What! How did NASA have a person available to update the web page???
(seriously, aren't they furloughed? Could be an essential ISS ground person on a third screen)
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What! How did NASA have a person available to update the web page???
(seriously, aren't they furloughed? Could be an essential ISS ground person on a third screen)
Nikxice
Active Member
Loren Grush interviews SpaceX's first astronaut crew. Includes video of the spacesuited crew walking, also captures some training inside the Crew Dragon simulator.
This is SpaceX’s very first human crew
This is SpaceX’s very first human crew
Don't Blame the Government Shutdown for SpaceX Delays - The Atlantic
Quote: “NASA and SpaceX tell The Atlantic that, despite speculation, the government shutdown hasn’t affected their work. NASA says the astronaut program, known as Commercial Crew, is part of a small group of NASA activities that are exempt from the government closure... NASA employees collaborating with SpaceX on this effort are still on the job, albeit without pay. The latest schedule change, NASA said, was caused by familiar setbacks. Both sides need more time to finish testing hardware and complete various reviews.“
Quote: “NASA and SpaceX tell The Atlantic that, despite speculation, the government shutdown hasn’t affected their work. NASA says the astronaut program, known as Commercial Crew, is part of a small group of NASA activities that are exempt from the government closure... NASA employees collaborating with SpaceX on this effort are still on the job, albeit without pay. The latest schedule change, NASA said, was caused by familiar setbacks. Both sides need more time to finish testing hardware and complete various reviews.“
e-FTW
New electron smell
Commercial Crew update from NASA: Commercial Crew Program
More importantly, this is one delay away from getting to a spot where NASA may not be able to maintain a continuous American presence on the ISS.
SpaceX and Boeing are now 1 month apart.
More importantly, this is one delay away from getting to a spot where NASA may not be able to maintain a continuous American presence on the ISS.
Nikxice
Active Member
I recall last November the DM-1 launch was expected for early January. Good news is the delay may end up pushing DM-2 out only an additional month. What's noteworthy about this home grown space race is that Boeing's timeline has barely changed in months. They're still advertising August for a crewed Starliner mission. Boeing must be making progress with their parachute anomalies and launch abort engine issues. Although while pulling for SpaceX to capture the flag, the future of the CCP is dependent on the safety and success of both companies, so have to be thorough.
Side note, remember that bouncy castle floaty thing that potentially was going to catch Crew Dragon? Haven't heard anything else about it in months.¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Side note, remember that bouncy castle floaty thing that potentially was going to catch Crew Dragon? Haven't heard anything else about it in months.¯\_(ツ)_/¯
e-FTW
New electron smell
Agreed. Am also like Everyday Astronaut and like to cheer for everyone to advance space technology. SpaceX is sexier and exciting for sure.
But right now, we need a solution to get to ISS asap.
e-FTW
New electron smell
Has anyone looked at ISS access contention? I mean you cannot just launch and berth/dock anytime you want. I would assume that we could get an understanding of actual realistic dates for SpaceX and Boeing.
e-FTW
New electron smell
Analysis of the latest NASA report: What the NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel’s 2018 report says about SpaceX. : spacex
reddit said:
e-FTW
New electron smell
NASA is considering buying two more seats on a Soyouz (one for this fall, one for next Spring) as a contingency. Considering the very real possibility of more delays, this sounds like a good idea:
NASA mulls buying new rides to space from Russia amid program delays — Reuters
NASA mulls buying new rides to space from Russia amid program delays — Reuters
e-FTW
New electron smell
e-FTW
New electron smell
As you patiently await the DM-1 launch to the ISS, here are a couple of podcasts to keep your mind busy.
(I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole of NASA and general space podcasts over the last few months)
My favorite episode of “Rocket Ranch”, a podcast from the Kennedy Space Center is called “Starting Up the Space Station”.
Astronaut Bob Cabana tells the story of that Shuttle flight where they joined the American module to the Russian one, creating the ISS. Bob tells great stories, a really good listen. Lots about the Shuttle of course, an amazing machine if there ever was one.
One of my favorite lines he had was how today’s 18 year-olds have not known one day where there was not humans in space. Think about that one for a bit...
Rocket Ranch - Episode 6: Starting Up the Space Station
This podcast from the Johnson Space Center in Houston (“Houston, we have a podcast!”. It is very informative on Commercial Crew. And pretty fascinating to see how Boeing’s history and presence in JSC subtly taints what the guest says, and how he says it.
Interesting reminder: the guest mentioned us that Commercial Crew is not just for the US. Other nations will fly on these vehicles. And Americans will still fly on Soyuz.
Good details on how both companies efforts are moving ahead, and how astronaut training is different between the companies:
Ep 80: From American Soil
Bonus: “Odd Jobs Around the Ranch” - Marine Biologist, Crawler Driver (yes, THAT crawler) and a helicopter pilot.
Rocket Ranch - Episode 5: Odd Jobs Around the Ranch
(I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole of NASA and general space podcasts over the last few months)
My favorite episode of “Rocket Ranch”, a podcast from the Kennedy Space Center is called “Starting Up the Space Station”.
Astronaut Bob Cabana tells the story of that Shuttle flight where they joined the American module to the Russian one, creating the ISS. Bob tells great stories, a really good listen. Lots about the Shuttle of course, an amazing machine if there ever was one.
One of my favorite lines he had was how today’s 18 year-olds have not known one day where there was not humans in space. Think about that one for a bit...
For all of us that yearn for the Apollo era and the amazing achievements and distances humanity covered there, remember that those were short bursts. We have lived in Space since October 2000, and that is a massively impressive achievement, bringing together a bunch of countries for one common goal. The Shuttle was crucial to making that a reality. And SpaceX and Boeing will ensure that keeps happening for the foreseeable future.Bob Cabana said:
Rocket Ranch - Episode 6: Starting Up the Space Station
This podcast from the Johnson Space Center in Houston (“Houston, we have a podcast!”. It is very informative on Commercial Crew. And pretty fascinating to see how Boeing’s history and presence in JSC subtly taints what the guest says, and how he says it.
Interesting reminder: the guest mentioned us that Commercial Crew is not just for the US. Other nations will fly on these vehicles. And Americans will still fly on Soyuz.
Good details on how both companies efforts are moving ahead, and how astronaut training is different between the companies:
Ep 80: From American Soil
Bonus: “Odd Jobs Around the Ranch” - Marine Biologist, Crawler Driver (yes, THAT crawler) and a helicopter pilot.
Rocket Ranch - Episode 5: Odd Jobs Around the Ranch
e-FTW
New electron smell
While the launch last night was a success, and it was great to see the booster recovered, the mission still has a ways to go, since the Crew Dragon has to berth, stay at the ISS for 5 days, and then return to Earth. I woke up about 10 minutes before T-0 to watch, and now am watching the webcast from the beginning. I see that as part of the webcast, Bridenstine was interviewed. It’s always interesting to try to parse his words whenever he talks about the CCP and NASA using private companies.
In the interview he emphasized how he saw the future of NASA as working with private launch companies and “being one of many customers” for commercial launch services. He clearly does not believe NASA should be in the business of building rockets — cough SLS cough — but should take advantage of the marketplace.
He talked about getting a tour of SpaceX’s Florida facilities earlier that day with Elon and Elon telling him the story of going to Russia to try to buy an ICBM for his “greenhouse on Mars” idea but because the Russians wanted $20 million he decided that was too pricey and would start a company to build his own rockets instead. Bridenstine carefully did not say anything about Boeing and CCP during the interview.
Still no launch date set for Boeing’s first CCP demo mission...
In the interview he emphasized how he saw the future of NASA as working with private launch companies and “being one of many customers” for commercial launch services. He clearly does not believe NASA should be in the business of building rockets — cough SLS cough — but should take advantage of the marketplace.
He talked about getting a tour of SpaceX’s Florida facilities earlier that day with Elon and Elon telling him the story of going to Russia to try to buy an ICBM for his “greenhouse on Mars” idea but because the Russians wanted $20 million he decided that was too pricey and would start a company to build his own rockets instead. Bridenstine carefully did not say anything about Boeing and CCP during the interview.
Still no launch date set for Boeing’s first CCP demo mission...
Thanks @ecarfan, I thought it was pretty firm for March/April. But all NASA Blog said
a few days ago is "Starliner’s uncrewed Orbital Flight Test is planned for no earlier than April 2019."
Boeing – Commercial Crew Program
That's an odd way of saying when you are expecting to do a planned launch. On the up side,
that statement will become pretty definitive come April 1.
If Boeing has been guiding for sometime in April, now 4 - 8 weeks away, wouldn't they have put
out a likely launch date by now, if any remaining loose ends NASA wants tied up are well in hand?
e-FTW
New electron smell
NasaTV has been showing clips from that visit to the pad with Elon, Bridenstine and the current SpaceX astronauts. You cannot really follow conversations, but the little bits you can hear are interesting. The non-verbal is even more interesting, like when they are walking inside the crew access arm; the astronauts are clearly enjoying the new digs!
Nikxice
Active Member
It's been 10 years since the last repair mission to the Hubble Space telescope. Hubble has had problems, the most recent is a 17 year old camera with a glitch. This article has me wondering if NASA has or would ever consider using Crew Dragon or Starliner for more than just transferring astronauts/cargo to and from the ISS. I think the current contract with NASA is for 6 flights, imagine more are likely. An F9/Dragon 2 could probably reach Hubble, at which point everything gets more complicated than using a Space Shuttle. Designing and then flying an attachment mechanism would be difficult. There's also the lack of an airlock, so everyone would have to be suited up. With the long delayed Webb Telescope eventually coming up, other than remote repairs I'm not sure NASA is even interested in saving Hubble again. Something to ponder.
https://www.space.com/hubble-space-telescope-new-camera-glitch.html
https://www.space.com/hubble-space-telescope-new-camera-glitch.html
That would be an awesome mission for SpaceX: I wonder if a Crew Dragon could match the Hubble orbit and stay on station close enough to it so that EVAs would be possible? That sounds very difficult, but given how the first Crew Dragon recently docked perfectly (as far as we know) to ISS using the new automated system, maybe it would be possible to do a SpaceX mission to service Hubble. However, such a mission would likely cost NASA around $100 million, and I doubt there is money available in the budget for such an expenditure.
Mike1080i
Member
A Soft Capture and Rendezvous System (SCRS) was installed during STS-125. It's planned use is for the eventual de-orbit of Hubble.
If it could be maintained, I'm all for keeping HST operational as long as possible. JWST really isn't a replacement (and wasn't designed to be) for Hubble. JWST is built to look at the universe in the infrared spectrum, while HST works primarily in the visible and ultraviolet wavelengths.
But a HST service mission without the shuttle that it was designed to be serviced with is probably going to be limited in what it can do.
Did I just learn that a specific shuttle had Special Stuff in it just for taking care of the HST? If so, whatever all that entailed cannot - if I understand you - be incorporated into, for example, a Crew Dragon?
One of my classmates was a crew member on at least one of the HST repair flights. I'll have to try to connect with him at a reunion to learn more.
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