprised that they would waste an entire vehicle

tbf that particular booster had already flown and landed 3 times, so it's already far less wasteful than any other rocket. |Two of its stablemates have already flown 4 times. With up to 24 Starlink launches planned this year, we might even see one of them reach 10 reflights; the design goal.

 

[Detroit City]

tbf that particular booster had already flown and landed 3 times, so it's already far less wasteful than any other rocket. |Two of its stablemates have already flown 4 times. With up to 24 Starlink launches planned this year, we might even see one of them reach 10 reflights; the design goal.

I didn't know that, thank you

 

[2hats]

SpaceX's Crew Dragon is currently targeting a launch on Wed 27 May at 2132BT for the Demo 2 crewed flight to the ISS. There is a very promising twilight ascent pass 20 minutes after launch for the southern half of the UK (weather permitting).

e2a: The ISS itself will have made a high pass from W to E through the zenith about 10 minutes before the launch time.

 

[2hats]

Slight tweak to the above. Crew Dragon launch now targeting 21:33:33 BST so the finder chart for southern England looks like this with a a pass from W to E starting at 2152BST (start looking below and to the right of the crescent Moon).

 

[editor]

Love this comparison:

Space Shuttle 1999

Space X

It still looks like a prop off a sci-film to me!

Photos of the Sleek New Ride Ready To Return US Astronauts To Space

This is the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, sitting on its cargo-carrying “trunk”. The dragon will (God willing) carry two astronauts to the International

petapixel.com

 

[2hats]

Chances of favourable weather currently only estimated to be 60%. Weather has to be acceptable off both the Florida/Carolinas coast, and in the St John's and Shannon abort landing areas, either side of the Downrange Abort Exclusion Zone.

Recent CV-22 movements have been noted in the SW; these may be providing support for the Shannon Abort Landing Area.

 

[WouldBe]

Hope the launch tonight goes well. Meanwhile ITV are showing Apollo 13.

 

[2hats]

State vector updates have tuned the launch time to 21:33:31 BST. A two second change - so the above finding chart still applies. Unfortunately there is a bit of a risk of cloud loitering in the SE around the time of the ascent pass.

Weather forecast in the drop zones off the Carolinas not looking good though.

 

[TheHoodedClaw]

The NASA/Space X live feed has started here:

 

[Crispy]

It will be a LOT of NASA puff for the next three hours.

 

[2hats]

Launch site and downrange weather has improved a little.

 

[TheHoodedClaw]

It will be a LOT of NASA puff for the next three hours.

Hah, very much so. Was interesting getting a look at the astronauts live from the suiting-up room, mind you.

 

[Crispy]

Every time you see a stars and stripes, take a sip. Every time you see the profile of an eagle's head, finish your drink

 

[Tankus]

nasa social media u tubers lol..

.where's Raymond Baxter when you need him

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Proper excited for this

 

[Tankus]

ack ...Trump ....in desperate need of some tv time

 

[ffsear]

Weather not looking great!?

 

[weltweit]

So, is it right they haven't yet fuelled the rocket?

 

[Crispy]

So, is it right they haven't yet fuelled the rocket?

Correct. Fuel pumps on at T-35 minutes

 

[weltweit]

Weather not looking great!?

What kind of weather will be an issue for launch?

 

[Crispy]

What kind of weather will be an issue for launch?

Lots of things can prevent it. Heavy rain at the pad. Wind shear at high altitudes.
For this mission, they also have to consider the weather at sea in case they have to use the emergency abort system.

 

[Spymaster]

What time's the launch scheduled for?