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| SpaceX is scheduled to launch two NASA astronauts into orbit this afternoon—weather permitting—to kick off a new era of corporate-driven space missions. No company has ever flown commercially developed hardware carrying humans and linked up with the international space station. If Space Exploration Technologies Corp. reaches that goal, it will mark a major shift in the country’s space endeavors, being the first human launch from U.S. soil since 2011. It would represent a long-awaited milestone for NASA and a resounding achievement for SpaceX and its billionaire founder, Elon Musk. Some forecasts predicted a roughly 50-50 chance of stormy weather at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., which would force the launch to be delayed. The next opportunity would come Saturday. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has spent years trying to shift away from the lumbering process of building and designing government-owned spacecraft and toward using public-private partnerships to develop vehicles and then pay private contractors for specific services. If it goes off as planned, the flight will represent the culmination of more than eight years of NASA efforts to shift gears about ways to transport humans beyond the atmosphere. ... Having a reliable American system would mean NASA astronauts no longer need to piggyback on Russian rockets and spacecraft, as they have since the aging U.S. space-shuttle fleet was retired nine years ago. Looking ahead, NASA and White House officials envision emphasizing deep-space exploration as part of a commitment to relying on similar corporate-government teams. Those would include company-led endeavors, with relatively limited federal oversight, taking astronauts to the moon as soon as 2024 and later to Mars or beyond. Some longtime NASA watchers see the current mission as a crucial steppingstone, perhaps as significant in some ways as the Gemini missions of the mid-1960s that paved the way for the Apollo moon landings. But this time, making the government “a customer rather than operator is as astonishing as it is bold for NASA,” said Mark Albrecht, a former White House space adviser and retired senior industry executive. “NASA will take the blame for failure and allow SpaceX to receive most of the glory of success.” Beyond the policy changes and revamped contracting arrangements, however, the sheer promise of accelerating human space exploration excites many government and industry officials. Nothing generates as much pride as adding humans to the equation. “When you put an astronaut on top of a rocket, that changes everything,” Air Force Gen John Hyten, a longtime space expert and vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a White House space-policy council last week. “Dreams come when you start flying.” |
Anything involving Elon Musk is always surrounded by a thick layer of bullshit.
But those space suits look like something out of Toy Story. I'm sure advances in materials have vastly improved the quality, but they sure look cartoonish.
Best wishes to those two brave pilots. Hope I remember to turn it on.
I agree on the uniforms. Seems like we could have done better.
Anything involving Elon Musk is always surrounded by a thick layer of bullshit.
just it is semantics .. I think the difference is SpaceX built this rocket and then NASA adapted to human space flight .. rather than NASA overseeing development directly ..
I can't believe that Astronauts are named Bob and Doug
But those space suits look like something out of Toy Story. I'm sure advances in materials have vastly improved the quality, but they sure look cartoonish.
Best wishes to those two brave pilots. Hope I remember to turn it on.
There's an interesting convergence of science fiction and science reality - the people drawn to things like space exploration usually grow being big sci fi fans so they invariably point their innovations towards the aesthetics of the forward-looking fiction they enjoy.
Basically the future will look like Star Trek because the people that like Star Trek are the driving force to building a space age society.
As a then student who watched the Challenger disaster live in an assembly I am maybe understandably hesitant to get too excited about the launches, but they're incredible to watch, Challenger notwithstanding.
Kind of cool.
I hope it goes without a hitch and everyone is safe going up, at the space station and coming back.
All precautions are being taken to make sure COVID-19 does not go to the space station.
Space X Launch - ( New Window )
one was nasa, the other space-x.
both were really cool, esp the space-x with the boosters detaching, re-lighting, and heading back to base.
people can hate on musk but he's getting shit done.
slightly OT,
i just saw a well done tv ad for the U.S. Space Force last eve.
55 Years ago
As a then student who watched the Challenger disaster live in an assembly I am maybe understandably hesitant to get too excited about the launches, but they're incredible to watch, Challenger notwithstanding.
Yeah, I'm 150 miles away. Would love to take kids to see it, but won't because of that.
Also regarding the weather permitting. 4:30 in South Florida in late May could not be a worse time. Wonder why it was scheduled for that time. You can pretty much set your clock by the afternoon thunderstorms this time of year.
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and I like how it has combined public and private sector.
As a then student who watched the Challenger disaster live in an assembly I am maybe understandably hesitant to get too excited about the launches, but they're incredible to watch, Challenger notwithstanding.
Yeah, I'm 150 miles away. Would love to take kids to see it, but won't because of that.
Also regarding the weather permitting. 4:30 in South Florida in late May could not be a worse time. Wonder why it was scheduled for that time. You can pretty much set your clock by the afternoon thunderstorms this time of year.
The launch time has to do with the rendezvous with the space station - the timing to catch it.
I once saw a shuttle launch from south of the keys at night. Was 240 miles away.
one was nasa, the other space-x.
both were really cool, esp the space-x with the boosters detaching, re-lighting, and heading back to base.
people can hate on musk but he's getting shit done.
slightly OT,
i just saw a well done tv ad for the U.S. Space Force last eve.
This is the ad.
Link - ( New Window )
I'm in a meeting now that will last until 5? So, when directed to work from home in March ( my office is in Orland), set up my docking station on my enclosed balcony. The launch will be right in front of me.
The weather has been suspect today so I don't know if it is happening today. Next opportunity will be Saturday afternoon.
No, can still fire anti-ship missiles - just not manned ones. They will walk right into the trap!
Absolutely. Do not want to ever see astronauts have to endure another Challenger.
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The Aliens will attack on a cloudy day. We will be defenseless.
No, can still fire anti-ship missiles - just not manned ones. They will walk right into the trap!
You are right! Genius! I've been watching 'Grant' all week on the History Channel. I should have expected that. We've got them right where we want 'em!
(Don't know if wife who is at home with 3 kids not in school wants to be confined in car with them either)
From the hotel pool, clear as day the rocket rose - amazing memory.
(Don't know if wife who is at home with 3 kids not in school wants to be confined in car with them either)
Short answer is yes, do it. I think you'll share a memory with your kids that will last a lifetime.
In April 1981, me and 7 of my college buddies were driving in an old van from Vermont to Ft. Lauderdale for Spring Break. On the way, we heard a radio news story that the first Shuttle launch (STS-01) had been delayed a day. On a whim, we took a detour off I-95 and headed to Indian River where we joined a few thousand people. The night before the launch was a huge party with the backdrop of the Shuttle bathed in light. We were about as close as you could get without being VIP. The next day, we watched the Shuttle take off. Even though I was hung-over and smelled like cheap booze and cigarettes, the launch was one of my life's greatest memories... Ironically, Years later I got to work on a military project with the back-up pilot of the STS-01 and pilot of STS-02 Richard Truly.
The most exciting time in our reach for the stars.
They will be there anywhere from 6 to 16 weeks