SpaceX’s Historic Launch Should Inspire More Of Us To Take Risks

The Federalist ^ | May 27, 2020 | Helen Raleigh

[Monty22002]

They said 50/50 chance for today.

[Magnum44]

An update from the 50's or 'We are DEVO'?

[cyclotic]

My wife is watching. I heard the Bob and Doug thing a few seconds ago and then saw your photo.

My son is an Astronautical Engineer at NASA. Working in the space industry has been his dream literally since he was five.

When he was about 12, he met an astronaut who was very upset about the state of US based manned flight.

He’ll be glued to the TV all day today.

[ratzoe]

Has anyone heard how big the launch window is?? With t-storms in area, there’s a good chance it will be delayed and I’m wondering how big the window is for it to achieve the correct orbit/attitude.

[blam]

"It’s easy to “take risks” when you get 5 billion in gov subsidies."

That's exactly what I tell my physicist son when he starts oohing & aahing about Musk.

[Kickass Conservative]

>>>It’s easy to “take risks” when you get 5 billion in gov subsidies<<<

The two Astronauts sitting on top of that potential Bomb are being paid 5 Billion Dollars? Wow...

[Empireoftheatom48]

When I was 9 my parents got a new refrigerator, I got the box and with some crayons turned it into my space ship. It was cool I had hours of fun until my mom threw the box away when I was at school. It was a sad day.

[Pollster1]

Two American astronauts, Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, will . . . depart for the International Space Station on May 27.

Doug and Bob are social distancing the right way - leaving Pelosi, Biden, Hilary, and the rest of the petty tyrants far behind.

[knarf]

I was born in 1948 and grew up through the Boston public school system.

My first memories are somewhere around 4 or 5 years old, 1952, 3 & 4.

Space travel was a big part of what came to be known as SciFi (Ray Bradbury and others)

So, when I was about 13, Alan Shepard went into outer space (to our young minds), and a whole WORLD of possibilities opened up for us.

We came out'a WW2 total victors and arrogant as hell and we moved America forward that way.

It is with great joy and anticipation I get to see this afternoon's space launch

[wardamneagle]

NASA Channel....if you have it

[Magnum44]

The window is only a few minutes. Maybe up to 10 but I dont think even that much.

[ratzoe]

The window is only a few minutes. Maybe up to 10 but I dont think even that much.

Thank you, was thinking it had to be 10 minutes or less. Searched this morning for this info, no joy. The Antares supply ships I've seen launched from Wallops always had a very limited window before it would be scrubbed.

[Magnum44]

Launch window is almost always determined by the target orbit inclination, launch latitude, and the capability of the launch vehicle. The ISS orbit is about 50 degrees inclined (that was to help the russians get there) and Kennedy is in the 30 degree latitudes range. From a 30 degree launch site you could launch into a 30 degree orbit with no penalty for inclination change. (Skylab was launched into this inclination.)

The launch site only passes under the ISS orbit plane twice a day. One pass requires an inclination change of ~+20 deg and the other would require an inclination change of almost -80 degrees. Inclination change is the most expensive maneuver to make. You can change your position in the orbit plane fairly easily. Re-orienting the orbit plane needs much more propellant. Missing the window only increases the orbit plane change necessary.

Its an angular momentum thing. :)

[mabarker1]

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[fieldmarshaldj]