Spacex first human launch 27th May

namloc1980

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Exciting stuff. The launch time is 4.33pm ET on May 27th to the ISS. That's 9.33pm here so possible we might get to see it passing overhead about 20 mins after launch (weather permitting).

kowloon

I hope they plan on bringing them back safely and not sacrificing them to the sun to secure a bountiful harvest and an end to the plague.

MayoForSam

Of course Elon wouldn't miss the opportunity to promote Tesla while they're at it (this is the Model X they'll use to transport Bob and Doug to the Crew Dragon).



I guess it does make a change from the old lump of an RV that NASA have used since the 1960's .

namloc1980

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cp8fPINSB4

Rollout to the launch pad. Also notice the NASA worm logo is back!

Beeker

Nice animation of the flight. Can't wait its a long time coming:)

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

namloc1980

Interesting article here on the launch abort modes for the crewed Dragon. 2 of the abort splashdown zones are off the west coast of Ireland. Obviously hope nothing like that happens, but an interesting dimension for us here.

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/05/examining-crew-dragons-launch-abort-modes-and-splashdown-locations/

iLikeWaffles

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

Meh they made this much easier!

Discodog

Those suits are so sci fi

namloc1980

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7eogADX_og

Dress rehearsal complete.

irishgeo

namloc1980 wrote: »

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Exciting stuff. The launch time is 4.33pm ET on May 27th to the ISS. That's 9.33pm here so possible we might get to see it passing overhead about 20 mins after launch (weather permitting).

only 40% chance of launch probability so far.

couple of very bright ISS passes next week so we should see the dragon chasing after the ISS.

one of the later abort zones is a zone on the west of Ireland. A certain percentage of abort zones must have good weather for the launch to go ahead.

I wonder who is providing recovery cover for that?

namloc1980

60% Go now for tomorrow. If the weather is clear we might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of it flying over the south about 15-20 mins after launch tomorrow evening. Should be able to see 2 objects flying in close formation - the Dragon capsule with astronauts on board and the second stage. Fingers crossed!

Cool video in this tweet from Spacex:

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upupup

If everything goes to plan,its passing twice tomorrow night,it may be too bright to see the first pass.



Second pass is low in the sky @magnitude 1.8

Itssoeasy

irishgeo wrote: »

only 40% chance of launch probability so far.

couple of very bright ISS passes next week so we should see the dragon chasing after the ISS.

one of the later abort zones is a zone on the west of Ireland. A certain percentage of abort zones must have good weather for the launch to go ahead.

I wonder who is providing recovery cover for that?

US Air Force according to a NASA press conference that's happening just now as leo enright asked the question we've all been wondering about if the capsule has to abort further down range like west coast of Ireland.

iLikeWaffles

upupup wrote: »

If everything goes to plan,its passing twice tomorrow night,it may be too bright to see the first pass.



Second pass is low in the sky @magnitude 1.8

Have you a link for the page on Heavens above where these images are.

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Get the cameras at the ready!

Was trying to see if I could get comet Swan in a shot earlier with the moon (long exposure). But I got wrecked with clouds just after I thought I spotted in the binoculars, in fairness it was about 5 minutes later. If it does go ahead and the skies are clear a nice crescent moon will be in the skies. Would be nice even if there's a couple of gaps!

upupup

iLikeWaffles wrote: »

Have you a link for the page on Heavens above where these images are.

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From the homepage choose what you want,iss,crew dragon,starlink. choose visible only or all,there is also the option of selecting and saving your location in the top right as northern counties will see less than southern counties see.

Click on the date or time in the main box and then pick ground track.

Storm 10

Will it be covered live on TV I guess Sky will cover it

namloc1980

Storm 10 wrote: »

Will it be covered live on TV I guess Sky will cover it

Spacex and NASA will have full coverage on YouTube also.

Harry Palmr

This is what I'm getting from heavens above


27 May 1.9 23:25:51 10° WSW 23:27:27 18° SSW 23:27:30 18° SSW visible
28 May 2.5 23:28:23 10° SW 23:29:07 12° SW 23:29:07 12° SW visible

iLikeWaffles

iLikeWaffles wrote: »

Have you a link for the page on Heavens above where these images are.

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From the homepage choose what you want,iss,crew dragon,starlink. choose visible only or all,there is also the option of selecting and saving your location in the top right as northern counties will see less than southern counties see.

Click on the date or time in the main box and then pick ground track.

Ground track! here

iLikeWaffles

Harry Palmr wrote: »

This is what I'm getting from heavens above


27 May 1.9 23:25:51 10° WSW 23:27:27 18° SSW 23:27:30 18° SSW visible
28 May 2.5 23:28:23 10° SW 23:29:07 12° SW 23:29:07 12° SW visible

View all then click the dates in the table should show the 21:50 with moon I posted a few posts ago, you then click on Ground track in upper right just below the Page Header. It is not the most intuitive website, the app has the same difficulty to use.

josip

The forecast for this evening is clear (Dublin) so I might try to watch the first pass with my son.


https://www.heavens-above.com is giving the following times for Dublin. (Subtract an hour to adjust for daylight savings time)






Does anyone expect these would be visible from a housing estate at that time of the evening, or should we go to a darker location?

iLikeWaffles

Anyone know if the rockets will still be burning when it reaches Ireland? Blast off 21:33, I think. 20 mins or so later.

namloc1980

iLikeWaffles wrote: »

Anyone know if the rockets will still be burning when it reaches Ireland? Blast off 21:33, I think. 20 mins or so later.

No the second stage engine cutoff is around T+9mins. The Dragon separates from the 2nd stage at T+12m so by the time it is over Ireland, and if it is visible, you should see two objects flying close together - with the crewed Dragon in front and the spent second stage behind. The second stage will reenter and burn up over southeastern Europe/Middle East.

It'll be tricky to see it because at that time c.21.54 the sky will still be in twilight. Fingers crossed. I do remember a few years ago seeing a Spacex resupply Dragon to the ISS flying over Ireland. It was very cool.

upupup

josip wrote: »

T


Does anyone expect these would be visible from a housing estate at that time of the evening, or should we go to a darker location?

The ISS pass will be visible from your location as its nearly as bright as venus @magnitude -2.8

The crew dragon pass you posted is the second pass and not as bright and also low in the sky.The crew dragon first pass info is shown when you choose "all" instead of "visible only"

don't subtract for daylightsaving.the times are correct for ireland

josip

upupup wrote: »

The ISS pass will be visible from your location as its nearly as bright as venus @magnitude -2.8

The crew dragon pass you posted is the second pass and not as bright and also low in the sky.The crew dragon first pass info is shown when you choose "all" instead of "visible only"

don't subtract for daylightsaving.the times are correct for ireland

Thanks UpUpUp.

Do you know what magnitude is expected for the Crew Dragon the first time over?
The second time, it's only as bright as the brightest star in the Plough from my layman's reading.

upupup

josip wrote: »

Thanks UpUpUp.

Do you know what magnitude is expected for the Crew Dragon the first time over?
The second time, it's only as bright as the brightest star in the Plough from my layman's reading.

the first pass may not be visible at all and yes,the second will be as bright as the plough

Storm 10

Here's hoping for at least an hours delay it will be dark then

CrabRevolution

Discodog wrote: »

Those suits are so sci fi

Call me old fashioned but they just don't look like a classic space suit to me! A proper suit should invoke an image of man merged with machine, going somewhere dangerous and needing protection from harm. Those suits invoke an image to me of well attired naval officers going into space- much like Sci Fi as you say.

Though I know they're not designed for EVA so they don't need all the accessories of say a moonwalker spacesuit anyway....

namloc1980

Storm 10 wrote: »

Here's hoping for at least an hours delay it will be dark then

It's an instantaneous launch window. If it doesn't happen tonight at 21.33 then the next launch window is Saturday evening at around 20.45.

iLikeWaffles

Not liking the lingering clouds to the west but if it continues to swirl in that northern direction it will remain clear for most of Ireland....



https://en.sat24.com/en/eu/visual

Itssoeasy

So this is the first launch of a new American spacecraft since the shuttle with the first one being Alan Shepard in mercury, then Gemini, then Apollo, then the shuttle, and now spaceX.

I've seen people say that Skylab should be included and while yes Skylab was a separate vehicle it used a Saturn V second stage and was accessed using a Apollo CSM so it wasn't a new vehicle imo