A new era in NASA inspiration dawns with the US launch of the futuristic SpaceX Crew Dragon atop the Falcon 9 rocket

Posted by Paul Braren on May 27 2020 (updated on Jun 1 2020) in
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    Here are the launch windows:

    The instantaneous launch window opens at 4:33 p.m. EDT, or 20:33 UTC, with backup instantaneous launch opportunities available on Saturday, May 30 at 3:22 p.m. EDT, or 19:22 UTC, and on Sunday, May 31 at 3:00 p.m. EDT, or 19:00 UTC.

    Wed May 27 2020 04:17pm ET
    The Wednesday, May 27 launch opportunity has been scrubbed due to weather, they'll try again this weekend.

    Sat May 30 2020 09:44am ET

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    May 30 2020 at 9:44am - @paulbraren's tweet - Here’s the odds of Rocket launch for the next 3 opportunities, with 50% chance of launch today. #LaunchAmerica

    Sat May 30 2020 3:22pm ET - Liftoff!

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    If you've followed TinkerTry for a while, you'll know that I'm an enthusiastic fan of all things space and aviation related. I remember the Columbia and Challenger disasters well. I was helping family in Florida in the 1990s, and luck would have it I got to see a Space Shuttle launch with my own eyes. It was incredible, but seen solo, I always wished for the chance to show my sons a launch to one day. That opportunity (mostly) happened in February of 2018, when we got to see that incredible Falcon Heavy launch with the 2 side boosters coming back to land tail-first, with the characteristic sonic boom punctuating the special occasion, standing there with my older son.

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    What's really special is that this mission marks the start of the privatization of space flight, with NASA now hosting both SpaceX and Boeing launches from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It's the culmination of a decade of dozens of successful launches of the now-very-reliable Falcon rocket featuring 9 innovative Merlin engines. What's also special is the new style, flare, and look of the futuristic spacecraft featuring a bright interior, mostly touch screens, and a decidedly modern overall vibe intentionally designed for function, but also to inspire future generations of astronauts across the earth.

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    I hope you'll enjoy this re-cap of some highlights from this special day that really caught my attention, even if weather does wind up delaying this launch window until this weekend. I know the emotions of any launch are certainly heightened, knowing full well how risky any such mission can be.

    Video Streams

    SpaceX and NASA live stream seems to be 720p60 max, but if I find a better one, I'll update this article.

    SpaceX - May 30 2020 - Crew Demo-2 [live feed 720p60]
    NASA TV - May 30 2020 - Watch the launch here on NASA Live: Official Stream of NASA TV [live feed 720p60]
    Everyday Astronaut - May 30 2020 - LIVE only 3 miles away from SpaceX and NASA launching humans to space for the first time! [live feed 1080p30]

    Photos

    suited-up
    Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley suited up.
    launch-escape
    Launch Escape Demonstration
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    Image from astronaut Bob Behnken's tweet from @AstroBehnken on Jun 01 2020, showing Demo-1 launch from May 30 2020.
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    Image from astronaut Bob Behnken's tweet from @AstroBehnken on Jun 01 2020, showing Demo-1 launch from May 30 2020.

    See also

    nasa-astronauts-go-back-future-with-capsule-launch

    NASA astronauts go back to the future with capsule launch
    May 25 2020 by Marcia Dunn at Fox19|Now

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — It’s back to the future as NASA astronauts launch again from the U.S. — aboard a retro-style “Right Stuff” capsule.

    Make no mistake: This is not your father’s — or grandfather’s — capsule.

    SpaceX’s Dragon crew capsule outshines NASA’s old Apollo spacecraft in virtually every way. The Dragon’s clean lines and minimalist interior, with touchscreens instead of a mess of switches and knobs, make even the space shuttles seem yesteryear.

    It will be the first astronaut launch from Florida since Atlantis closed out the space shuttle program in 2011, and the first American-made capsule to carry people into orbit since the Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975.

    See also at TinkerTry

    tech-breakfast-2020-05-04
    experiencing-the-first-falcon-heavy-launch-from-7-miles-away

    Twitter Highlights

    More cool space stuff
    NASA Goddard - Feb 24 2020 - Apollo 13 Views of the Moon in 4K
    SpaceX - May 01 2020 - Crew Dragon In-Flight Escape Demonstration Recap
    Primal Space - Jun 06 2018 - Why does the SpaceX droneship camera cut out?
    Primal Space - Apr 21 2018 - How does SpaceX transport the Falcon 9?

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    Paul Braren, MCSE in 1998, VCP #2681 in 2005, vExpert 2014 to 2024, Veeam Vanguard Emeritus, 2015 to 2019.

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