Launch News SpaceX DM-2 Launch Scheduled for May 27!

[Urwumpe]

Take these new official crew portraits for example:

Looks like they wanted to quote some other famous american photographer with that gritty style.

---------- Post added at 20:38 ---------- Previous post was at 20:23 ----------

A thunderstorm near Orlando seems to be the important possible showstopper now ahead of fueling operations. It is described as a "worry".

 

[GLS]

Industrial oven space suits, ninjas closing the hatch... yep, new era. :lol:

---------- Post added at 07:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:42 PM ----------

... and the "I'm the President, so I want you to fly this plane over the rocket!" moment of the day... :facepalm:

 

[zombiegreedo]

Does anyone know details of the path to rendezvous? It sounds like they'll dock around 19 hours after launch, but I'm curious are they launching into an aligned orbit or doing a plane alignment after getting into a lower orbit? Are they circularizing into a lower orbit then burning later to intercept the ISS?

 

[Urwumpe]

Ok, #45 is not late for first launch from US soil after 10 years. I would have expected him to miss it, because he is busy nationalizing Twitter...

---------- Post added at 21:31 ---------- Previous post was at 20:49 ----------

Range is red for launch because of weather.

---------- Post added at 21:50 ---------- Previous post was at 21:31 ----------

Crew access arm gets retracted, go for propellant loading. Weather still annoying, improving.

---------- Post added at 22:08 ---------- Previous post was at 21:50 ----------

A next weather-influenced go/no-go decision will take place on T-20 minutes, deciding on continuing propellant loading or scrub now.

 

[Frilock]

Looks like a scrub.

 

[Ripley]

Scrub confirmed

 

[Urwumpe]

Will get scrubbed, weather violates red lines.

 

[kuddel]

so it's Saturday.

 

[llarian]

Yep. It's scrubbed. Better luck Saturday.

 

[GLS]

Maybe now a guidance system with the capability to do more than instantaneous launches would be a nice thing to have... :shrug:

 

[kuddel]

Next try: Saturday, 30th June 3:22 pm eastern time

 

[jgrillo2002]

God Damnit! that sucks.

 

[DaveS]

Maybe now a guidance system with the capability to do more than instantaneous launches would be a nice thing to have... :shrug:

Even shuttle only had a few minutes of launch window. Field mills are on a 30 minute clock after the last detected lightning strike, so things were just badly placed today.

 

[kuddel]

Maybe now a guidance system with the capability to do more than instantaneous launches would be a nice thing to have... :shrug:

Sure, but anyhow you have limiting criteria not to be ignored, but to be respected!

 

[richfororbit]

What if the weather isn't particularly good for the next try? When would be the next?

 

[GLS]

Even shuttle only had a few minutes of launch window. Field mills are on a 30 minute clock after the last detected lightning strike, so things were just badly placed today.

This one probably could do a bit more, after all they leave juice in the 1º stage for landing. Sure, it won't solve all issues (technical or weather), but having 10 or 15 minutes to play with is much better than 1 second. :shrug:

Sure, but anyhow you have limiting criteria not to be ignored, but to be respected!

I'm not saying to ignore the rules, but only that they could have more to play with inside the rules.

 

[kuddel]

Another question: Does anybody know what those white small boxes are that the astronauts had removed from their leg-pouches (and put back after un-fueling)?

The size was something like the timers used back in the Shuttle days.

 

[jedidia]

SpaceX cannot into space today!

 

[GLS]

HOLY COW!!! According to the PAO they don't do propellant replenish to keep the propellant ready? Any delay after tanking requires de-tanking and re-tanking... :facepalm: :facepalm:

 

[Donamy]

Look at the bright side. Something to do this weekend. :thumbup: