Posted on 05/25/2020 1:05:52 PM PDT by aquila48
This week, astronauts will take off from American soil for the first time since 2011, riding aboard a SpaceX capsule in a historic test flight to the International Space Station.
On Wednesday (May 27) at 4:33 p.m. EDT (2033 GMT), veteran NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley will launch as co-commanders on SpaceX's Crew Dragon vehicle, which will lift off on a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission, known as Demo-2, will fly the astronauts to the International Space Station. They are scheduled to arrive at the space station on May 28 and could stay in space anywhere from one to four months.
Demo-2 will be the first crewed launch to orbit from American soil since NASA's shuttle program ended in 2011. In fact, Hurley was on the crew for both that final shuttle mission (STS-135) and the upcoming mission.
The astronauts arrived at Kennedy Space Center on May 20, a week ahead of the launch, and have been preparing diligently for their ride to space.
"We are on the cusp of launching American astronauts on American rockets from American soil yet again," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said May 20 after Hurley and Behnken arrived at Kennedy. "You really are a bright light for all of America right now. Thank you so much for all you've done and all you're about to do."
The launch, because of its historical significance, would normally draw enormous crowds to Kennedy to witness the rocket lifting off with Behnken and Hurley on board. However, Demo-2 isn't taking off under standard circumstances. It is, instead, lifting off in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic which has spurred travel restrictions, social distancing guidelines, factory closures and has led to most NASA employees working from home.
(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...
Godspeed!
Ditto!
I think Tesla is a joke but SpaceX rocks!
If I were going into space on something new, it wouldn’t be named after the Scriptural reference for Satan.....
Good lord get a grip
Ships always have formidable name
Who really launches on the good ship lolly pop
Well, when I build my spaceship I will be sure to check with you to make sure it’s is biblically correct.
Demo-2 is all they could think of for the mission name? That’s so boring. Hope all goes well though!
I wonder if they’ll announce a name for the spacecraft before launch. I mean, ALL of our manned mission spacecraft (except Gemini, when I think about it) had a name.
What should it be?
This is ALL my 16 year old aerspace engineering wannabe son has talked about this month.
Is it ok if I say I can’t wait till it’s over? LOL.
I would not be surprised if they don’t launch this week. I’ve been looking at the weather forecast for the next five days and it is not good. They need to have good weather at abort sites and off shore booster landing pad. However, since they will be at the ISS for a month or two they can wait for good weather for the splashdown site.
I challenge that assertion. Tesla is profitable, and will displace other automakers within the next ten years. The technology is sound, and getting better. Meanwhile, standard gas-powered car manufacturers make their money on a repair and maintenance model, not from the car itself. I once thought as you did, that Tesla cars were no threat to the big car makers but after studying the differences I realize that Tesla is poised to overtake GM and Ford in the near future (ten years or so).
Additionally, Elon Musk trades infrastructure design between all his companies, strengthening each in the process (Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company, Neuralink and OpenAI). I would keep an open mind about Tesla and their growth.
Not sure I would ride on a flight called Demo 2.
Is that short for Demolition? Demonstration? Democrat?
Will be televised by Nat Geo or Discovery (cable) live
Don’t count on it, the weather doesn’t look good for a launch.
“I think Tesla is a joke...”
Yeah, I wish I owned a couple thousand shares of that joke.
The choices were "Dragon" or "Gumdrop". Dragon sounded sexier.
Perhaps you forgot, the early manned capsules were named after Greek/Roman gods; Mercury, Gemini, Apollo.
Especially their boosters landing back on the ground to be reused. Here’s a 30 second video of a recent Starlink launch that had two Falcon Heavy boosters. They land almost simultaneously.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbbSCqaeWyA
All of the Shuttles were named, even the only one that didn't actually go to space.
My 17-year-old son, who loves dragons, suggested they named the Crew Dragon capsules after dragons. Can you imagine? " Houston, this is Smaug".....
Sorry, but no.
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