Crew Dragon

Beeker

Finally the test flight for the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft is almost here. Dragon will launch on a Falcon 9 booster tomorrow morning at 07:48 UTC. I have been waiting since 2011 for this moment. If all goes well a crew will fly on the next one sometime around July. Fingers crossed.

https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/02/28/spacexs-crew-dragon-rolls-out-for-test-flight/

Beeker

Though the unpiloted capsule will not carry any actual people on board for this mission, the SpaceX spacesuit-wearing mannequin will be able to gauge the environmental conditions for when astronauts do eventually take a ride on the spaceship.
They have named the mannequin Ripley after Ellen Ripley from Alien

rolion

AND...we can see live,the ISS station and the Dragon capsule on :

Sun Mar 3, 5:10 AM 2 min 37° 35° above S 22° above ESE


The following DRAGON_DEMO_1 sightings are possible from Friday Mar 1, 2019 through Saturday Mar 16, 2019

Date
Sun Mar 3, 5:10 AM
Visible 2 min
Max Height 26*
Appears 35° above S
Disappears 20° above ESE


https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/sightings/view.cfm?country=Ireland&region=None&city=Dublin#.XHq_dWxCfcs


Weather here:
https://en.sat24.com/en/forecastimages

Itssoeasy

We have had splashdown of Crew Dragon in the Atlantic ocean earlier today. The first splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean by an American spacecraft since Apollo 7( I think) It was certainly either a late Gemini mission or the first manned Apollo flight. Anyway it's back and the Americans have a launchable spacecraft so presumably the using of the Soyuz to get NASA astronauts will wind down at some point.

Beeker

Itssoeasy wrote: »

We have had splashdown of Crew Dragon in the Atlantic ocean earlier today. The first splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean by an American spacecraft since Apollo 7( I think) It was certainly either a late Gemini mission or the first manned Apollo flight. Anyway it's back and the Americans have a launchable spacecraft so presumably the using of the Soyuz to get NASA astronauts will wind down at some point.

Yeah Apollo 7 was the last. I can't wait for the crewed launch this summer.

Beeker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8LUbag1bS0

Itssoeasy

Just to correct what I said about Apollo 7 being the last Atlantic Ocean splashdown. It appears I made a mistake on that. The mission that was recently celebrating its 50th anniversary Apollo 9 splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean.

rolion

So... no questioning the test flight, but a bitter taste here: is a technical success or a political motivated vctory !??

Capt'n Midnight

rolion wrote: »

So... no questioning the test flight, but a bitter taste here: is a technical success or a political motivated vctory !??

A little from column A , a little from colum B.


And a couple of billion of pork barrelling. Because re-inventing the wheel is big business.

Don't worry Boeing will be getting twice as much for the CST-100 Starliner.

And there's billions more for Dream Chaser and the New Shepard Crew Capsule.


Meanwhile you can hail a Soyuz for $0.07Bn a seat. Like the one that went up earlier today.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/03/14/soyuz-ms-12-mission-status-center/

Beeker

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Just to correct what I said about Apollo 7 being the last Atlantic Ocean splashdown. It appears I made a mistake on that. The mission that was recently celebrating its 50th anniversary Apollo 9 splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean.

That's correct I forgot 9 landed in the Atlantic