The first NASA astronauts to launch atop a Falcon 9 rocket will have more than one new ride designed by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, who will be the first to fly on a SpaceX Dragon to the International Space Station, will arrive at their launchpad in a Tesla Model X SUV. In addition to helming the commercial spaceflight company, Musk also leads the electric car company.
SkyMan1958 Member
Posts: 1278 From: CA. Registered: Jan 2011
posted 05-13-2020 09:19 PM
I wonder how much of a crunch it'll be in the backseat for the two astronauts in their suits with, one would assume, some sort of ventilation equipment for their suits.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 50011 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-13-2020 09:57 PM
You can see Behnken and Hurley, in their spacesuits, get into the Model X (before the NASA logos were applied) from a dress rehearsal conducted in January:
Skylon Member
Posts: 319 From: Registered: Sep 2010
posted 05-14-2020 07:39 AM
quote:Originally posted by SkyMan1958: I wonder how much of a crunch it'll be in the backseat...
I was wondering this, and also how much use this is going to see, since the Crew-1 mission will have four astronauts. Unless one of the flight crew gets to be the driver, which is a hilarious image I can't get out of my head, who would get to be the mission's Tesla X CDR?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 50011 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-14-2020 09:03 AM
It is still to be seen what SpaceX does for Crew 1, but according to Tesla, the Model X can seat seven adults.
SpaceX could also just add a second Model X and split up the crew for the ride to the launchpad.
p51 Member
Posts: 1765 From: Olympia, WA Registered: Sep 2011
posted 05-14-2020 05:47 PM
If there was ever a need for a convertible, surely, it would have been this...
A Tesla Roadster would be fine.
David C Member
Posts: 1389 From: Lausanne Registered: Apr 2012
posted 05-15-2020 04:46 AM
Na. I don't think anyone wants to have to wash dead bugs off their visors when they get to the pad.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 50011 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-23-2020 02:05 PM
Though the Demo-2 crew are riding together in one car, SpaceX has two NASA-logo adorned Tesla Model X cars (photos: NASA/Bill Ingalls):
SpaceCadet1983 Member
Posts: 428 From: Pacific NW, United States Registered: May 2012
posted 05-23-2020 04:44 PM
Those gullwing doors do work great for this application. The cool paper tags may be OK for toodling around the space center but they do have real Florida plates as seen in the SpaceX dress rehearsal video.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 50011 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-12-2020 03:21 PM
The four members of SpaceX's Crew-1 are using both NASA-adorned Tesla Model X cars, two to a vehicle (photo: NASA/Joel Kowsky):
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 50011 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-23-2021 01:32 AM
The NASA logos were removed from the Tesla Model X SUVs before transporting the Crew-2 astronauts to the pad.
cspg Member
Posts: 6333 From: Geneva, Switzerland Registered: May 2006
posted 04-23-2021 03:00 AM
Because? SpaceX doesn't like NASA?
SkyMan1958 Member
Posts: 1278 From: CA. Registered: Jan 2011
posted 04-23-2021 09:54 PM
Just a total guess on my part, but the lack of the NASA logo may be because with the original launch date being Earth Day, the license plates of the three Teslas were: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, so SpaceX wanted attention paid to that.
Personally I would think that having a NASA logo on a Tesla would be good advertising for Tesla.
Gordon Eliot Reade Member
Posts: 214 From: California Registered: Jun 2015
posted 06-17-2021 08:42 PM
This might seem like a small point but on Gemini, Apollo and the shuttle, the crew always traveled to the launch pad together in the same vehicle. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins didn’t board three separate chauffeur driven limousines for the ride to the rocket.
But that's what SpaceX crews do, however in separate Teslas. It seems to me that something is lost, a common spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause. I suppose it's what the French would call esprit-de-corps. The pride and honor shared by the members of a group.
Jim Behling Member
Posts: 1762 From: Cape Canaveral, FL Registered: Mar 2010
posted 06-19-2021 01:27 PM
No, nothing is lost and just some misplaced allegiance to Mercury, Gemini and Apollo processes.
There was no interaction by the Gemini and Apollo crews since they were sealed in their suits and there was no communication between them.
The trip is less than 9 miles. 15-20 minutes, too short to really interact, develop any sense of separation from each other or break up any "common spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause."
They don't ride solo and are transported by twos. Hopefully there isn't enough time for them to divide into factions and cause problems latter in the mission.
Ben Member
Posts: 1920 From: United States Registered: May 2000
posted 06-19-2021 04:34 PM
To be clear, Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley traveled in the same car. Two crewmembers per car on the occasions thus far, so Crew-1 and -2 were split up into two cars, each with two astronauts.
oly Member
Posts: 1442 From: Perth, Western Australia Registered: Apr 2015
posted 06-19-2021 09:32 PM
quote:Originally posted by Gordon Eliot Reade: It seems to me that something is lost, a common spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause. I suppose it's what the French would call esprit-de-corps. The pride and honor shared by the members of a group.
You could view this another way. By using standard electric vehicles that can be used for other tasks within the company besides just astronaut transport, the Tesla vehicles better suit the idea of a comercialised space company. If SpaceX can use off-the-shelf components to construct their rockets, why not use off-the-shelf vehicles to transport crew. Having a dedicated truck or bus to transport crew from the suit-up room to the flight line that serves little other purpose is an extravagance.
The Tesla brand aligns with the SpaceX brand, and the crew dressed in their white flight suits complement the vehicle design. Using the Tesla vehicles as crew transport is a brilliant marketing tool. This may be the best method of crew transfer yet.
The trip from the suit-up room to the launch pad seems like the perfect opportunity to listen to music and relax before the big game. I hope the crew has some facility to play music in their suits. I would like to think that the crew has enough familiarity with each other before launch day that they don’t need to get to know one another via small talk on the way to the pad. If driving to the launch site in multiple vehicles challenges a common spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, or devotion to a cause, there may be bigger problems.
SpaceX has stated that they intend to make spaceflight an everyday event and to design reusable spacecraft that operate with the reliability and frequency commercial airliners achieve. Sadly, SpaceX abandoned the powered landing capability of the Dragon capsule, I think it would be great to see the crew drive themselves to the launch pad and leave the vehicle in some kind of long term parking, rocket off to work for an extended stay, return to the launch site in their spacecraft, and drive home from work. That would be a true indication that SpaceX achieved its goal.
Delta7 Member
Posts: 1720 From: Bluffton IN USA Registered: Oct 2007
posted 06-20-2021 07:30 AM
When they use Uber to get to the pad we'll know the glory days are over!
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 50011 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-10-2021 04:35 PM
The NASA logos, which were absent for the Crew-2 launch, are back for Crew-3 but in a different style and configuration.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 50011 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-08-2022 07:24 AM
For the Ax-1 crew, the SpaceX astronaut transports bear the Axiom Space logo.
Aeropix Member
Posts: 62 From: Dubai Registered: Apr 2010
posted 04-11-2022 05:45 AM
I think it's cool that there are Tesla Superchargers there (as opposed to some more discreet charging options). What a neatly integrated group of companies working together can achieve!
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 50011 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 02-24-2023 08:05 AM
Now in black for Crew-6 (as seen during this morning's launch rehearsal):
posted 05-13-2020 07:25 PM
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