Live: SpaceX Dragon docking with ISS

Post by bengl » Fri, May 25, 2012, 2:19 PM UTC

zalew wrote: post #83

conover wrote: post #78

"We've got a dragon by the tail..."

http://i.imgur.com/9RiOY.png

Post by pasbesoin » Fri, May 25, 2012, 2:23 PM UTC

dexen wrote: post #90

pasbesoin wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Think of energy. The higher orbit has higher energy with respect to the earth -- gravitational, and by virtue of comparing stable orbits, also kinetic. Dragon will "catch up" with the space station by converting some additional chemical energy (propellant) into kinetic energy, moving into and matching the station's orbit (and gaining the additional gravitational potential). (Or, given the small adjustment needed, per…

Lower orbits have higher anglular velocity -- and it is angular velocity that dictates which craft gets ahead on orbit, because we're comparing angular position , not linear one. For example, geostationary orbit (~36'000km radius) has period of 24h -- i.e., takes whole 24hours to cover all 360 degrees of rotation, having angular speed of 15deg/h, while Hubble's Space Telescope orbit (~560km radius) has period of 96mi…

Post by rbanffy » Fri, May 25, 2012, 2:29 PM UTC

minikomi wrote: post #86

oz wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you hear the part when he said "Looks like we have a dragon by the tail?" I cracked up.

Yes! Goosebumps.. But, I must unfortunately confess.. seeing all that unbranded space on the Dragon had me cynically thinking, how much could they sell that ad space for?

Post by [deleted] » Fri, May 25, 2012, 2:30 PM UTC

christiangenco wrote: post #94

zalew wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

http://i.imgur.com/9RiOY.png

I see your static image and raise you a gif! http://dl.dropbox.com/u/123449/dragon/Dragon%20docking%20wit...

Post by kodisha » Fri, May 25, 2012, 2:49 PM UTC