Every mission to the International Space Station is significant, and this one marks a new era in human spaceflight. Welcome, Crew Dragon!
Chris Ferguson also sent his congratulations (via Twitter):
Proud to yield the title of "The last commander of an American launched spacecraft" to Doug Hurley who, with Bob Behnken, has returned the U.S. to space from KSC after 3,252 days. Well done Commercial Crew and SpaceX!
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51573 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 06-03-2020 09:56 AM
NASA has released a collection of launch views:
SpaceAngel Member
Posts: 454 From: Maryland Registered: May 2010
posted 06-03-2020 06:03 PM
Will management decide how long Hurley and Behnken will remain in orbit?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51573 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 06-03-2020 06:20 PM
Unless an emergency requires they return to Earth sooner, mission managers will decide the landing date based on the performance of the Crew Dragon and the space station's needs.
NASA's space station program officials have said they would like to bring Behnken and Hurley home as close as they can to Crew 1 being ready to launch (currently targeted for no earlier than Aug. 30).
Delta7 Member
Posts: 1746 From: Bluffton IN USA Registered: Oct 2007
posted 06-03-2020 06:32 PM
I'm guessing end of July. 60-day mission +/-
oly Member
Posts: 1463 From: Perth, Western Australia Registered: Apr 2015
posted 06-03-2020 07:54 PM
quote:Originally posted by Robert Pearlman: NASA has released a collection of launch views
Sadly the worm is obscured in every shot.
Aeropix Member
Posts: 62 From: Dubai Registered: Apr 2010
posted 06-04-2020 08:28 AM
At the risk of being "that guy" but being interested in industrial design, does anybody have any details of the toilet system on Dragon? I noticed in some of the in-flight video what looked like the "Men's/Women's" room international sign on the cabinet above the hatch, which I thought was a funny touch.
Sadly, every internet search reveals comments like "SpaceX engineers acknowledge the existence of the toilet but will not say anything more about it." It seems to me that it's either some kind of secret proprietary thing or there's nothing impressive to see. Maybe it's just a cabinet full of Apollo style poop bags and handi-wipes after all?
Anyway, just figured I'd be "that guy" to bring the toilet topic. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is curious.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51573 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 06-04-2020 08:43 AM
SpaceX has not, to my knowledge, provided a look at the design of the Crew Dragon's waste management system. Doug Hurley, speaking from aboard the space station, had this to say:
It works very similar to the one we were used to on the space shuttle and it worked very well. We had no issues with it.
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3855 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 06-04-2020 09:45 AM
quote:Originally posted by LM-12: Gemini and Apollo era suiting-up photos on the wall of the suit-up room
There is a picture on the wall of Neil Armstrong suiting up. It is above the brown door in the background.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51573 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 06-11-2020 01:26 AM
From Doug Hurley (via Twitter) on Wednesday (June 10, 2020):
The view from Dragon today.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51573 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 06-28-2020 10:32 AM
From Bob Behnken (via Twitter) on Saturday (June 27, 2020):
Yesterday Chris Cassidy snapped this shot from our [EVA] worksite on space station – SpaceX's Crew Dragon and JAXA's HTV in clear view. Not bad for a view while working...
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51573 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
The SpaceX Crew Dragon (center right), the Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle-9 resupply ship (center bottom) and Europe's Columbus laboratory module figure prominently in this photograph taken during a spacewalk conducted by astronauts Bob Behnken and Chris Cassidy.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51573 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-10-2020 12:59 PM
NASA video
You saw history made with the first crewed launch and docking of the SpaceX Crew Dragon, but you didn't see the flurry of activity on board the International Space Station…until now.
Join Expedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy and his crewmates as they prepare their cameras to document the DM-2 launch, and look over their shoulders to witness the new American spacecraft dock to the station and deliver their new crewmates.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51573 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-17-2020 10:37 AM
NASA is tentatively targeting Aug. 2 for the return of the Demo-2 crew, with a splashdown off the coast of Florida in the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico. The landing site is pending weather forecasts. From NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (via Twitter):
We're targeting an Aug. 1 departure of SpaceX's Dragon Endeavour spacecraft from the International Space Station to bring Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley home after their historic mission. Splashdown is targeted for Aug. 2. Weather will drive the actual date. Stay tuned.
MSS Member
Posts: 1030 From: Europe Registered: May 2003
posted 07-17-2020 03:17 PM
NASA's current plan is for Crew Dragon Endeavour to undock from the ISS at about 8 p.m. EDT on Aug. 1, with splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean scheduled for roughly 3 p.m. EDT on Aug. 2.
SPACEFACTS Member
Posts: 394 From: Germany Registered: Aug 2006
posted 07-19-2020 01:58 AM
Do we know the planned landing zones?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51573 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-23-2020 12:56 PM
There are seven potential splashdown sites (listed from west to east):
Pensacola
Panama City
Tallahassee
Tampa
Cape Canaveral
Daytona
Jacksonville
SpaceAngel Member
Posts: 454 From: Maryland Registered: May 2010
posted 07-23-2020 05:54 PM
When will the final decision will be made for the Dragon's splashdown point?
Headshot Member
Posts: 1264 From: Vancouver, WA, USA Registered: Feb 2012
posted 07-23-2020 06:24 PM
Do the yellow vs green pin colors have any significance?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51573 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-24-2020 05:38 PM
No significance is indicated.
quote:Originally posted by SpaceAngel: When will the final decision...
About two days prior to return, NASA and SpaceX teams will select primary and alternate splashdown target locations from the seven possible sites, with additional decision milestones about where Crew Dragon will splashdown taking place prior to the astronauts boarding the spacecraft, during free flight and before Crew Dragon performs a deorbit burn.
Teams will evaluate the forecasted weather conditions at the primary and alternate splashdown sites at each milestone to determine if the sites are "GO" or "NO-GO" for splashdown and recovery.
Return Decision Milestones
Pre-Departure (1 to 2 days prior to approximate departure) SpaceX and NASA will jointly make the decision to depart 48 hours prior to splashdown based on the status of the primary and alternate splashdown sites.
6 hours before undocking NASA and SpaceX make a decision on primary splashdown target.
2.5 hours before undocking SpaceX will monitor changes to conditions until 2.5 hours prior to the scheduled undocking, when a determination to proceed with departure will be made. If conditions are marginal and exceed the accepted criteria, a joint recommendation by SpaceX and NASA will be made whether to proceed with undocking.
Undocking NASA and SpaceX will make the final decision to proceed after the astronauts are ready inside Crew Dragon just before undocking.
Free Flight Crew Dragon will proceed with departure phasing burns as planned even if conditions are marginal or NO-GO at any upcoming supported landing site and exceed the accepted criteria. Given the splashdown site may be 24 hours or more away and weather can change, Crew Dragon will always proceed with departure phase burns to preserve the supported splashdown opportunity.
Wave-off If conditions remain NO-GO at the supported splashdown site, SpaceX and NASA will jointly make a decision to "wave-off." In a wave-off scenario, Crew Dragon will remain in orbit for the next landing attempt 24-48 hours later.
5 hours before Deorbit (6 hours before Splashdown) If conditions at the splashdown site are marginal and exceed the accepted criteria, SpaceX and NASA will jointly make a decision about whether to proceed with deorbit.
Crew Dragon Claw Separation (1 hour, 20 minutes before Splashdown) SpaceX will monitor changes to conditions through the decision to proceed with the deorbit burn (30 minutes before claw separation prep), when a final determination to proceed with deorbit will be made. The claw is located on Crew Dragon's trunk, connecting thermal control, power, and avionics system components located on the trunk to the capsule.
328KF Member
Posts: 1391 From: Registered: Apr 2008
posted 07-29-2020 11:36 AM
After docking, SpaceX, in what appeared to be a prepared text, informed Bob Behnken that his suit showed a higher leak rate than expected while he was buttoned up in it for that phase of flight.
Has there been any update to this and how it might affect the use of his suit during re-entry?
MSS Member
Posts: 1030 From: Europe Registered: May 2003
posted 07-29-2020 04:23 PM
Today Bob and Doug reported their suit checkouts went well with no issues.
328KF Member
Posts: 1391 From: Registered: Apr 2008
posted 07-29-2020 08:57 PM
Good news. Thanks!
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51573 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-31-2020 09:34 AM
NASA live video (event starts at 10:45 a.m. EDT)
NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley will address their upcoming SpaceX Crew Dragon departure and splashdown in a news conference at 10:45 a.m. EDT Friday, July 31, from the International Space Station.
Fellow NASA astronaut and current Expedition 63 commander Chris Cassidy will join the agency's SpaceX Demo-2 test flight crew for the 30-minute news conference.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51573 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-01-2020 09:42 AM
NASA video
Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy of NASA and Roscosmos cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner said farewell to NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Robert Behnken Aug. 1 before they began their journey home aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51573 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-01-2020 01:03 PM
NASA and SpaceX are targeting a splashdown off the coast Pensacola, and alternate site off the coast of Panama City, in the Gulf of Mexico at 2:41 p.m. EDT (1842 GMT) on Sunday (Aug. 2).
Continuous live NASA TV coverage of the return will begin at 5:15 p.m. EDT (2115 GMT) Saturday.
Aeropix Member
Posts: 62 From: Dubai Registered: Apr 2010
posted 08-02-2020 01:52 AM
I'm impressed that they are allowed to land in the Gulf of Mexico! Will this water landing be the closest one ever to the Continental US? Are they aiming to make these much more accurate than the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo landings? Maybe even the closest to any dry land? ASTP and Skylab 4 came pretty close to Hawaii in the Pacific while Friendship 7 came pretty close to land but off the Dominican Republic.
Other than that all of the previous 1960's and 1970's water landings look like they were chosen randomly throughout the Pacific and Atlantic. Was this NASA safety policy, or just a result of the basic technology of the time?
Is SpaceX able to land closer to the continental US because of better technology alone, or is there a change in policy that allows these landing targets? Could they get even closer to shore in the future?
Seems like with 50 years newer navigation technology and much better atmospheric wind predictions for the free flight under parachute we should be able to reliably aim these things to more specific targets.
I'm dreaming, but maybe they even convince NASA in future to let them try a propulsive landing or parachute to propulsive "assist" for land touchdowns?
Philip Member
Posts: 6243 From: Brussels, Belgium Registered: Jan 2001
posted 08-02-2020 06:51 AM
Is there a "commercial" recovery fleet or is there assistance of a US Navy carrier or ship?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51573 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-02-2020 07:20 AM
The U.S. Navy is not involved in the recovery.
SpaceX will first deploy two "fast boats" to assess the initial condition of the Dragon, followed by a recovery ship, a modified platform supply vessel (in this case the GO Navigator) staffed by 44 company and NASA personnel and equipped with a hoist to lift the Dragon out of the water, a medical facility and a helipad to fly the crew to shore.
quote:Originally posted by Aeropix: ...let them try a propulsive landing
SpaceX ceased pursuing Dragon propulsive landings after considering the work needed to make it safe for crewed use. The company has since redirected its efforts to Starship, so there is no expectation for that capability to return to Dragon.
As for precision, the splashdown sites are still fairly large and well off shore (the closest, I believe, is 24 miles off the coast of Cape Canaveral). According to NASA, the locations in the Gulf of Mexico are possible given the Dragon's orbital maneuvering ability to align its ground track.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51573 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-02-2020 07:53 AM
Space dads Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley woke up aboard Endeavour on Sunday (Aug. 2) to hear a message from their sons:
From NASA, an updated timeline for today's return activities (all times Eastern):
1:51 p.m. – Crew Dragon performs claw separation. The claw is located on Crew Dragon's trunk, connecting thermal control, power, and avionics system components located on the trunk to the capsule.
1:51 p.m. – Trunk separation
1:56 p.m. – Deorbit burn begins
2:08 p.m. – Deorbit burn complete
2:11 p.m. – Nosecone deploys
2:32 p.m. – Crew Dragon maneuvers to attitude for re-entry
2:44 p.m. – Drogue parachutes deploy at about 18,000 feet in altitude while Crew Dragon is moving approximately 350 miles per hour.
2:45 p.m. – Main parachutes deploy at about 6,000 feet in altitude while Crew Dragon is moving approximately 119 miles per hour.
Congratulations SpaceX and NASA on a job well done. First ever astronaut re-entry water landing in the Gulf of Mexico.
With this kind of precision they could drop into Lake Michigan if they wanted to and have lunch in Chicago? More likely future landings will come off the beaches of Galveston Island and would see crews quickly back at Johnson Space Center via a short helicopter flight.
Aeropix Member
Posts: 62 From: Dubai Registered: Apr 2010
posted 08-02-2020 02:12 PM
Gotta love the armada of private boats sailing nonchalantly up to the capsule!
Another vote for landing on land from me.
thisismills Member
Posts: 515 From: Michigan Registered: Mar 2012
posted 08-02-2020 02:17 PM
The amount of "on-lookers" presents an interesting challenge... appears that the US Coast Guard vessel CG Gannet was on station to assist with bystanders.
Aeropix Member
Posts: 62 From: Dubai Registered: Apr 2010
posted 08-02-2020 02:42 PM
To add to my previous thought, from a security viewpoint, this is a super vulnerable time for a capsule using water landing that I never considered before. Any of those boats could have a grenade or rocket or some other terrorism possibility.
It's international waters so nothing you can legally do. You simply can't fire on the civilian boats. You'd need Naval or Coast Guard to assist in all future missions if they want to take security seriously. Even then, it would be illegal to prohibit the vessels in international waters. Would be good as a deterrent though.
OLDIE Member
Posts: 367 From: Portsmouth, England Registered: Sep 2004
posted 08-02-2020 03:33 PM
After launch (presumably overseen at Kennedy), who took over as Mission Control? Was it Houston (in conjunction with SpaceX), or was it Hawthorne?
Additionally, who covered the splashdown? Perhaps if I'd been more on the ball, I'd have watched proceedings on TV and found out.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51573 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-02-2020 03:36 PM
SpaceX Mission Control (MCC-X) in Hawthorne had responsibility for the mission from orbital insertion through docking and then again once the vehicle had undocked and cleared the keep-out sphere around the space station through splashdown.
The launch was overseen by SpaceX's team inside NASA's Launch Control Center at Kennedy Space Center.
NASA's Mission Control Center (MCC) in Houston was lead while the Dragon was docked to the space station.
usafspace Member
Posts: 181 From: Los Angeles, CA USA Registered: May 2006
posted 08-02-2020 03:56 PM
quote:Originally posted by Aeropix: ...from a security viewpoint, this is a super vulnerable time for a capsule using water landing
They definitely need a lot more security and maybe not give out the GPS coordinates on live global TV.
Also, the SpaceX recovery crew should all be wearing breathers and gloves when they make initial contact with the capsule.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51573 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-02-2020 04:08 PM
Jim Bridenstine and Steve Stich, speaking at the post-flight press conference, acknowledged that they need to do better at policing the water.
They noted that the area was clear for the splashdown itself and the Coast Guard did what it could to keep the boats at a safe distance.
Gwynne Shotwell added that they will need more Coast Guard assets and will be better prepared for next time.
issman1 Member
Posts: 1116 From: UK Registered: Apr 2005
posted 08-02-2020 05:15 PM
Job well done by NASA and SpaceX.
posted 08-02-2020 05:53 PM
Great day for our space program! It looked simple after seeing the Gemini and Apollo splashdowns.
As far security, it does need to be better, SpaceX is on a learning curve with this. I'm sure it will be better next flight. Perhaps they didn't anticipate the interest.
posted 06-03-2020 09:46 AM
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