SCI SpaceX’s first astronaut launch breaking ground with new look: ‘It is really neat’

[Dennis Olson]

www.foxnews.com /science/spacexs-first-astronaut-launch-breaking-ground

SpaceX’s first astronaut launch breaking ground with new look: ‘It is really neat’
Stephanie Nolasco
5-6 minutes

The first astronauts launched by SpaceX are breaking new ground for style by unveiling hip spacesuits, gull-wing Teslas and even a sleek rocketship with a black and white trim.

The color coordination is credited to Elon Musk, the driving force behind SpaceX and Tesla who is also a science fiction fan.

NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken approved the “fresh new look,” The Associated Press reported on Monday. The pair will catch a ride to the launch pad in a Tesla Model X electric car.

“It is really neat, and I think the biggest testament to that is my 10-year-old son telling me how cool I am now,” Hurley told the outlet.
The 53-year-old noted “SpaceX has gone all out” on the capsule’s appearance.

TULSA UNVEILS GIGANTIC ELON MUSK STATUE TO HELP LURE TESLA TO TOWN

This undated photo made available by SpaceX shows NASA astronaut Bob Behnken in his spacesuit at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif. On Wednesday, May 27, 2020, Behnken and Doug Hurley are scheduled to board a SpaceX Dragon capsule atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and, equipment and weather permitting, shoot into space. It will be the first astronaut launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center since the last shuttle flight in 2011. (SpaceX via AP)

'MATRIX' CREATOR CALLS OUT ELON MUSK, IVANKA TRUMP FOR QUOTING THE MOVIE ON TWITTER

“And they’ve worked equally as hard to make the innards and the displays and everything else in the vehicle work to perfection,” Hurley added.

According to the outlet, Hurley and Behnken will climb aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Wednesday, and both equipment and weather permitting, shoot into space.

The move will mark the first astronaut launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center since the last shuttle flight in 2011. It will also mark the first attempt by a private company to send astronauts into orbit. Only governments in Russia, the U.S., and China have done so.

SpaceX also shared the historic send-off deserves to look good. Musk, 48, named his rocket after the “Star Wars” Millennium Falcon. The capsule name stems from “Puff the Magic Dragon,” a jab from the tech entrepreneur aiming at his doubters when he first started SpaceX in 2002.

And style wasn’t ignored in the launch. SpaceX designed and built its own custom-fit suits.

ELON MUSK LISTS 5 MORE HOMES FOR $97 MILLION AS HE TRIES TO SELL MOST POSSESSIONS

In this Friday, Jan. 17, 2020 photo made available by NASA, astronauts Doug Hurley, left, and Robert Behnken pose in front of a Tesla Model X car during a SpaceX launch dress rehearsal at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The NASA astronauts rode to the pad in the electric vehicle made by Elon Musk's company. (Kim Shiflett/NASA via AP)

ELON MUSK'S VICTORY IN FIGHT TO REOPEN TESLA FACTORY AN 'INSPIRATION': TAMMY BRUCE

“It’s important that the suits are comfortable and also are inspiring,” said SpaceX’s mission director Benji Reed.

“But above all, it’s designed to keep the crew safe,” he shared.

But the signature bulky, orange ascent and entry suits worn by shuttle astronauts have their own allure, insisted Behnken, 49. Both he and Hurley wore them for his two previous missions. Hollywood has also relied on the orange suits for movies like “Armageddon” and “Space Cowboys.”

On launch day, Hurley and Behnken will get ready inside Kennedy’s remodeled crew quarters, which dates back to the two-man Gemini missions of the mid-1960s. SpaceX techs will also help the astronauts into their one-piece, two-layer pressure suits.

The men will also emerge through the same double doors previously used on July 16, 1969, by Apollo 11’s Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. The Operations and Checkout Building bear Armstrong’s name.

JUDGE PENS LETTER TO ELON MUSK URGING HIM TO MOVE TESLA FROM CALIFORNIA TO SOUTH TEXAS

This Thursday, March 19, 2020 photo made available by SpaceX shows NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley during flight simulator testing at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., with SpaceX teams in Firing Room 4 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, SpaceX's Mission Control in Hawthorne, Calif., and NASA flight controllers in Mission Control Houston, for a full simulation of launch and docking of the Crew Dragon spacecraft. (SpaceX via AP)

GWYNETH PALTROW JOKES ELON MUSK, GRIMES 'BEAT' HER AND CHRIS MARTIN FOR 'MOST CONTROVERSIAL BABY NAME'

Instead of the traditional Astrovan, the two will climb into the back seat of a Tesla Model X for the nine-mile ride to Launch Complex 39A, also known as the same pad used by the moonmen and most shuttle crews. It’s while they board the Tesla that they’ll see their wives and young sons for the last time before the flight.

Making a comeback after three decades is NASA’s worm logo — wavy, futuristic-looking red letters spelling NASA, the “A” resembling rocket nose cones. The worm adorns the Astro-Tesla, Falcon and even the astronauts’ suits, along with NASA’s original blue meatball-shaped logo.

The white-suited Hurley and Behnken will transfer from the white Tesla to the white Dragon atop the equally white Falcon 9.
“It’s going to be quite a show,” said Reed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 

[Housecarl]

Marketing vs practicalities....those pressure suits better be more than LARPing gear....

 

[Pinecone]

It looks like a racing car suit, not something durable enough for space. I don't have a good feeling about them.

 

[energy_wave]

I like a space suit with a little more sex appeal.

 

[PanBear]

SpaceX's album – Flickr

SpaceX Demo-2

Explore this photo album by NASA HQ PHOTO on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

 

[Kathy in FL]

Reminds me of some of the Space 1999 costumes. The show was from back around 1975.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un7FB2XjVos&list=PLHloTpmV7roN0VBdaUbyr4w9nYtATaP06

 

[Housecarl]

Hummm.....

Posted for fair use.....

How SpaceX's sleek spacesuit changes astronaut fashion from the space shuttle era

A new breed of spaceship requires a new breed of spacesuits.

www.space.com

How SpaceX's sleek spacesuit changes astronaut fashion from the space shuttle era

By Elizabeth Howell 3 days ago

Comments (1)

Click here for more Space.com videos...

A new breed of spaceship requires a new breed of spacesuits.

For the first time since the space shuttle era a decade ago, American astronauts are expected to fly to space aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft May 27, marking the first commercial crew flight for NASA and the first time astronauts will launch from American soil in nearly a decade.
Long-time space watchers will notice one thing different about the spiffy spacesuits that Crew-1 astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley will wear: they are not the orange "pumpkin" flight suits astronauts used to wear during the launch phase of shuttle flights managed by NASA.
Video: SpaceX spacesuits are a new breed
Related: The evolution of the spacesuit in pictures
Image 1 of 9

(Image credit: SpaceX)
NASA astronauts Bob Behnken (left) and Doug Hurley, wearing SpaceX spacesuits, walk through the Crew Access Arm connecting the launch tower to the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft during a dress rehearsal at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 17, 2020.

(Image credit: Kim Shiflett/NASA)
NASA astronauts Bob Behnken, left, and Doug Hurley shake hands after suiting up in SpaceX spacesuits in the Astronaut Crew Quarters at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 17, 2020, during a dress rehearsal ahead of the company’s uncrewed In-Flight Abort Test.

(Image credit: Aubrey Gemignani/NASA)
A view of one of the SpaceX suits that will be used for the Demo-2 launch at the SpaceX Headquarters, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019 in Hawthorne, California.

(Image credit: Aubrey Gemignani/NASA)
SpaceX Chief Engineer Elon Musk and NASA astronaut Bob Behnken look on as NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine speaks to NASA astronaut Doug Hurley, as they look at an identical version of the SpaceX spacesuit that he will wear for the Demo-2 mission during a visit to SpaceX Headquarters on Oct. 10, 2019, in Hawthorne, California.

(Image credit: Kim Shiflett/NASA)
Donning their SpaceX spacesuits, NASA astronauts Doug Hurley (left) and Bob Behnken wave after walking out of the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 17, 2020, during a dress rehearsal ahead of the SpaceX uncrewed In-Flight Abort Test.

(Image credit: SpaceX)
On March 19-20, SpaceX and NASA executed a full simulation of launch and docking of the Crew Dragon spacecraft, with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken (left) and Doug Hurley participating in SpaceX's flight simulator.

(Image credit: SpaceX)
A closeup view of the sleeve of Doug Hurley's spacesuit.

(Image credit: SpaceX)
A closeup view of the sleeve of Bob Behnken's spacesuit.

(Image credit: Bill Ingalls/NASA)
NASA astronauts Doug Hurley (left) and Bob Behnken work with teams from NASA and SpaceX to rehearse crew extraction from SpaceX’s Crew Dragon on Aug. 13, 2019, at the Trident Basin in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The SpaceX spacesuits are a cool, one-piece white design, and much sleeker than the bulky space shuttle launch suits, which were also known as the Advanced Crew Escape Suit (ACES). So slim was the new SpaceX spacesuit design that in 2018, the company's founder Elon Musk had to reassure concerned Instagram followers after the reveal: "It definitely works. You can just jump in a vacuum chamber with it, and it's fine."

The astronauts flying on the first crewed test flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon have also commented on differences with the SpaceX suit, compared to other spacesuits astronauts have used in different years.

"This [SpaceX] suit is significantly different than the suit we wore on shuttle," Hurley, a veteran of space shuttle flights STS-129 and STS-135, said during a preflight press conference May 1, without going into much detail. He alluded to some differences to the Sokol suit the Russians use for spaceflight, but added he "never actually went through the entire suit-up process" since the Sokol was used as a backup if something went wrong during his brief mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

Wearing a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit, also known as the "pumpkin suit," NASA astronaut Bob Behnken, STS-130 mission specialist, participates in a training session at NASA's Johnson Space Center ahead of the STS-130 mission, on July 21, 2009. (Image credit: NASA)
But even though the SpaceX suit is newer, it will go through the same preflight checks as the pumpkin suit and the Sokol suit. "It's similar in that they check the suits for leaks, they check the comm system, and they just want to make sure everything is good to go before you head out to the pad," Hurley said.


Subsequently, two of these SpaceX spacesuits proved their worth in space, before being used by humans. One flew with the Tesla-driving dummy that launched on a Falcon Heavy rocket in 2018, and another was used on the dummy Ripley that flew aboard the uncrewed SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-1 test flight to the ISS in 2019.
If it looks like the spacesuit is built for a movie set, that could be because the suit designer is legendary Hollywood costume designer Jose Fernandez, who is known for costumes in blockbusters such as "Wonder Woman," "Wolverine," "Batman vs. Superman" and "Captain America: Civil War."

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"What we're doing on the on SpaceX side … is to kind of reach back and kind of pull forward, maybe, a retro styling or a different way of creating their own unique kind of mission symbol or symbology rather than trying to copy what was done on the space shuttle side," said Behnken, a veteran of space shuttle flights STS-123 and STS-130, in a pre-flight video interview May 4 on NASA's YouTube channel.

Behnken added that the pumpkin suit was an iconic part of space shuttle launches, and he expects the same will happen soon for the SpaceX spacesuit. "Both of [the suits] have succeeded, I think, in terms of becoming iconic in terms of symbolizing the mission in front of us, and the excitement associated with what we're going to accomplish."


On the training side, Behnken said in a separate preflight video interview May 2, the SpaceX spacesuit has at least one big advantage: "a high enough fidelity, from a training perspective, that we can — both Doug and I — can sit in a capsule, we can put on suits and we can go through a situation or a scenario where the suits are going to inflate."

NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken don SpaceX spacesuits in the Astronaut Crew Quarters at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 17, 2020, during a dress rehearsal ahead of the company’s uncrewed In-Flight Abort Test. (Image credit: Kim Shiflett/NASA )
Behnken said it is important for astronauts to witness that kind of experience in training, to prepare for the rigors of spaceflight. "Getting that level of fidelity of training hardware, versus PowerPoints and virtual presentations of it [the suit], is really important from an operator's perspective. So that's a huge win. The SpaceX team stepped up to that, and we really appreciate it."
SpaceX has kept some design features of its spacesuits private, but it has emphasized the suits are meant to be symbiotic with the large computer panels that astronauts will use to monitor Dragon systems and navigate to the International Space Station. Each suit is custom made for the astronaut, according to NASA.
SpaceX's spacesuit "is designed to be functional, lightweight, and to offer protection from potential depressurization," NASA added. The protection against depressurization would be similar to the ACES suit, which had an emergency breathing system and the ability to fully pressurize if the cabin suddenly lost oxygen.
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"A single connection point on the suit's thigh attaches life support systems, including air and power connections," the agency said. "The helmet is custom manufactured using 3D-printing technology and includes integrated valves, mechanisms for visor retraction and locking, and microphones within the helmet's structure."

Don't count on SpaceX's suit for spacewalks, however. For the foreseeable future, astronauts will continue to use the shuttle-era Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), which is designed to work for 8-10 hours or so for microgravity activities in a full vacuum, while providing protection against radiation.

NASA is working on more advanced spacesuits optimized for the lunar surface for the agency's forthcoming Artemis program that aims to land astronauts on the moon by 2024. If all goes to plan, the agency will test those moon spacesuits aboard ISS in 2023.

SpaceX's suits are also distinct from those that astronauts will use for the other Commercial Crew vehicle, Boeing's Starliner. Tests are ongoing to prepare that vehicle for human flights, and the astronauts flying missions will don a blue spacesuit with features such as touchscreen-sensitive gloves, and more advanced materials. You can read more about Starliner's spacesuit on NASA's website.

• In photos: SpaceX's historic Demo-2 test flight with astronauts
• Commercial crew astronauts prepare for launch — what will they wear?
• Spacesuit suite: The evolution of cosmic clothes (infographic)

Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

 

[teneo]

Those suits look a little sparse to provide much protection but I assume the astronauts have had a chance to give their more expert opinion so maybe there's more there than meets the eye.

SpaceX has been fun and games up until now since they've only launched electronics (and 1 car) into space. But now that there are people on board the SpaceX team had better have things wired tight. I'm sure they know that too so I'm just going to hope for the best and wish all of them every possible success.

 

[AlfaMan]

Those suits look to give as much protection in space as a Beta cloth Apollo jumpsuit. I don't see many layers to that suit; there is probably zero micrometeoroid protection in them. And apparently no seams; how do the suit/boot and suit/glove seals function? The helmets look like the old USAF MA-1 pressure suit helmets-hopefully their 3 D printing process for them worked them up in Lexan at least. Or Delrin. Regular plastics would crack in space due to the hot cold cycles. Stylish suits in sci fi movies are ok; stylish suits in a real deal space environment could be a disaster.
And if the capsule is as well built as those goofy Teslas they ride to the pad in, then God help the astronauts. They will need all the prayers they can get.

 

[SSTemplar]

Those suit wouldn't even be good in a pressure chamber on earth.

 

[TheSearcher]

I am sure the SpaceX suits are good for pressure and temperature control. The mission of the crewed Dragon is not meant to accomodate EVA's, it's a taxi service. The suits are mean to just keep the crew alive in their seats in case of a vehicle pressure breach, as far as I know. That's all the Shuttle ACES suits were really meant for, either.

 

[TheSearcher]

Those suit wouldn't even be good in a pressure chamber on earth.

You know this how?

 

[Dozdoats]

There is nothing cool about a vacuum induced red smear that used to be a human.

 

[Dennis Olson]

You know, materials sciences have evolved a lot in the past 20 years. Just saying....

 

[DHR43]

Those suits look a little sparse to provide much protection but I assume the astronauts have had a chance to give their more expert opinion so maybe there's more there than meets the eye.

SpaceX has been fun and games up until now since they've only launched electronics (and 1 car) into space. But now that there are people on board the SpaceX team had better have things wired tight. I'm sure they know that too so I'm just going to hope for the best and wish all of them every possible success.

According to Allen Weisbecker, the car was not put in space. He presents the video evidence and shows the fraud.

 

[mecoastie]

You know, materials sciences have evolved a lot in the past 20 years. Just saying....

1000%

And I have a hard time believing that NASA would allow their astronauts up in anything that didn't perform at least as well as the previous ones. There is too much riding on this mission. The US is getting their domestic launch program back!! That is huge. I cant wait for this. I will be watching with my wife and kids.

 

[Illini Warrior]

2 hour Discovery special tonite - 9pm CST >>> looks good

 

[jward]

Science




Lex Fridman
@lexfridman
21m

1961: First human in space
1969: First human on the moon
2000: First human long-term stay aboard the ISS
2020: First SpaceX flight with humans on-board
Tomorrow (May 27) a new chapter of human space exploration begins. Good Luck and Godspeed to
@elonmusk
,
@SpaceX
&
@NASA
teams.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1265250070619963393

View: https://twitter.com/lexfridman/status/1265250070619963393?s=20

 

[jward]

Michael Sheetz
@thesheetztweetz
22m

SpaceX is one day away from its most important milestone yet, launching NASA astronauts to space for the 1st time. Here's everything you need to know about Demo-2: Why it matters, who and what is launching, and the current mission plan.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1265250666144059394

View: https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1265250666144059394?s=20

Everything you need to know about SpaceX’s historic Demo-2 launch, its first with NASA astronauts
Published Tue, May 26 20207:50 AM EDT

Michael Sheetz@thesheetztweetz




Key Points

• SpaceX plans to launch a pair of NASA astronauts on Wednesday, in mission called Demo-2.
• “This is a new generation, a new era in spaceflight,” NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine told press.
• The historic importance of Demo-2 is drawing a wide audience, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley to the nation’s capital.

The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft for Demo-2 inside the company’s hangar at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
SpaceX
SpaceX is set for its most important milestone yet, in a launch that may well define the future of the U.S. space program.
Elon Musk’s company plans to launch a pair of NASA astronauts on Wednesday — the first crewed mission in SpaceX history. The mission is called Demo-2, as technically it is the final test flight of the company’s spacecraft. But, regardless of the nature of the mission, Demo-2 will be the first launch of NASA astronauts from the U.S. since 2011.

“This is a new generation, a new era in spaceflight,” NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine told press ahead of the launch.
Ever since the Space Shuttle retired nearly a decade ago, the U.S. has paid Russia upwards of $80 million per seat to fly NASA astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). But, in the meantime, NASA awarded SpaceX and Boeing with contracts worth $3.1 billion and $4.8 billion, respectively, to develop new spacecraft under a program called Commercial Crew. For SpaceX, the Demo-2 launch represents the final flight test of its Crew Dragon capsule, built to carry as many as 7 people to orbit.
“We need to have the capability of accessing space — not just for NASA, but for all of humanity,” Bridenstine said.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that will carry the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft for Demo-2 fires up its engines during a test.
NASA
The historic importance of Demo-2 is drawing a wide audience, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley to the nation’s capital. VIPs scheduled to attend at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center include both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, with SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk watching from within the mission control room just a few miles from the launch site.
Morgan Stanley is telling investors to pay attention to Demo-2 because of what it means for the future of private spaceflight and the many companies working on technologies to support futures missions.

“Mark May 27th on your calendars. You don’t want to miss this,” Morgan Stanley said.

One of the key factors for launching remains the temperamental Florida weather. NASA and SpaceX continue to move forward with the launch as currently planned, with liftoff set for 4:33 p.m. EDT on Wednesday. As of Monday, the U.S. Air Force’s 45th Space Wing forecast that the launch has a 40% probability of launching given current weather concerns, which include rain and thick clouds. If NASA and SpaceX decide to postpone the launch on Wednesday, the mission has back-up times set for Saturday at 3:22 p.m. EDT and Sunday at 3:00 p.m. EDT.
While thousands of people have historically come to Florida’s Space Coast to watch NASA launch crew, the agency made an unprecedented requested given the coronavirus crisis. The head of NASA said “now is not the time” for large crowds of people to gather on the highways and beaches to watch the launch.
“Join us in this launch but do so from home. We are asking people not to travel to the Kennedy Space Center,” Bridenstine said.
NASA will broadcast 24 hours of non-stop live coverage of SpaceX Demo-2. The webcast will begin 4 hours before liftoff on and continue until the spacecraft docks with the International Space Station the next day..
Here is what you need to know about SpaceX’s first astronaut launch.
The spacecraft: Crew Dragon

The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft for Demo-2 inside the company’s hangar at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
SpaceX
Crew Dragon is the name of the SpaceX capsule that will carry NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley. It’s an evolved version of the company’s Cargo Dragon spacecraft, which has launched to-and-from the space station 20 times. Just as Cargo Dragon was the first privately-developed spacecraft to bring supplies to the ISS, so Crew Dragon will be the first privately-developed spacecraft to bring people.
“The investments that we have made into SpaceX and the investment SpaceX has made in itself have really resulted in something that is going to be very beneficial — not just for human space exploration, but beneficial for the economy,” Bridenstine said.
Likewise, SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell told reporters that “NASA has been an extraordinary customer and extraordinary partner” for the company. While Shotwell didn’t know specifically how much SpaceX had spent of its own funds to develop Crew Dragon, she noted that “SpaceX invests heavily in our products.” Last year Musk said that SpaceX had invested on the order of hundreds of millions of dollars to fund Crew Dragon development.
NASA also expects that, in addition to getting a way to send astronauts to space, it will be getting a cost-saving option as well. The agency expects to pay $55 million per astronaut to fly with Crew Dragon, as opposed to $86 million per astronaut to fly with the Russians.
“We together have become stronger in engineering technical support for this nation,” NASA Commercial Crew program manager Kathy Lueders told press ahead of the launch.

Inside the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, which has touch screen controls for the astronauts.
SpaceX
Crew Dragon with its trunk stands just under 27 feet tall and 13 feet around. The spacecraft includes its own system of small rocket engines, for directional control in space and a launch abort system in the event of an emergency. It’s trunk is the large lower half that’s covered in solar panels, which can carry cargo.
The spacecraft is designed to carry as many as seven people but will only launch two astronauts for Demo-2. It has a system of controls that is focused around touch screens, although NASA notes that Crew Dragon has a “robust fault tolerance built into the system.” As the astronauts will be wearing custom SpaceX spacesuits, the touch screens work whether or not the astronauts are wearing gloves. The spacesuits are largely designed to protect the astronauts in the event that the spacecraft loses pressurization, with life support and power systems connected through a point on the spacesuit’s leg.
watch now
VIDEO01:19
Elon Musk shares SpaceX simulation of what its first crewed flight may look like

Additionally, the astronauts are expected to have to manually control the spacecraft for little of the spaceflight. Even the very careful docking process when Crew Dragon reaches the ISS is expected to be done autonomously.
The rocket: Falcon 9

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket emblazoned with the famous NASA “worm” logo for the Demo-2 mission/
NASA
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is the workhorse of the company’s growing fleet of rockets. It stands at nearly 230 feet tall and is capable of launching as much as 25 tons to low Earth orbit.
Crew Dragon will sit in place of the rocket’s nosecone at the top. After launching the spacecraft on its way, the large lower portion of Falcon 9, known as the “booster,” will re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and attempt to land on the company’s droneship in the ocean. SpaceX has landed its Falcon 9 rocket boosters a total 44 times.
The astronauts: Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley

NASA astronaut Doug Hurley (left) and Bob Behnken walk out of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building during a dress rehearsal for the SpaceX Demo-2 launch.
NASA
Both Behnken and Hurley have been astronauts since being selected in NASA’s class of 2000. Each of them flew on two Space Shuttle missions, with Hurley notably flying on that spacecraft’s last mission in July 2011. Both are military veterans prior to joining NASA, with Behnken serving in the Air Force and Hurley in the Marine Corps.
For Demo-2, Behnken is the joint operations commander, which means he is responsible for tasks such as reaching the ISS and docking. Hurley is the spacecraft commander and will be responsible for Crew Dragon’s launch, landing and recovery.
The pair officially entered a pre-flight quarantine on May 13, although the astronauts said they’ve been self-isolating since mid-March. While astronauts typically enter a quarantine ahead of a mission, the protocol has been additionally strict for Demo-2 due to the coronavirus. NASA commercial spaceflight director Phil McAlister earlier this month said that “direct interaction with the crew is not permitted without appropriate protective gear.” Even interaction with VIPs the day before launch will be through a glass wall.

NASA astronauts Bob Behnken (left) and Doug Hurley seen during a dress rehearsal for the SpaceX Demo-2 launch.
NASA
SpaceX has also taken extra precautions. Shotwell said that, in the last two months before the launch, the company has been “ensuring that only essential personnel” are going near astronauts during training. SpaceX employees “are wearing masks and gloves,” she added.
“We are social distancing as well. We’ve got at least half our engineering staff working from home,” Shotwell said.
Even the mission control room will look different than in years past, NASA said. The agency will use different rooms to keep people safely distant from each other, with NASA looking to add plexiglass between seats and stations for Demo-2.
The launch plan

The launch plan for SpaceX Demo-2 mission.
SpaceX
Four hours before liftoff, Behnken and Hurley will suit up. About a half an hour later, the crew will walk out to their Tesla Model X, complete with NASA logos, and drive from the astronaut quarters out to the launchpad.

The Tesla Model X that will carry astronauts to the launchpad for SpaceX.
NASA
With two and a half hours to go, the astronauts will strap into their seats in Crew Dragon and begin checking that all systems are good to go. Then, with just under two hours until launch, the hatch to the spacecraft will be closed.
SpaceX will begin loading the rocket with fuel at T minus 35 minutes to launch, which will initiate a final series of processes and checks.
“We’ve worked closely with NASA since 2006 and all that work is culminating to this historic event ... My heart is sitting right here [in my throat], and I think it’s going to stay there until we get Bob and Doug safely back from the International Space Station,” Shotwell said.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule stand upright on the launchpad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center ahead of the Demo-2 launch.

A few minutes after liftoff, the Falcon 9′s booster stage will return and attempt to land on the company’s barge stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket booster is towed back in to Port Canaveral after landing on the company’s barge.
SpaceX
If anything were to go wrong in the last half hour before the launch and even during the launch, Crew Dragon will abort and fire its emergency escape system. The company performed a full test of that system in January with no one inside the spacecraft. That test saw SpaceX trigger the system during the most intense part of the launch, to show that it could be done at any time.

A rendering shows SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule firing its emergency escape engines during the company’s test flight
SpaceX
The full mission
The Demo-2 mission has only just begun after Crew Dragon reaches orbit. As the final flight test for SpaceX’s capsule, NASA said Demo-2 “will validate the company’s crew transportation system, including the launch pad, rocket, spacecraft, and operational capabilities.”
Docking with the ISS will be a critical part of the mission. Although expected to be done autonomously, the docking and un-docking process is essentially a high-speed dance in orbit, as both the ISS and Crew Dragon will be moving at tens of thousands of miles per hour. SpaceX created a virtual simulator of the docking process, so that viewers can try their hand at manually docking Crew Dragon. Notably, the virtual simulator use the actual interface that NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley would use when piloting the spacecraft.

The uncrewed SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft at the International Space Station with its nose cone open revealing its docking mechanism while approaching the station.
NASA
Once Crew Dragon docks, Behnken and Hurley will become part of the crew on the ISS. In addition to performing test on Crew Dragon, the astronauts will join the rest of the ISS crew in conducting research and other tasks.
NASA is not sure how long the Demo-2 mission will last. The agency’s McAlister said the mission has “an unbelievably complicated set of criteria and considerations” for its duration, which is currently set for between 30 to 119 days. The Crew Dragon spacecraft for future missions will be capable of staying in space for at least 210 days.
After un-docking, Behnken and Hurley will point Crew Dragon back toward Earth. The capsule will re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and then use its parachutes to slow and splash down in the Atlantic Ocean. The astronauts will then be picked up at sea by SpaceX’s ship “GO Navigator” and then return to Florida’s Space Coast.

SpaceX recovery boat “GO Searcher,” which will pick up the Crew Dragon spacecraft after splash down.
SpaceX
Demo-2 represents the final step before NASA certifies the SpaceX capsule to fly regular, long missions to the ISS. After those missions begin, SpaceX plans to use Crew Dragon spacecraft for other missions. Those include space tourism, as the company has so far unveiled two deals to fly privately-paying people to space on Crew Dragon as early as next year.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule splashes down after its first test flight in March 2019.
NASA/Cory Huston

 

[Illini Warrior]

Prez Trump is making the FL trip for the launch - most likely a little speech >>>>

 

[Plain Jane]

‘Historic’ NASA-SpaceX Rocket Launch Will Begin New Era In Human Spaceflight This Week

2020 won’t just be remembered for a pandemic. It could also be a year when FOUR different private companies send people to space.

www.forbes.com

EDITORS' PICK|10,730 views|May 23, 2020,10:00pm EDT
‘Historic’ NASA-SpaceX Rocket Launch Will Begin New Era In Human Spaceflight This Week

Jamie CarterSenior Contributor
Science
I write about science and nature, technology and travel, stargazing and eclipses.

NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission will return U.S human spaceflight to the International Space Station ... [+]
NASA
What will 2020 be remembered for?
That might seem like a silly question, but in the future this year—and, specifically, this week—may go down in history not only as a period of pandemic, but the defining moment when a new era of private space travel finally began.
If you’ve ever dreamed about a future of space travel it’s time to tighten your seatbelt because the future starts next week. At 4:33 p.m. EDT on May 27, 2020, two American astronauts will launch to the International Space Station (ISS) from American soil, and on an American rocket.
MORE FROM FORBESHas NASA Found A Parallel Universe 'Where Time Flows Backwards?' The Truth Behind The HeadlinesBy Jamie Carter
That’s not happened since 2011, but SpaceX and NASA’s much-anticipated Crew Dragon Demo-2 (DM-2) launchis about far more than one country’s nationalistic achievements.
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It’s also about the future of human spaceflight.
Remarkably, it could be the first of FOUR rocket launches in 2020—each by a different private company—that will send people to space.
PROMOTED



Here are three reasons why “Launch America” is so important:

SpaceX and NASA's Crew Demo-2 Mission is on the launchpad, and is due to launch May 27 (with May 30 ... [+]
SPACEX1 – This is NASA and the US getting back into the business of sending people to space
This is the obvious one. “We're launching American astronauts on American vehicles from American soil,” says Garrett Reisman, SpaceX Senior Advisor and former NASA Astronaut. “That’s huge.”
MORE FROM FORBESSpaceX Crew Flight To ISS A Boon To U.S. But A Costly Blow To Russian Space ProgramBy Eric Tegler
That’s something that’s not happened since the Space Shuttles were retired in 2011 after the final flight, STS-135, landed on July 21, 2011. Ever since then the US has lacked the capability to send people into space, and its astronauts have had to hitch a ride to the ISS on Russian Soyuz rockets at a cost of around US$90 million per seat.

For nine years NASA astronauts have had to hitch a ride to the ISS on Russian Soyuz rockets at a ... [+]
AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Spacecraft commander on Crew Dragon Demo-2 is Doug Hurley—a pilot on that final Space Shuttle flight—who will be alongside Bob Behnken, an experienced mission specialist on three Space Shuttle missions. Hurley and Behnken will join NASA’s Chris Cassidy, and Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner, on the ISS about 19 hours after their launch.
“The focus will be on launching American astronauts on American vehicles from American soil because it’s a big step,” says Reisman. “But it’s about much more than that.”

The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule that will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket during the Crew Demo-2 ... [+]
SPACEX2 – It begins a new era in space flight
“This is the beginning of private spaceflight, which will be open to more than just the government,” says Reisman. “These companies—such as SpaceX and Boeing—have the ability to make additional vehicles and fly private citizens, not just not just NASA astronauts.”
MORE FROM FORBESBoeing's Starliner Misfire A Blessing?By Chet Wade

The Crew Dragon spacecraft that will be used for the Crew-1 mission for NASA’s Commercial Crew ... [+]
NASA/SPACEX
It’s all about the reusable capsules—and more of them. SpaceX obviously has one Crew Dragon capsule at Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida ready for Wednesday. It has another being manufactured now for use in the following mission, September 2020’s Crew-1, that will see four astronauts—three astronauts from NASA (Mike Hopkins, Shannon Walker and Victor Glover) and one, Soichi Noguchi, from JAXA, the Japanese space agency—head from Florida to the ISS for a planned six-month expedition. Crew-1 will be SpaceX’s first scheduled crew rotation mission. “There will be more vehicles coming off the assembly line,” says Reisman. That means a lot of spare capacity for trips into space.

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, topped by a Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, is ... [+]
GETTY IMAGES
Ultimately there will be another way for NASA astronauts to reach the ISS; Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner, the other reusable crew capsule designed for NASA’s Commercial Crew Development program. After an initial test flight in December 2019 that suffered from an anomaly, Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2—a second un-crewed demonstration mission—will take place before three NASA astronauts ride a Starliner to the ISS in 2021.
However, it’s not just about SpaceX and Boeing.
MORE FROM FORBESHuman Spaceflight In 2020: What Lies AheadBy Charlotte Kiang
Alongside what’s going on with NASA’s Commercial Crew Program—with SpaceX about to launch, and Boeing readying its own crewed demo mission—both Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin are on the cusp of beginning sub-orbital space tourism flights. “They are both very close and it could easily be that all of this happens in 2020—it's possible that in 2020 four different private companies will send people to space that could then be repurposed and re-used to send the general public to space,” says Reisman. “May 27 will be the first step of a whole new business.”
Space tourism is about to become real.
MORE FROM FORBESSpaceX And Space Adventures Team Up To Expand Space Tourism OfferingsBy Valerie Stimac

Virgin Galactic's SpaceshipTwo takes off for a suborbital test flight of the VSS Unity on December ... [+]
AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES3 – Next-generation vehicles are already being tested.
“Crew Dragon and Starliner won’t be the end,” says Reisman. “SpaceX is working on Starship and Blue Origin is working on its New Glenn rocket—which is much bigger more capable that its New Shepherd rocket—as well as Blue Origin’s lunar lander that just won a NASA contract,” said Reisman. “We’re going to have a whole new generation of vehicles that will come right on the heels of so, those are the three reasons why May 27 is going to be so historic.”

The first test vehicle for the SpaceX Starship.
SPACEX
Beyond that there are plans—real plans—for private space stations, space hotels and trips around the Moon. “All those things are are in the works—it’s not just idle speculation,” says Reisman.

• Axiom’s plans for a private space station: Axiom is working on taking paying passengers to the ISS, and want to eventually build their own modules on to the front of the ISS. “That would be the first private space station if that were to come to fruition,” says Reisman.

MORE FROM FORBESAxiom Space Signs Deal With SpaceX To Launch Private Astronauts To The ISS In 2021By Jonathan O'Callaghan

• SpaceX’s “Dear Moon” mission for 2023: SpaceX has a deal to send Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa around the Moon on a mission in Starship.

Wednesday’s “Launch America” will be a big event, for sure, but not just for the obvious reason; you may come to watch the “first astronaut launch since 2011,” but you’ll get nothing less than the first glimpse of the future of human spaceflight.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.

Jamie Carter

 

[Pinecone]

GO, BABY, GO! Give us something truly spectacular and positive for 2020. Let this be the beginning of the turnaround for the USA. Godspeed, Astronauts.

 

[WalknTrot]

They look like something from a 1950's budget sci-fi.
But looks ain't everything if you happen to find yourself accelerating into terra-firma at 9.8 m/s/s.

I wish them luck, but I have some serious reservations about this collaboration..

 

[TheSearcher]

They look like something from a 1950's budget sci-fi.

Maybe.

But looks ain't everything if you happen to find yourself accelerating into terra-firma at 9.8 m/s/s.

Spacesuits have very little to do with launch acceleration. That's partly the job of the spacecraft seats and attachment structure and the human body itself, which easily sustains much more that 1g acceleration on a regular basis.

I wish them luck, but I have some serious reservations about this collaboration..

I keep hearing this general sentiment, but see no technical rationale.

 

[WalknTrot]

Spacesuits have very little to do with launch acceleration. That's partly the job of the spacecraft seats and attachment structure and the human body itself, which easily sustains much more that 1g acceleration on a regular basis.

Acceleration into terra-firma at 9.8 m/s/s is drilling yourself into the ground at free-fall.

I dunno. Musk comes off to me as a show-boater. Engineering and show-boating never belong on the same project.

 

[TheSearcher]

Acceleration into terra-firma at 9.8 m/s/s is drilling yourself into the ground at free-fall.

I misread it, my mistake. I'm not sure why someone essentially falling over in the suit is of concern to you. It looks like it would have at least the same protective qualities as street clothes in that case, which is what would be happening with a 9.8 m/s/s freefall. If you mean 9.8 m/s/s sustained until terminal velocity and ground impact, well, again the suit doesn't matter. There's never been a suit or a spacecraft for that matter that would save you.

 

[WalknTrot]

the suit doesn't matter

Yup. That's what I originally said. The OP headline is raving about the new look. Not relevant.

 

[TheSearcher]

I dunno. Musk comes off to me as a show-boater. Engineering and show-boating never belong on the same project.

That I can grasp. But that's an emotional argument, not a technical one. NASA would not allow their people to fly on the crewed Dragon if the requisite testing of the systems had been inadequate. Musk thought that he's be flying people a lot earlier, and stretched out his progress because NASA made sure the systems were in the right performance ranges. That's immaterial to his public persona.

 

[WalknTrot]

That I can grasp. But that's an emotional argument, not a technical one. NASA would not allow their people to fly on the crewed Dragon if the requisite testing of the systems had been inadequate. Musk thought that he's be flying people a lot earlier, and stretched out his progress because NASA made sure the systems were in the right performance ranges. That's immaterial to his public persona.

The I in INTJ...Intuitive.

It's not emotional. We just KNOW stuff.

 

[Dennis Olson]

Dem ass-ro-nots bez wite debils. Wy ain’t dere bruthas or sistas on dat rokit?

Dat’s rayciss!!

 

[Dozdoats]

Elon needs to smoke a little more dope.

 

[FireDance]

I hope they were doing rigorous drug testing on the people who were putting this together. I trust Musk no further than I could throw him. Really wouldn’t want to die for the ‘tard.

Hope this isn’t a big screw up straight into the ground. Sigh.

And while the suits look “cool” - well cool ain’t the name of this game. Oh well, we shall see.

 

[AlfaMan]

That I can grasp. But that's an emotional argument, not a technical one. NASA would not allow their people to fly on the crewed Dragon if the requisite testing of the systems had been inadequate. Musk thought that he's be flying people a lot earlier, and stretched out his progress because NASA made sure the systems were in the right performance ranges. That's immaterial to his public persona.

I'll add a touch of technical to the emotional argument. First off, Tesla builds shit*y product. I look at their junk on a professional basis. While the basic frame/structure is generally sound the rest of the items I look at are 1. a hodgepodge of low end "parts built by the lowest bidder".You're paying 100K for a vehicle with a Toyota Corolla steering system. 2. Structural parts are actually damaged at the factory and repaired there, prior to shipment to the unsuspecting customer. Imagine spending 100K on a vehicle with frame damage from the factory. And you're not told about it. 3. Software is buggy with a capitol B. Or, it's there and the owner is admonished not to use the system. Why is it there in the first place? 4. Musk needs some good press-Model X'es (their top of the line model) currently depreciate to half of their purchase price within 18 months. A succesful launch would buoy the stock price and cachet of the Musk "aura" along with those of his products. He needs the "launch on Wednesday, sell out in the showrooms on Thursday" bump. Badly.

While we're at it, NASA if you remember is government. Run by govt. employees. They are the ones who put propolyne glycol flammable in a pressurised o2 environment as a heat transfer fluid in an environmental control system. Which leaked, and with the other flammable items in the capsule, a leaky ECS system AND an errant spark resulted in 3 astronauts being burned alive. You do remember Apollo 1 don't you?
Another fine NASA moment was when STS 25 was launched in below freezing temps with booster O rings that shrank when cold. They leaked, a plasma jet cut open the external tank and the Challenger went off with as much explosive force as a 3kt satchel nuke. The Go order was given because the VP (GW Bush) was scheduled to attend the launch. There are more but it's been a long day.

Bottom line is-while I hope and pray everything goes flawlessly and the stack works as it should; Musk's track record from what I see is more huckster than visionary.

 

[AlfaMan]

I am sure the SpaceX suits are good for pressure and temperature control. The mission of the crewed Dragon is not meant to accomodate EVA's, it's a taxi service. The suits are mean to just keep the crew alive in their seats in case of a vehicle pressure breach, as far as I know. That's all the Shuttle ACES suits were really meant for, either.

The ACES suits are essentially standard USAF high altitude pressure suits. The guys who fly the U-2's wear the same suit.

 

[jward]

Hmm. Perhaps the alarm is real, but I was initially of the opinion that space suits were hardly rocket science ; )
and that it was probable that whatever suits were being used would well meet the demands of the task...
Soon we will know! :: inserts rocket launch emoticon that seems to be missing from my dashboard ::

 

[TheSearcher]

I'll add a touch of technical to the emotional argument. First off, Tesla builds shit*y product. I look at their junk on a professional basis. While the basic frame/structure is generally sound the rest of the items I look at are 1. a hodgepodge of low end "parts built by the lowest bidder".You're paying 100K for a vehicle with a Toyota Corolla steering system. 2. Structural parts are actually damaged at the factory and repaired there, prior to shipment to the unsuspecting customer. Imagine spending 100K on a vehicle with frame damage from the factory. And you're not told about it. 3. Software is buggy with a capitol B. Or, it's there and the owner is admonished not to use the system. Why is it there in the first place? 4. Musk needs some good press-Model X'es (their top of the line model) currently depreciate to half of their purchase price within 18 months. A succesful launch would buoy the stock price and cachet of the Musk "aura" along with those of his products. He needs the "launch on Wednesday, sell out in the showrooms on Thursday" bump. Badly.

While we're at it, NASA if you remember is government. Run by govt. employees. They are the ones who put propolyne glycol flammable in a pressurised o2 environment as a heat transfer fluid in an environmental control system. Which leaked, and with the other flammable items in the capsule, a leaky ECS system AND an errant spark resulted in 3 astronauts being burned alive. You do remember Apollo 1 don't you?
Another fine NASA moment was when STS 25 was launched in below freezing temps with booster O rings that shrank when cold. They leaked, a plasma jet cut open the external tank and the Challenger went off with as much explosive force as a 3kt satchel nuke. The Go order was given because the VP (GW Bush) was scheduled to attend the launch. There are more but it's been a long day.

Bottom line is-while I hope and pray everything goes flawlessly and the stack works as it should; Musk's track record from what I see is more huckster than visionary.

That's better. However, comparing a Tesla consumer automobile is not the same as launching a NASA spacecraft. Does Musk use the glitz of his space business to forward his car business? Of course. Really, it goes both ways, though. We're going to need more bootstrapping like that to get off-planet and stay out there, which means risks. Musk is willing to do it, so is NASA, and so are the two men slated to launch. It is what it is.

As for NASA showboating, yep, they've had their share. Apollo had rabid "go fever" and killed three highly-trained men for no good reason. The problems they discovered from that monumental failure made the rest of Apollo successful, and the risks were those normal to test pilots of the day. Then there was STS-51L (yes, the 25th mission) that took out Challenger. Again, "go fever" bit us in the ass, as we tried to show that the STS system could be launched rapidly every year and address a burgeoning anticipation of commercial utility. The presence of the VP was not the major reason for keeping the launch. Because of stupid stubbornness, the launch managers ignored reasonable warnings about the O-rings, and really other systems not predisposed to being brittle under launch loads, and destroyed the ship, the people, and nearly the program itself. I was actually around for that one. Then years later, Columbia was lost, due to the continued assumptions of invulnerability. I would not say that NASA's reputation is spotless, then again, what nation has done more in space? Russia is the closest, but they've made major mistakes themselves. The Chinese are trying, but they don't keep their hardware in orbit very long and have blown up a lot of boosters. And created a vast field of orbital debris.

What I do say though, in regards to the OP, is that people's expectations with the SpaceX suits are unrealistic. They don't look like an Apollo or a Shuttle suit, because they don't address tasks of that much rigor. They are naturally not going to be very complex, and it also allows for some flair in the appearance without interfering with function.

The Dragon spacecraft is good, too. Nobody else has a reusable system like that. Orion was supposed to be, but has been scoped down to a scavengable vehicle, the Boeing Starliner is having major problems, and nobody else comes close to those two. Dragon is proven to function at least as good as expected, and current NASA timidity has put SpaceX through its paces and then some. No risk in spaceflight is ever really eliminated, but I would expect that Dragon has minimized the big ones.

 

[TheSearcher]

The ACES suits are essentially standard USAF high altitude pressure suits. The guys who fly the U-2's wear the same suit.

The SpaceX suits are in a similar class of capability and functionality. It's all that's needed for a space taxi.

 

[night driver]

I suspect that this guy had SOMETHING to say about the suit testing and such.....

NASA's top doc: A DO is helping launch the first human journey to Mars - The DO

As NASA's chief health and medical officer, J.D. Polk, DO, is rising to the cosmic challenge.

thedo.osteopathic.org

JD is a friend of mine, and he pretty much just got back to NASA (after gettin out while the gettin was good under O-Bam-bam) after going and "Getting a REAL Job running a Medical School." (ANY excuse works when you are not wanted...)

 

[tanstaafl]

Ya'll do realize that the suits the astronauts wore going up in a Shuttle weren't rated for EVAs? Two different suits performing two different functions.

 

[Warm Wisconsin]

Hush!

Elon make electric cars..must be bad And liberal

Elon smoked weed..must not be smart

We must live by our generalizations of people and not give into facts and accomplishments! Just because he beat Boeing to space doesn’t make him smart

Ya'll do realize that the suits the astronauts wore going up in a Shuttle weren't rated for EVAs? Two different suits performing two different functions.