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SpaceX Crew Dragon Docks with International Space Station

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Re: SpaceX Crew Dragon Docks with International Space Station

#11

Post by mschuster91 »

zargath wrote: post #6

Fantastic, very impressive. But somewhere inside (my little star-wars/trek spirit), I wish that it was not so tricky. That we all could just travel and explore the universe. Everybody always talk about how difficult it is in space and how much better earth is. Wish the debate would be more about all the possibilities in space or on other planets. What can we do with zero gravity? For all the bad things with living on…

> That we all could just travel and explore the universe.

We could have been there probably decades ago if not so much money was wasted on waging pointless wars across all the countries of Earth.

But then: would we even have the technology of rocketry, microchips and all the other stuff without the military need for them in the first place?

Re: SpaceX Crew Dragon Docks with International Space Station

#12

Post by Klathmon »

mikejb wrote: post #8
bamboozled wrote: post #7

Does anyone else find the title confusing? What's a "Crew Dragon"?

It's a dragon spacecraft, but with configuration for crew. Hence Crew Dragon

To explain a bit more, this is "Dragon 2", the second (major) version of SpaceX's capsule.

It has multiple configurations, one for crew, one for cargo, and possibly others.

This launch was significant as it was the first time they sent the crew configuration up as a demo and had it do automated docking procedures to dock (the old dragon had a more complex and manual docking procedure).

For simplicity sake, they tend to refer to this one as "Crew Dragon" to signify that it's in the crew configuration.

Re: SpaceX Crew Dragon Docks with International Space Station

#13

Post by 1123581321 »

zargath wrote: post #6

Fantastic, very impressive. But somewhere inside (my little star-wars/trek spirit), I wish that it was not so tricky. That we all could just travel and explore the universe. Everybody always talk about how difficult it is in space and how much better earth is. Wish the debate would be more about all the possibilities in space or on other planets. What can we do with zero gravity? For all the bad things with living on…

Right now we need to terminate manned missions at some destination (like Mars or the ISS) so we can follow up with supplies. Everything we learn figuring out how to keep humans alive on the eventual Mars trips will help us send humans on more exploratory, less mapped out, trips to asteroids, etc, in the future. Hopefully within some of our lifetimes.

Re: SpaceX Crew Dragon Docks with International Space Station

#14

Post by taneq »

zargath wrote: post #6

Fantastic, very impressive. But somewhere inside (my little star-wars/trek spirit), I wish that it was not so tricky. That we all could just travel and explore the universe. Everybody always talk about how difficult it is in space and how much better earth is. Wish the debate would be more about all the possibilities in space or on other planets. What can we do with zero gravity? For all the bad things with living on…

If it were easy, everyone would be doing it and space would look like Walmart.

Re: SpaceX Crew Dragon Docks with International Space Station

#15

Post by CondensedBrain »

kakarot wrote: post #10
zargath wrote: post #6

Fantastic, very impressive. But somewhere inside (my little star-wars/trek spirit), I wish that it was not so tricky. That we all could just travel and explore the universe. Everybody always talk about how difficult it is in space and how much better earth is. Wish the debate would be more about all the possibilities in space or on other planets. What can we do with zero gravity? For all the bad things with living on…

Navigating the open seas used to be tricky. Settling new land used to be tricky. Have faith. :)

The Enterprise theme started playing in my head.

Re: SpaceX Crew Dragon Docks with International Space Station

#16

Post by lazysheepherd »

zargath wrote: post #6

Fantastic, very impressive. But somewhere inside (my little star-wars/trek spirit), I wish that it was not so tricky. That we all could just travel and explore the universe. Everybody always talk about how difficult it is in space and how much better earth is. Wish the debate would be more about all the possibilities in space or on other planets. What can we do with zero gravity? For all the bad things with living on…

Advancement follows the money. And money does not yet follow neocortex/new brain. Otherwise it is possible to explore and live permanently in space. Treat yourself to some Isaac Arthur to taste some of the space future as you wait evolution to catch up: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZFipeZtQM5CKUjx6grh54g

Re: SpaceX Crew Dragon Docks with International Space Station

#17

Post by taneq »

areoform wrote: post #2

Do you ever wonder how people felt when they say Magellan or Captain Cook set off? Or, when they watched the Apollo missions happen? I'm guessing that this is what it felt like. We're at the dawn of a new space age.

I've felt that about SpaceX ever since seeing the Grasshopper testing videos. Up until that point, if a rocket slowed down during takeoff something had gone horribly wrong. Then it just... hovered... and landed, and I realised this was the start of a new era of space travel.

The Falcon Heavy launch is still the highlight for me but this one is probably more important, simply because it's so normal and routine now and paves the way for drastically cheaper crewed orbital flights.

Re: SpaceX Crew Dragon Docks with International Space Station

#18

Post by samcday »

I'm sitting on my couch, just idly watching live footage of some people doing stuff 200 miles above me. Above the place I will spend the entirety of my life. Watching them do complicated things that, if we're lucky and don't destroy ourselves first, will ensure our species becomes multi-planetary. Maybe even space faring someday.

Life is weird.

Re: SpaceX Crew Dragon Docks with International Space Station

#19

Post by huhtenberg »

mikejb wrote: post #8
bamboozled wrote: post #7

Does anyone else find the title confusing? What's a "Crew Dragon"?

It's a dragon spacecraft, but with configuration for crew. Hence Crew Dragon

Yet, it was actually redone nearly from scratch and only remotely related to the cargo Dragon.

Re: SpaceX Crew Dragon Docks with International Space Station

#20

Post by isostatic »

areoform wrote: post #2

Do you ever wonder how people felt when they say Magellan or Captain Cook set off? Or, when they watched the Apollo missions happen? I'm guessing that this is what it felt like. We're at the dawn of a new space age.

Soyuz takes people to the space station every few months, has done for years.

Why is this specific mission new?

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