Return to Space

[Fred Garvin]

Just a reminder.....the SpaceX Dragon might launch today at 16:33 EDT. (50% as of now) This returns us to launching Astronauts from US soil and will be the first commercial launch of a human crew. I’ve got DirecTV and coverage is on 3 channels : Natgeo, Discovery and Discovery Science.

 

[Ty Pilot]

I'm just about 25 miles away from there. Thunderstorms all through the area right now, but we're still hopeful that if it does launch that all goes well. We were going to go see it but reports are the roads leading over have not been this packed since the Apollo days. Typically we watch from home and only miss the first few seconds of the launch but if it goes today I suspect clouds will not allow us to see.

 

[Fred Garvin]

See if you can get close, then fly your H+ for a close up view of the launch. Get some video and be sure to post it on YouTube......

 

[Ty Pilot]

You read my mind, except I will probably use my Mavic 2 Pro because you know, so I don't have to get closer than a few miles, probably will fly from inside the car to stay dry while I'm having lunch.























PS for those not sure - we're kidding.

 

[Fred Garvin]

Yes, certainly enjoy the air conditioning while you're flying. That OccuSync should get you right up next to the pad.

 

[Fred Garvin]

I do have to admit....I am a little nervous that some dumba$$ will try this.

@Ty Pilot have they made any announcements to drone operators in the area? Any warnings to not even try it? I would think, considering the Blue Angels fiasco, there would be some public statement warning operators stupid enough to try this, that repercussions would be severe.

 

[Ty Pilot]

I've heard nothing on the news but it is being treated like a very serious deal, for one I don't ever remember any 80 mile (40 radius) TFRs during any space launch in the past and there is one now. I am half thinking this is not only due to it being a manned launch again but also there are hint's POTAS will be here.

I sure hope all drone pilots know not to fly but there is likely more of the morons that think it is a game. I hope they fry that A$$hole that flew next to the Blues.

 

[Fred Garvin]

Me too....I got a good chuckle and a hearty "here here" for Vic's conversation with him.....and now he's gone dark. I'm sure he's not sleeping well.

 

[Ty Pilot]

 

[Fred Garvin]

I took a look at it online.....that's big.

They just showed a shot of AF1 on approach.....

 

[Murray Martz]

Just a reminder.....the SpaceX Dragon might launch today at 16:33 EDT. (50% as of now) This returns us to launching Astronauts from US soil and will be the first commercial launch of a human crew. I’ve got DirecTV and coverage is on 3 channels : Natgeo, Discovery and Discovery Science.

To be clear, yes, I know I'm a bit of a dick.

It's not really "us" as in if you are speaking about the United States launching as the US stopped a very long time ago pursuing that avenue. On the other hand Elon Musk has been the one that has actually been pushing space exploration. This time around the United States is hitching a ride with Elon Musk with the SpaceX Dragon. His company is way beyond and past whatever the United States may have had or may have at this point.

You can now return to your regular program viewing.

 

[Fred Garvin]

I consider "us" as being all of us...citizens, government, companies.....whatever. If it's a private citizen, a company, corporation, government entity....if it's US-based and owned, it's "us". SpaceX is an American company based in Cali and Musk is a US Citizen (and Canada, South Africa).

If you only consider "us" as being the government.....

The really BIG jump today is a private company launching humans into space. Yes, they're NASA Astronauts, but once Man Rated, nothing to stop SpaceX from commercializing space and routinely launching any human with enough money....without the controversy the Russians got from it.....today is like the very first airline flying its first customers....it's a monumental step.

And we're doing it.......Americans.....Old Glory wavers, Little Pink Houses......

 

[Fred Garvin]

Oh well....scrubbed for today.....weather.

 

[Ty Pilot]

I will leave politics out of this but I was deeply saddened when the original return to the moon program was cancelled by a previous administration and turned NASA into a hollowed out shell of it's former self that was given the task of going around to third world nations and congratulating them on their vast contributions to math and science instead of space flight. The current program was agreed upon during that period and was well under way years ago so it's what we're stuck with.

I would like to see NASA put back together again and get back to doing what they did best (and what still hasn't been achieved by any other country nearly 51 years later) And even though this new program has been heralded as somehow 'so advanced' - they have still burned and blown up their share of rockets and boosters even with all the previous knowledge handed to them.

But one thing is for sure - it is US (American Taxpayer) doing this, same as before. That is unless Mr. Musk is doing all this free gratis and of his own good will.

 

[Fred Garvin]

He actually seeded SpaceX with $100M of his own money. There are major investors in it now.

Yeah, I'm a child of Apollo. We lived in Houston back then... The Moonwalks were always so exciting. I remember by Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz we thought we'd have bases on the Moon and huge stations by 2000...and I'm part of the huge crowd of the disappointed.

 

[R G]

I've heard nothing on the news but it is being treated like a very serious deal, for one I don't ever remember any 80 mile (40 radius) TFRs during any space launch in the past and there is one now. I am half thinking this is not only due to it being a manned launch again but also there are hint's POTAS will be here.

POTUS will be back Saturday to promote his Space Force...



RG

 

[Fred Garvin]

As of now, it's a 50% Chance of Launch for tomorrow at 15:22 EDT. If they go, they're scheduled to dock with ISS on Sunday morning, 10:29 EDT.....

 

[Ty Pilot]

The administrator for NASA in a press conference on Thursday mentioned the 'weather' (clouds and rain) on the day they scrubbed the launch was not the concern but the conditions for lightning was the only concern. Today's weather here is typical for this time of year - virtually unpredictable. Someone posted this on another forum. I think it is good that an agency like this is finally talking directly to the drone community as a preemptive measure.

The Aeroscopes are up and running and; as Sheriff Bueford T Justice once lamented: "You can think about it . . . .but don't do it."

 

[DoomMeister]

If it was the Secret Service, then it was due to POTAS being there. The TFR’s for most launches have been with NASA as the requesting entity. That was how I usually knew a launch was scheduled. The TFR would be in place the day prior to launch.

 

[Fred Garvin]

..Today's weather here is typical for this time of year - virtually unpredictable...

We get that soup in the Spring. Extreme humidity and afternoon heating....they pop up. Predicting them? It's like looking at a big pot of water that is just about to boil, and predicting where the bubbles will form.