Spacex launches NASA astronauts into Earth orbit

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Today, Saturday 30 May 2020, private company Spacex luanched a spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts inside into Earth orbit.

This marks the first manned spaceflight launched from the USA since Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis in July 2011

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-52855029

[oldmanwinters]

Truly, we live in an age of wonders.

[IndigoErth]

We caught it on tv. Glad it went well and fun to see a modern version of the launches that used to be on years ago with the good old shuttles. (Though I'll always miss the iconic shuttles. A rocket will never have same visual impact as a "space plane.")

We were a little disappointed that we didn't see the rocket land back on the ship... Or rather we expected it to be retrieved from the water. Just suddenly see a shot of it standing there on the ship like this was no biggie at all.

Though I think them playing the tape of the Challenger could have been skipped.

[Galactus]

Saw it fly over. I was gobsmacked I always try and look for the ISS and meteor showers whenever it's reported to be passing through the sky, I even looked for the Star Link satellites every night but nothing. The last time I actuallu saw any of these kind of things was Hale Bop in 2000 so it's all shades of exciting for me.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

We were a little disappointed that we didn't see the rocket land back on the ship... Or rather we expected it to be retrieved from the water. Just suddenly see a shot of it standing there on the ship like this was no biggie at all.

Yeah, for all the news coverage this event got, they really botched a key moment in history by not having a camera focused on the landing pad.

[IndigoErth]

Found video. Come on... that isn't real. I know it is, but it's so calm, like its just pulling into a parking space, it's a little surreal.

Originally Posted by Galactus

Saw it fly over. I was gobsmacked I always try and look for the ISS and meteor showers whenever it's reported to be passing through the sky, I even looked for the Star Link satellites every night but nothing. The last time I actuallu saw any of these kind of things was Hale Bop in 2000 so it's all shades of exciting for me.

So lucky!

Would love to see a launch in person, wish we could have seen one of the shuttles. Only launch we've been lucky enough to see from here was the red glow of the rocket that took off from Virginia back in 2016.

[Sumac]

This was amazing.
Sadly it will take a lot of time before spaceflights will become as easy and casual as traveling to another country on a train, but seeing those steps is great too.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

Found video. Come on... that isn't real. I know it is, but it's so calm, like its just pulling into a parking space, it's a little surreal.

Wow looks like an effect from the Christopher Reeves Superman films where the missiles get sent back on rewind!

[IMJ]

This is such a huge deal given the combination of information - dead space program from the last Presidency gives way to nine years of latency but is rekindled by an American-centered political climate, ironically smeared by online leftist media and the uninformed, yet was accomplished not via a government entity but rather via PPP coordinated from the efforts of private sector entrepreneurship.

That launch was straight up Americana in every way.

But instead of appropriate celebration, we've got a cross section of the population rioting in the streets over a deeply unfortunate, terrible incident even though the asswipes involved are being prosecuted.

[IndigoErth]

Must we try to turn it political...

Maybe our goverment controlled space program has been partially dormant, but private companies have been working on/toward this for quite a few years and not due to the current presidency.




edit: I think it was the Science channel we had on... The guy who was broadcasting for the channel (or was it all channels?), did anyone else hear him accidentally call astronauts Bob and Doug...Dob and Bug? lol

[IMJ]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

Must we try to turn it political...

Maybe our goverment controlled space program has been partially dormant, but private companies have been working on/toward this for quite a few years and not due to the current presidency.

It's a valid observation. Shutting it down by distilling the comparison down to a political ploy doesn't invalidate the observation.

It is indeed disgusting to have such good things happening while the social component of life falls to riots.

I could address your other point about private companies and those years, but it's not worth it. LMAO I'm just happy to take the country's victory and achievement from the launch.

[IndigoErth]

"Valid" or not, there is a time and place. This is not it.

You must be fun to live and/or work with.






Anyway... Anyone know if there is a specific mission patch for this? Have the patches for the last Shuttle missions and would love to have this one if available for collectors.

[Leo656]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

You must be fun to live and/or work with.

I can't confirm or deny, but I have it on good authority that he's Captain of his office's Wiener Tag Championship-winning team.

[Andrew NDB]

I hate to be the curmudgeon that's like, "wake me up when we get to Mars, or at least the Moon again," but that's sort of where I'm at.

I'm all for this stuff, 3000%. But... this is old hat. It's great that it's happening, but simultaneously sad that 60 years later, this is all we're celebrating -- the stuff we did eons ago.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Except that now it's private enterprises rather than the government doing it, which is a HUUUGE leap. We watched both the launch and the docking, and it was so cool!

[Sumac]

As rare as it happens I must agree with MMD.

It's a huge leap, which in theory will significantly speed up innovation in the industry, will bring new ideas, without bureaucrats tampering with stuff. It's basically an adrenaline shot into space race.

I wonder what Russian response will be? Will our director of space agency drawn another dog?

[IndigoErth]

Saw the docking, but missed them boarding the ISS if it was on, couldn't find it when I looked. New Tweets showing them on board now. (In the black shirts.)

Spoiler:

I love how the suits come off and under it they're just office casual, in polos and khakis, like they just work at Staples...like no biggie, just went into space to stay and work on the space station for a while. lol I know others have worn polos and whatnot there often, but to think this was the outfits they put on yesterday morning and wore under the suits to go to space is kinda funny now.


But that hall(?) to the left is truly outrageous.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by MsMarvelDuckie

Except that now it's private enterprises rather than the government doing it, which is a HUUUGE leap. We watched both the launch and the docking, and it was so cool!

In the future, I guess private companies will launch near-Earth spaceflights, like into Earth orbit and maybe one day to the Moon. Meanwhile, governments will operate longer spaceflights, like to Mars, Pluto and, one day, beoynd the Solar System.

[Klunk1234]

That launch was absolutely amazing! I recorded it.