Crewed SpaceX Dragon Launch

[Stellar Colonies]

So, I believe this is the first thread I've started in General, but I believe it is appropriate given my personal interests.

So as we all know, SpaceX is a private corporation ambitiously directed by the notoriously liked and hated Elon Musk with the stated goal of opening up space to private development. They have already been supplying the station with an uncrewed vehicle for some time, but they have also been developing a vehicle capable of carrying new crewmembers to the station as well. Today on Wednesday This Saturday is the next scheduled launch attempt of the Crew Dragon Demo-2 at 4:33 3:22 PM EDT. although it appears that the well-known Florida weather has a chance of delaying the launch until Saturday. If successfully carried out, this would be the first launch from US soil of a crewed spacecraft since the last shuttle launch, STS-135, in 2011. From this point on, NASA astronauts, along with other nationalities perhaps, would begin being launched from Cape Kennedy once again, which could certainly be a point of pride for American space buffs, although it is a corporation and not NASA directly doing so.

So what say you, NSG?

Does this launch excite you? Do you not like that Elon Musk will have a sizable share of the credit for this? Would you prefer that NASA itself launch astronauts to the ISS? Am I terrible at making threads?

Discuss!

News Link

Edit: Changed the scheduled launch date to Saturday at 3:22PM EDT/19:22 GMT

[Ethel mermania]

55 million a seat compared to 85 million charged by the ruski's. Let's hope it works.

[Valentine Z]

To infinity and beyond, space cowboy!

I really am excited for it, and I hope it goes swimmingly!

[Novus America]

Actually NASA is still launching it, with NASA astronauts.
Although they did not build it. But NASA has many deep structural problems that mean we have no choice. SpaceX is better at designing and building rockets. Until NASA can actually design and build good rockets again, it will have to buy them from outside sources.

[Bulgar Rouge]

Let's hope it's a successful launch.

SpaceX will need some time until they accumulate the reliability record of the Soyuz, but a great achievement nonetheless.

[The Reformed American Republic]

Actually NASA is still launching it, with NASA astronauts.
Although they did not build it. But NASA has many deep structural problems that mean we have no choice. SpaceX is better at designing and building rockets. Until NASA can actually design and build good rockets again, it will have to buy them from outside sources.

Maybe this form of privatization is not a bad thing. It's not like we are contracting to a Chinese company.

[Stellar Colonies]

Actually NASA is still launching it, with NASA astronauts.
Although they did not build it. But NASA has many deep structural problems that mean we have no choice. SpaceX is better at designing and building rockets. Until NASA can actually design and build good rockets again, it will have to buy them from outside sources.

Right, the first post seems to suggest it's entirely SpaceX.

I'll change it to reflect this.

[Bulgar Rouge]

Actually NASA is still launching it, with NASA astronauts.
Although they did not build it. But NASA has many deep structural problems that mean we have no choice. SpaceX is better at designing and building rockets. Until NASA can actually design and build good rockets again, it will have to buy them from outside sources.

NASA never built or thoroughly designed the spacecraft for previous projects. Mercury and Gemini capsules were made by McDonnell; Apollo was largely designed and manufactured by Grumman and North American Aviation. NASA designs the mission, the science program, trains the astronauts and manages the whole enterprise.

[Novus America]

Actually NASA is still launching it, with NASA astronauts.
Although they did not build it. But NASA has many deep structural problems that mean we have no choice. SpaceX is better at designing and building rockets. Until NASA can actually design and build good rockets again, it will have to buy them from outside sources.

Maybe this form of privatization is not a bad thing. It's not like we are contracting to a Chinese company.

I think it necessary as NASA is too backwards and risk adverse.
SpaceX is building cutting edge reusable rockets while NASA’s rocket technology for the SLS is stuck in the 1980s. And Russia’s stuck in the 60s.

I get tried and true, but although crossbows are tried and true we no longer use them in military combat because they are also simply obsolete.

We need to build new rockets, with new technology. SpaceX has is willing. While NASA is too risk adverse to really push bold new technologies and designs.

And like you said at least SpaceX is an American company building rockets in America.
What matters is that America overall can build it.

[Novus America]

Actually NASA is still launching it, with NASA astronauts.
Although they did not build it. But NASA has many deep structural problems that mean we have no choice. SpaceX is better at designing and building rockets. Until NASA can actually design and build good rockets again, it will have to buy them from outside sources.

NASA never built or thoroughly designed the spacecraft for previous projects. Mercury and Gemini capsules were made by McDonnell; Apollo was largely designed and manufactured by Grumman and North American Aviation. NASA designs the mission, the science program, trains the astronauts and manages the whole enterprise.

Well NASA although NAS has long outsourced a lot, it would traditionally outsource different parts to different companies but still is closely involved in the design and would assemble them.

Whereas SpaceX largely designed the Dragon system of its own accord.

And NASA has been more closely involved in the SLS design. Which is an obsolete design. This is not all NASA internally, politics demanded it use space shuttle parts.

SpaceX does not have to deal with as much politics like that.
Politicians intervene too much in NASA.
NASA definitely seems to default towards tried but true and obsolete over cutting edge these days in terms of designs.

So on the future outsourcing even more of the design, maybe even some of the mission design might be needed. NASA is not really pushing it on mission design either. Still going with what it knows from the past over really thinking ahead.

Compare NASA’s SLS to SpaceX’s Starship.
It is like comparing a bow and arrow to a laser gun.

[Rusozak]

Actually NASA is still launching it, with NASA astronauts.
Although they did not build it. But NASA has many deep structural problems that mean we have no choice. SpaceX is better at designing and building rockets. Until NASA can actually design and build good rockets again, it will have to buy them from outside sources.

Maybe this form of privatization is not a bad thing. It's not like we are contracting to a Chinese company.

It's not a big change, actually. Even the space shuttles were built by Boeing and Rockwell as contractors. I don't think NASA by itself actually does a whole lot of the design and building, if any. AT least not in recent decades.

[Fartsniffage]

https://iss-sim.spacex.com/

For a bit of fun while you wait.

[Kandorith]

I'm so hyped about this too be fair. I've followed Space-X for a while now and honestly watching the first successful booster landing, the drone ship landing etc live was so amazing. I really everything will go according to plan, or at least sorta according to plan.

Apparently the rocket will be visible from here tonight so I will be watching from my balcony to hopefully get a glimpse of the then small light on the horizon. ^^

[Soled]

https://iss-sim.spacex.com/

For a bit of fun while you wait.

this is too big brain for me, i just want to watch rocket go up in sky.

[Kandorith]

https://iss-sim.spacex.com/

For a bit of fun while you wait.

this is too big brain for me, i just want to watch rocket go up in sky.

Rocket go woosh!

[Drew Durrnil]

So, I believe this is the first thread I've started in General, but I believe it is appropriate given my personal interests.

So as we all know, SpaceX is a private corporation ambitiously directed by the notoriously liked and hated Elon Musk with the stated goal of opening up space to private development. They have already been supplying the station with an uncrewed vehicle for some time, but they have also been developing a vehicle capable of carrying new crewmembers to the station as well. Today on Wednesday is the scheduled launch of the Crew Dragon Demo-2 at 4:33 PM EDT, although it appears that the well-known Florida weather has a chance of delaying the launch until Saturday. If successfully carried out, this would be the first launch from US soil of a crewed spacecraft since the last shuttle launch, STS-135, in 2011. From this point on, NASA astronauts, along with other nationalities perhaps, would begin being launched from Cape Kennedy once again, which could certainly be a point of pride for American space buffs, although it is a corporation and not NASA directly doing so.

So what say you, NSG?

Does this launch excite you? Do you not like that Elon Musk will have a sizable share of the credit for this? Would you prefer that NASA itself launch astronauts to the ISS? Am I terrible at making threads?

Discuss!

News Link

I have been waiting for this moment for years now

[The Black Forrest]

To infinity and beyond, space cowboy!

I really am excited for it, and I hope it goes swimmingly!

Wow. A reference to an animated film and an anime series. Well done

[Merni]

The Soyuz has exactly 4 fatalities (in 2 missions, both before 1975) and 11 failed manned missions (all but one before 1985) in 144 manned missions and 53 years of service. I'll be mighty impressed if a spacecraft built essentially for profit manages to even equal that record

[Brunswick-upon-Raritan]

Fun fact, the inventors of the astronaut suit who narrowly won NASA's contract for that project was a women's undergarment company. Bra-maker Playtex beat out a bunch of big traditional defense contractors because they were the only ones who could figure out how to make a light-weight, flexible, and durable spacesuit. The men who walked on the moon literally wore spacesuits made from the same synthetic materials used in modern bras and lingerie.

[Novus America]

The Soyuz has exactly 4 fatalities (in 2 missions, both before 1975) and 11 failed manned missions (all but one before 1985) in 144 manned missions and 53 years of service. I'll be mighty impressed if a spacecraft built essentially for profit manages to even equal that record

It might, built for profit does not inherently make it less safe given although it was built for profit the main customer is hyper risk adverse.

The Soyuz is reliable but very dated. Crossbows are reliable but we no longer carry them into battle. If a proven track record was the only concern we would still be in the Stone Age.

[Merni]

The Soyuz has exactly 4 fatalities (in 2 missions, both before 1975) and 11 failed manned missions (all but one before 1985) in 144 manned missions and 53 years of service. I'll be mighty impressed if a spacecraft built essentially for profit manages to even equal that record

It might, built for profit does not inherently make it less safe given although it was built for profit the main customer is hyper risk adverse.

The Soyuz is reliable but very dated. Crossbows are reliable but we no longer carry them into battle. If a proven track record was the only concern we would still be in the Stone Age.

Space travel isn't warfare (yet). If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

It would be presumptuous of me to say that something built for profit is always inherently unreliable, so I'm not saying that; all I'm saying is the Soyuz has one hell of a record, and if this ship manages to beat it, I will be very impressed.

[The New California Republic]

https://iss-sim.spacex.com/

For a bit of fun while you wait.

Did it first time. Very satisfying.

[Bear Stearns]

Fun fact, the inventors of the astronaut suit who narrowly won NASA's contract for that project was a women's undergarment company. Bra-maker Playtex beat out a bunch of big traditional defense contractors because they were the only ones who could figure out how to make a light-weight, flexible, and durable spacesuit. The men who walked on the moon literally wore spacesuits made from the same synthetic materials used in modern bras and lingerie.

Playtex first got big by making latex for the US Navy in World War II.

[Fartsniffage]

Fun fact, the inventors of the astronaut suit who narrowly won NASA's contract for that project was a women's undergarment company. Bra-maker Playtex beat out a bunch of big traditional defense contractors because they were the only ones who could figure out how to make a light-weight, flexible, and durable spacesuit. The men who walked on the moon literally wore spacesuits made from the same synthetic materials used in modern bras and lingerie.

Playtex first got big by making latex for the US Navy in World War II.

Sooo many seamen jokes there....

[Novus America]

It might, built for profit does not inherently make it less safe given although it was built for profit the main customer is hyper risk adverse.

The Soyuz is reliable but very dated. Crossbows are reliable but we no longer carry them into battle. If a proven track record was the only concern we would still be in the Stone Age.

Space travel isn't warfare (yet). If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

It would be presumptuous of me to say that something built for profit is always inherently unreliable, so I'm not saying that; all I'm saying is the Soyuz has one hell of a record, and if this ship manages to beat it, I will be very impressed.

This does not only apply to military matters. We no longer use 1960s computers. They worked.
But we could make better ones.

But Soyuz is broke. Safety is a concern but not the only concern.
Soyuz is more expensive and not reusable.
And it is a national security problem for the US.

Again taking the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” too far and we would still be stuck in the Stone Age.