SpaceX F9 - Comm Crew DM-2 - LC-39A

[diplomat33]

I'm very excited for this launch. Pretty historic! The US is finally launching astronauts from US soil again since the space shuttle was retired 9 years ago. I hope this is the beginning of a renaissance for the US manned space program. I will be watching live.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Monday's Launch Readiness Review was a success. DM-2 got the official "go".

Tomorrow's weather forecast indicates conditions could be improving. By the afternoon there's a diminishing chance of rain and thunderstorms. Launch odds have flipped from a 60% rules violation to 60% acceptable.

I think by early Wednesday we'll hear what the crew has chosen to christen their capsule. Sticking with the dragon theme, I prefer something bold and found "Pendragon". Wiki explains, "Chief-Dragon" or "Head-Dragon", but in a figurative sense, "chief of warriors". Although I suppose the actual name is likely be a little less menacing.

How about "Release Candidate 1"?

 

[Grendal]

60% favorable for tomorrows launch. So it's getting better. Final mission update from NASA:

 

[Grendal]

Here we go!!!
SpaceX livestream:

NASA livestream:

 

[ecarfan]

Hmm...a 46 minute video. If anyone sat through the whole thing, did they say anything new or of interest?

 

[ecarfan]

SpaceX livestream:

Wow, that’s really starting the livestream early.

 

[Nikxice]

Hmm...a 46 minute video. If anyone sat through the whole thing, did they say anything new or of interest?

Jim Bridenstine had a few interesting comments. I remember NASA management originally saying the maximum duration for DM-2 was 119 days. Today Bridenstine stated the maximum limitation on Dragon's solar arrays was 114 days. He also said that he's the guy responsible for overseeing NASA's "style guide" and that the "worm" was his decision. A generational icon for him and quite possibly it'll only be used for this mission.
I think the biggest takeaway could be an update for the thread SpaceX F9 - Crew Dragon USCV-1 - LC-39A. Bridenstine mentioned a target launch date of August 30th 2020, a Sunday.

 

[Mo City]

Jim Bridenstine had a few interesting comments. I remember NASA management originally saying the maximum duration for DM-2 was 119 days. Today Bridenstine stated the maximum limitation on Dragon's solar arrays was 114 days. He also said that he's the guy responsible for overseeing NASA's "style guide" and that the "worm" was his decision. A generational icon for him and quite possibly it'll only be used for this mission.
I think the biggest takeaway could be an update for the thread SpaceX F9 - Crew Dragon USCV-1 - LC-39A. Bridenstine mentioned a target launch date of August 30th 2020, a Sunday.

IIRC, Crew-1 cannot launch any sooner than 30 days after Demo-2 returns because they need a min 30 days to analyze Demo-2's hardware. If they are targeting August 30 for Crew-1, Demo-2 will return sometime in July and won't last anywhere near the max 119 days.

 

[Mo City]

I bet SpaceX has additional camera coverage beyond what they normally do. Also, hopefully they will create and distribute a 30-60 min production of the final days + launch that we can enjoy.

 

[qdeathstar]

If they delay the launch tomorrow (which i think is highly likely, as the 60 percent go doesn’t include sea conditions) what time are they launching saturday?

 

[e-FTW]

If they delay the launch tomorrow (which i think is highly likely, as the 60 percent go doesn’t include sea conditions) what time are they launching saturday?

SpaceX F9 - Comm Crew DM-2 - LC-39A

 

[e-FTW]

Discovery Channel and Sci (Science) are doing a live three hour special leading up to the launch, narrated by Walton Goggins: WALTON GOGGINS TO NARRATE DISCOVERY AND SCIENCE CHANNEL’S EPIC DOCUMENTARY ‘NASA & SPACEX: JOURNEY TO THE FUTURE’ GIVING VIEWERS A RARE GLIMPSE INSIDE NASA AND SPACEX HEADQUARTERS – Discovery, Inc.

 

[Silicon Desert]

This is the another big one for the Crew program: a crewed flight!

Launch Date: May 27th
Launch Window: 4:33pm EDT (1:33pm PDT, 20:33 UTC).
Launch site: LC-39A, Cape Canaveral, Florida
Booster Recovery: ASDS
Booster Type: B1058.1
Mass: Crew Dragon 12,055 kg
Orbit: LEO - ISS (Docking time 11:30 AM EDT)
Crew: Commander Douglas Hurley and Pilot Bob Behnken
Backup Crew: Michael Hopkins and Victor Glover
Dragon Return - TBD

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Crew Dragon spacecraft on its first test flight with astronauts on-board to the International Space Station under the auspices of NASA’s commercial crew program. NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken will fly on the Demo-2 mission. The Crew Dragon will return to a splashdown at sea.

Crew Dragon

Hmmmm, why does this remind me of the James Bond movie.....Moonraker? Where is "Jaws?"

 

[Cosmacelf]

If they delay the launch tomorrow (which i think is highly likely, as the 60 percent go doesn’t include sea conditions) what time are they launching saturday?

Why are sea conditions so important? In case of an abort and parachute landing in the water I guess?

 

[e-FTW]

Why are sea conditions so important? In case of an abort and parachute landing in the water I guess?

Yup!

 

[e-FTW]

Jim Bridenstine had a few interesting comments. I remember NASA management originally saying the maximum duration for DM-2 was 119 days. Today Bridenstine stated the maximum limitation on Dragon's solar arrays was 114 days. He also said that he's the guy responsible for overseeing NASA's "style guide" and that the "worm" was his decision. A generational icon for him and quite possibly it'll only be used for this mission.
I think the biggest takeaway could be an update for the thread SpaceX F9 - Crew Dragon USCV-1 - LC-39A. Bridenstine mentioned a target launch date of August 30th 2020, a Sunday.

A different takeaway: I want more of Nicole Mann! Her intro was fantastic, she has a career in the public eye after she stops flying!

 

[e-FTW]

Yup!

To expand on that, the abort zones are quite large and span all the way to waters off Ireland. So that is a lot of weather to watch out for.

 

[e-FTW]

A good read on how we got here: Op-ed: Unleashing the Dragon – the NASA bargain behind this week's SpaceX launch

 

[ggies07]

Well *sugar*, I woke up at 2:30 CT time and my brain went to thinking about this launch and here I am, wide awake and can't go back to sleep....can't wait!

 

[ecarfan]

SpaceX just released some beautiful mission photos on Flickr Crew Demo-2 Mission