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SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit

nasa.gov

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Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit

#131

Post by jl6 »

ChuckMcM wrote: post #86

It is hard to convey how "sustainable" this feels to me. For the first time, humans have gone into orbit in a spacecraft that was designed from the ground up to be a commercial venture. All of the NASA missions prior to this have an ambience of "uneconomical but useful". Even the shuttle, which was supposed to be this cost effective space truck, turned out to be not even close. And the last thing I'm feeling is the a…

Not to detract one iota from this amazing achievement, but what definition of sustainable are you thinking of? This was still paid for by the government.

Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit

#132

Post by pknerd »

I am not American but as a human I feel so good about this mission. We all have a habit of looking up to sky with an awe and appreciate the beauty. My 10 years old son was so excited. Who knows he might get into this field. I wanted to study astrophysics while I was a teen. He was also watching live stream with me.

Congrats and lots of love from Pakistan. Desperately waiting for Docking moments.

Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit

#133

Post by tomfanning »

dmix wrote: post #64

Does anyone know if there's an interactive map where we can track where Dragon is in context of the earth?

"Crew Dragon" has been added to the Star Walk 2 app on iOS. Just had a pass over the UK (not visible). This gives an AR view of the sky. It's on the same trajectory as ISS, some number of minutes behind it.

Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit

#134

Post by phkahler »

avmich wrote: post #100
orbital-decay wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Buran was using LOX, storing it for up to two weeks with a cryocooler and a complicated cooling system, Crew Dragon can be rated for hundreds of days and doesn't have the volume/mass/cost to spare. Dreamchaser with its propane/N2O thruster is a better counterexample. They avoided toxic components so it could theoretically land at any airport, making it a strong selling point. There are also new(-ish) hydroxylammonium…

> Crew Dragon can be rated for hundreds of days and doesn't have the volume/mass/cost to spare. Mass is often an issue with spaceflight. We're arguing about what's better overall, not what's better by all possible criteria. Crew Dragon I'd say has more mass to spare than earlier spacecrafts - because at least of economy of scale and more mass-efficient subsystems.

They could just stick it on top of Falcon Heavy. No mass issues then. AFAIK FH is not going to be man rated any time soon though.

Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit

#135

Post by Darmody »

runawaybottle wrote: post #31
Darmody wrote: post #18

I'm so excited about this. I used to watch old space mission videos and I think how could it would've been to watch them live back in the day. Now SpaceX has brought this excitement back.

I definitely feel like a kid watching this.

I was literally shaking from T - 2 minutes.

Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit

#136

Post by varjag »

elsonrodriguez wrote: post #120
varjag wrote: post #41

Why the MRAP though?

Think the bombing scene in Contact. Very unlikely, but what's the harm in protecting a high profile target like this?

It's a couple ex-military pilots being driven through one of the more secure sites in the United States. Is this Warhammer 40K aesthetic not out of place?

Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit

#138

Post by anonymousab »

ReptileMan wrote: post #59
0x8BADF00D wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is quite an achievement. This paves the way forward for eventual space colonization.

Agree with it being an achievement. And watching the first stage land was amazing. But chemical engines can get us only to the asteroid belt.

Getting to the asteroid belt would be a pretty cool achievement too. Maybe we'll get further, maybe not. It feels worthwhile to try.

Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit

#139

Post by avmich »

orbital-decay wrote: post #57
avmich wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Buran had non-toxic components for RCS. Kliper was planned with non-toxic RCS. Soyuz spacecraft at least has non-toxic components for capsule RCS, so when the capsule lands, it doesn't need to be approached in a chemical protection suit. It's not a question of choices - there are choices. I suspect it's a question which is considered less important so far, so SpaceX didn't pay that much attention to it, considering t…

Buran was using LOX, storing it for up to two weeks with a cryocooler and a complicated cooling system, Crew Dragon can be rated for hundreds of days and doesn't have the volume/mass/cost to spare. Dreamchaser with its propane/N2O thruster is a better counterexample. They avoided toxic components so it could theoretically land at any airport, making it a strong selling point. There are also new(-ish) hydroxylammonium…

> Buran was using LOX, storing it for up to two weeks with a cryocooler and a complicated cooling system

They had insulation and active stirring system, that was enough for 15-20 days. To fly up to 30 days they needed a microcryocooler.

http://buran.ru/htm/odu.htm

> Crew Dragon can be rated for hundreds of days

Isn't Soyuz rated for 200+ days?

> Dreamchaser with its propane/N2O thruster is a better counterexample.

Agree, a good example.

Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit

#140

Post by rrmm »

jl6 wrote: post #131
ChuckMcM wrote: post #86

It is hard to convey how "sustainable" this feels to me. For the first time, humans have gone into orbit in a spacecraft that was designed from the ground up to be a commercial venture. All of the NASA missions prior to this have an ambience of "uneconomical but useful". Even the shuttle, which was supposed to be this cost effective space truck, turned out to be not even close. And the last thing I'm feeling is the a…

Not to detract one iota from this amazing achievement, but what definition of sustainable are you thinking of? This was still paid for by the government.

SpaceX has brought the costs down a lot. Around $500mil for a shuttle launch.
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