Space X

I'm waiting for the launch.  All I have to do is watch the countdown on T,V, and when it fires, open my fromt door and walk outside.  The Cape is only 60 miles away so if the clouds don't get in teh way, we have a nice view as it clears the trees.

When we had the shuttles on a quiet night sometimes you could hear them go up.

Used to go visit the in-laws in Titusville and watch the shots from the front porch. 

Jim  

Stay Safe.

I have seen plenty of launches from Vandenberg at my old houses over the years. And yes, seeing one come back home was very impressive stuff. 

I don’t think that they will ever go full bore for launches out of Vandenberg. Kennedy appeared to be ramping up for more capacity when I was there a couple of years ago. I think that the Air Force prefers the comparative isolation of Vandenberg for their classified mission launches.

stikpusher

I have seen plenty of launches from Vandenberg at my old houses over the years. And yes, seeing one come back home was very impressive stuff. 

I don’t think that they will ever go full bore for launches out of Vandenberg. Kennedy appeared to be ramping up for more capacity when I was there a couple of years ago. I think that the Air Force prefers the comparative isolation of Vandenberg for their classified mission launches.

Musk is developing Boca Chica, Texas on South Padre Island as his new commercial space port.  Located between Corpus Christi and Brownsville.    He has been building & testing the Hopper there

You're a lot more than this to me OG!  It was you that inspired my FIRST WIP a Monogram P-61 Black Widow.  And you continue to have a great influence on me, and my future with Mrs. Toshi and Ezra.  Thank you for everything sir! Sensei OG.  Good luck with Space X!

Toshi

 Does anyone know if the capsule CG is offset to allow a bit of Cl to increase the footprint like Gemini or Apollo? Or is the re-entry and splashdown totally ballistic?

Like so many here, I'm really stoked about the launch. Watching the coverage before the scrub Wednesday, I was amazed by how sci-fi-looking the capsule is (inside and out). Also the suits, and the jetway or whatever you call the egress walkway even is too.

Interesting discussion about the Cape. Being quite NASA fan and a past frequent visitor to Orlando, I still can't believe I never visited.

EdGrune

 

 

stikpusher

I have seen plenty of launches from Vandenberg at my old houses over the years. And yes, seeing one come back home was very impressive stuff. 

I don’t think that they will ever go full bore for launches out of Vandenberg. Kennedy appeared to be ramping up for more capacity when I was there a couple of years ago. I think that the Air Force prefers the comparative isolation of Vandenberg for their classified mission launches.

 

 

 

Musk is developing Boca Chica, Texas on South Padre Island as his new commercial space port.  Located between Corpus Christi and Brownsville.    He has been building & testing the Hopper there

 

Yeah, he is a little peeved with California right now. That will be awesome when he has his Space Port developed and fully operational. 

When I was watching the other day I mussed that I watched Gemini and Apollo on a B&W tv. I was watching SpaceX with their touchscreens and awsome looking rocket on YouTube on my phone! I hear the weather for tomorow is iffy. Whatever day they go, goodspeed to them.

Don Stauffer

 Does anyone know if the capsule CG is offset to allow a bit of Cl to increase the footprint like Gemini or Apollo? Or is the re-entry and splashdown totally ballistic? 

Only our aerospace guy would be asking about the center of gravity on the Crew Dragon!  Sorry, Don!  Don't have a clue!

Gary

Yes, according to a couple of forums I looked at. However, it also has the benefits of the Draco motors which can control attitude.

I guess maybe its because I was borne in Missouri, the Show me State, but I tend to be a bit of a pessimist I sometimes can't see past stuff that bugs me.  As such I have a few nagging concerns about Space X, especially with regards to stories about other Elon Musk run endeavors sometimes skirting rules etc.  To me I'm less concerned about how spiffy the capsule looks or how fancy the space suits are and more concerned that a) safety won't take a back seat and b) that there are processes in place to address risks and be able to abort a lauch or step back and re-assess things if necessary without interference from "upper management".

Regards

Pat

I’m sure someone has asked, but those space suits and helmets look like they came from a bad movie on SyFy.  Has there been such advancements in materials and methods that the bulky NASA suits are no longer needed?  Or is this a case of the boss wanting everything to look sleek and high tech, at the possible expense of function?

Space is utterly unforgiving, with death the usual prize for second place.  I’m an engineer, so I always wonder about stuff like this.

Can’t wait to see what the US Space Command suits look like.  Power Rangers?

Sorry about being a doubter.  I do hope the launch is successful tomorrow, or whenever it does happen.  This is a historic first step in the next chapter of space exploration.

I thought the same thing.   Form over function?  A bit beyond Hollywood. Let's hope the new tech supports the new look.

stikpusher

 

 

EdGrune

 

 

stikpusher

I have seen plenty of launches from Vandenberg at my old houses over the years. And yes, seeing one come back home was very impressive stuff. 

I don’t think that they will ever go full bore for launches out of Vandenberg. Kennedy appeared to be ramping up for more capacity when I was there a couple of years ago. I think that the Air Force prefers the comparative isolation of Vandenberg for their classified mission launches.

 

 

 

Musk is developing Boca Chica, Texas on South Padre Island as his new commercial space port.  Located between Corpus Christi and Brownsville.    He has been building & testing the Hopper there

 

 

 

 

Yeah, he is a little peeved with California right now. That will be awesome when he has his Space Port developed and fully operational. 

 

There is a reason why Musk is developing his facility in the middle of nowhere, TX.   Yesterday afternoon the fourth prototype of the Starship exploded on the test stand.  

Youtube video here

Heavy damage to the facility.   No injuries reported

Real G

I’m sure someone has asked, but those space suits and helmets look like they came from a bad movie on SyFy.  Has there been such advancements in materials and methods that the bulky NASA suits are no longer needed?  Or is this a case of the boss wanting everything to look sleek and high tech, at the possible expense of function?

Space is utterly unforgiving, with death the usual prize for second place.  I’m an engineer, so I always wonder about stuff like this.

Can’t wait to see what the US Space Command suits look like.  Power Rangers?

Sorry about being a doubter.  I do hope the launch is successful tomorrow, or whenever it does happen.  This is a historic first step in the next chapter of space exploration.

 

That was the main thing I noticed as well during the attempted launch.  Those suits will be just fine...as long as nothing goes wrong.

Well, I had a tear in my eye.  That was awesome! 

It was spectacular!

The only thing I missed was Jules Bergman. 

Gary

I really miss hearing Walter Cronkite do the broadcast. I remember watching him get really emotional when Apollo 11 took off.

The spacecraft, space suits and capsule looks very modern, like some thing from the movie 2001. The inside of the space craft is very sleek with three large touch screens. I like the new suits. They don't look like those fat, inflated Apollo suits.

The new suits can deal with an in-capsule depressurization. They don't have life support systems; they are "get me down" high altitude pressure suits.

And despite the hype Musk didn't design them.

Space Force? Spoiler Alert.

But the crew needs to breathe during a “get me down” event.  Well OK, they are not an “all duty” suit rated up to space walks.  But I would bet money that Musk held the OK stamp on the suit/helmet design.  I guess that is his right, since he owns the company.  If I owned a space launch company and my engineers came up with Power Ranger suits, I’d insist on having the authority to say “no!”

All joking aside, I’d like to read up on more information regarding the suit/helmet design. 

Real G

I’m sure someone has asked, but those space suits and helmets look like they came from a bad movie on SyFy.  Has there been such advancements in materials and methods that the bulky NASA suits are no longer needed?  Or is this a case of the boss wanting everything to look sleek and high tech, at the possible expense of function?

Space is utterly unforgiving, with death the usual prize for second place.  I’m an engineer, so I always wonder about stuff like this.

Can’t wait to see what the US Space Command suits look like.  Power Rangers?

Sorry about being a doubter.  I do hope the launch is successful tomorrow, or whenever it does happen.  This is a historic first step in the next chapter of space exploration.

 

I'm a doubter too.  The hype about this flight is increadible.  The first flight in a commercially built capsule?  Who do they think built the others?  It wasn't NASA.  They were built by McDonnel and North American.  I'll bet NASA is still paying for it.  I assume this is a lease of the equipment.  That is the real difference.  NASA bought the previous vehicles.

Anything that is almost ballistic and has to land at sea with an expensive recovery force to my mind is retro in spite of its styling.

Also, who is the employer of the astronauts- do they work for SpaceX or NASA?

My understanding is that this is a SpaceX design. Built and run by SpaceX. Totally. From inception to splashdown.

Every other man-rated space craft is a collection of hardware, built to spec, based on NASA contracts. The Saturn V/Apollo was not designed, tested, built, flown, controlled by, and recovered by one company. 

Each stage of the Saturn V were built by different companies (Boeing/NA/Douglas I think). Heck, the engines were designed and built by different companies. As was the Apollo spacecraft. NA for the Command/service module Gruman for the LM. 

It is my understanding that SpaceX designed/built/tested/flys/recovers everything. The motors, boosters, second stage, capsule AND the launch site, command and control, flight opps, and recovery.

Thats a BIG deal. 

NASA has been involved, very closely, from the start. But SpaceX has controled all the decision points and execution.

And yes NASA is paying most of the costs, for now. Also the 2 astronauts are NASA employees. Both with prior Shuttle experience.

But lets remember that SpaceX has (Almost) done what previously only the USA/Russia/China (AS A NATION!) has been able to do. 

SpaceX, With the safe recovery of the 2 astronauts, wiil join a very elite club.

The launch was great! I watched the whole thing. Like others I miss Walter Cronkite. 

Much of the coverage seemed like a bad saturday morning kids science show. VERY dumbed down.

The Space suits do look way too fashionable, But as said they are not for EVAs, just to keep the astonauts alive if cabin pressure is lost. 

To me the capsule looks way too clean and sparse, but I grew up watching Mecury/Gemini/Apollo/STS. If you went from a 707 cockpit and compared it to a 787 cockpit in one step the effect would probably be the same.

Yah, Musk is kind of a snake oil salesman. I don't care for him, but what SpaceX has done is truly remarkable.

Now lets just get the 2 guys back safely!

GAF

It was spectacular!

The only thing I missed was Jules Bergman. 

Gary

Well-said, that man! All due respect to Uncle Walter...having grown up in the '60s, no space event was complete without the calm, authoritative voice of Jules Bergman explaining what was taking place. (Usually with the aid of scale models, right there on the desk.)

Although...having watched the launch coverage on the Discovery Channel...the space-suited Adam Savage was almost as much fun.

And last...

Am I the only one who noticed the whimsical irony to the constant references of 'Bob and Doug' getting ready to 'take off?' (Eh?)

Bob and Doug talk about space

gregbale

Well-said, that man! All due respect to Uncle Walter...having grown up in the '60s, no space event was complete without the calm, authoritative voice of Jules Bergman explaining what was taking place. (Usually with the aid of scale models, right there on the desk.)

I never cared for Uncle Walter.  I always surmised that Cronkite was for "normal" people, and Bergman was for the "science geeks". 

Gary

I also step outside to see the rockets go up. This last one kind of reminded me a little of the Apollo 11 launch but the whole world stood still to see that launch. Hard to believe it was 50 years ago. I had the Miami Herald front page article of the moon landing but it eventually fell apart.

Edit: Just got a news alert the guys made it into the Space Staion just now. 

mach71

...

Yah, Musk is kind of a snake oil salesman. ...

Hi,

I don't want to derail the conversations about the launch as I find it an exciting event, much like everyone else here.  However, while I think the "snake oil salesman" may be an appropriate phrase for some of Mr Musk's antics, my fears go a bit beyond just that.

In general Mr Musk to me alost fits the charactature of all that could possibly go wrong with privatising space exploration, at least based on reported events at his other companies. 

Specifically, although Teslas seem like fascinating cars, there have long been suggestions that the company has "pushed" some delieveries out the door with an unsuitable number of defects, or poor repairs, in order to meet "quotas" (to the point that Consumer Reports (I think) dropped the cars from being recommended buys). 

Similarly, there have long been reports of corner cutting and rule bending (including discouraging reports on safety, health and accident reports) at his factories.  And finally, some actions that he has taken, such as making possibly false public statements to impact the stock markets (or even just making personal comments that have heavily nagatively impacted the markets) raise questions about general business ethics as well as how much he cares (or not) about how his actions affects other, such as investors and workers.

To me I'd feel much happier with an organization that presents the impession of safety, caution, and a thoughtful and balanced approach to moving forward into space than what Mr. Musk and (by association) Space X gives me right now.

Pat 

JohnnyK

The spacecraft, space suits and capsule looks very modern, like some thing from the movie 2001. The inside of the space craft is very sleek with three large touch screens. I like the new suits. They don't look like those fat, inflated Apollo suits.

 

Everyone is gushing over touchscreens as showing how high tech the spacecraft is.  Are touchscreens really that high tech these days?  Seems to me they started appearing around the turn of the century.