Posted on 03/01/2019 11:32:12 AM PST by Moonman62
After years of on-the-ground development and testing, the SpaceX spaceship thats destined to carry NASA astronauts is going on its first uncrewed test mission to the International Space Station tonight and you can watch the historic liftoff from multiple angles.
When SpaceXs Crew Dragon capsule lifts off from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, atop a Falcon 9 rocket, there wont be any humans aboard. But there will be a crew member of sorts.
SpaceX has placed a spacesuit-wearing, sensor-laden mannequin in one of the Dragons seats, to gather data about how rigorous the ride will be for actual astronauts later this year. Hans Koenigsmann, SpaceXs vice president of build and flight reliability, shied away from calling the test device a dummy.
We call it a smartie, and her name is Ripley, Koenigsmann told reporters at a pre-launch briefing.
The name pays tribute to the spaceflying character played by Sigourney Weaver in the Alien series of sci-fi movies. It also brings a bit of anthropomorphic gender balance to SpaceXs test mannequins: For last years maiden launch of SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket, the test payload included a Tesla Roadster with a dummy nicknamed Starman in the drivers seat.
Ripleys ride is due to begin at 2:49 a.m. ET Saturday (11:49 p.m. PT Friday). Streaming-video coverage of the countdown and launch will begin on NASA TV at 2 a.m. ET (11 p.m. PT), and via SpaceXs YouTube channel sometime afterward:
(Excerpt) Read more at geekwire.com ...
Ripley...that’s funny.
*ping*
Thanks for heads up.
Will it be EST or Cental.
Ping.
They mostly come out at night. Mostly.
Believe it or not.
Nuke ‘em from space....only way to be sure.
2:49am Eastern.
It has to launch at the exact time in order to dock with the ISS.
Ripleys ride is due to begin at 2:49 a.m. ET Saturday
“Will it be EST or Central.”
From post:
Ripleys ride is due to begin at 2:49 a.m. ET Saturday (11:49 p.m. PT Friday)
2:49 a.m. ET = 2:49 a.m. EST
Believe it or Not!.....................
GMTA!.........................
Because it is the first robot, shouldn’t it have been named Ash?
Game over man. GAME OVER! /paxton/hudson
Hello, my baby...!
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