Author Topic: SpaceX F9 / Crew Dragon - Inspiration4 - 15/16 Sep 2021 - discussion  (Read 395667 times)

Offline abaddon

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From: https://spacenews.com/entrepreneur-purchases-spacex-crew-dragon-mission/
Quote
“If you can go on a roller-coaster ride, you should be fine for going on Dragon,” Musk said. The official rules of the competition do require people to be at least 18 years old, no taller than 1.98 meters, no heavier than 113.4 kilograms and “physically and psychologically fit for training and Spaceflight.”
Not that I was going to get to go, but... 0.05m over the limit :(.  And I wouldn't even have to diet (barely, lol).  Surprised it was that close, actually.  Those of you 6'6" or shorter are good to go!

[EDIT] For the record, I can go on the Hulk, which is a great ride.  However, I can't go on the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit (yes that's how it's spelled) which has a 6'7" height restriction, and is obviously a much better comparison...
« Last Edit: 02/02/2021 02:32 pm by abaddon »

Offline hektor

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Offline hektor

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I am a bit concerned by the random character of the thing.

I think it would make more sense of getting say 10 individuals from the raffle at random, but then do a bona fide mini astronaut selection among this small group. 

Offline abaddon

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All About Height Reduction (Bone-Shortening) Surgery

 ;D
LOL.  Thanks ;)
I am a bit concerned by the random character of the thing.

I think it would make more sense of getting say 10 individuals from the raffle at random, but then do a bona fide mini astronaut selection among this small group.
I mean... if you're the one paying for the flight, you can set the selection terms.

That said, isn't a large part of the point of this mission that you don't have to be the best "astronaut" to go to space, and doesn't that undercut that premise?
« Last Edit: 02/02/2021 03:25 pm by abaddon »

Offline hektor

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I am very curious about the orbit which will be selected. Since you are not going to ISS the inclination of 51.6 is not mandatory. But then all the safeguard strategy has to be reassessed.

Also I was wondering if the Dragon nose-cone cap has to be opened. I know there are sensors and thrusters there but are they needed if there is no rendezvous and docking.

« Last Edit: 02/02/2021 09:18 pm by hektor »

Offline russianhalo117

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I am very curious about the orbit which will be selected. Since you are not going to ISS the inclination of 51.6 is not mandatory. But then all the safeguard strategy has to be reassessed.

Also I was wondering if the Dragon nose-cone cap has to be opened. I know there are sensors and thrusters there but are they needed if there is no rendezvous and docking.


they may go the reported 1000km circular orbit and I forget the inclination that the other standalone (SA-1?) flight is going to.
« Last Edit: 02/02/2021 10:22 pm by russianhalo117 »

Offline SMS

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SMS ;-).

Offline darkenfast

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I am very curious about the orbit which will be selected. Since you are not going to ISS the inclination of 51.6 is not mandatory. But then all the safeguard strategy has to be reassessed.

Also I was wondering if the Dragon nose-cone cap has to be opened. I know there are sensors and thrusters there but are they needed if there is no rendezvous and docking.



I believe the thrusters used for de-orbiting are under that cap.
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Offline whitelancer64

I am very curious about the orbit which will be selected. Since you are not going to ISS the inclination of 51.6 is not mandatory. But then all the safeguard strategy has to be reassessed.

Also I was wondering if the Dragon nose-cone cap has to be opened. I know there are sensors and thrusters there but are they needed if there is no rendezvous and docking.

There are star trackers covered by the nose cone that are needed for vehicle orientation and navigation.

And yes the 4 main orbital maneuvering Dracos are there as well.
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Offline hektor

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From a touristic viewpoint i would go for the highest inclination achievable and relatively low altitude (ISS like or lower). I wonder what will be their choice.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1356978442596720649

Quote
The Super Bowl ad for SpaceX's @inspiration4x mission, which will air during the first quarter of the game:

"You could be onboard."

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/01/spacex-to-fly-first-mission-to-space-with-an-all-civilian-crew-later-this-year.html

The ad is attached to the tweet.

Edit to add:

twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1356980575329001481

Quote
The spot was produced for @rookisaacman's @Shift4Shop by advertising agency @Knownis, and directed by @BryceDHoward with music by @celeste and a voice over by @octaviaspencer.
« Last Edit: 02/03/2021 02:11 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

Offline Brovane

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From a touristic viewpoint i would go for the highest inclination achievable and relatively low altitude (ISS like or lower). I wonder what will be their choice.

I agree with a low orbit with the highest inclination possible.  Could Crew Dragon be launched into a Polar Orbit?  Make this the first crewed launch into Polar Orbit. 
"Look at that! If anybody ever said, "you'll be sitting in a spacecraft naked with a 134-pound backpack on your knees charging it", I'd have said "Aw, get serious". - John Young - Apollo-16

Offline daedalus1

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From a touristic viewpoint i would go for the highest inclination achievable and relatively low altitude (ISS like or lower). I wonder what will be their choice.

I agree with a low orbit with the highest inclination possible.  Could Crew Dragon be launched into a Polar Orbit?  Make this the first crewed launch into Polar Orbit.

I doubt it's got the capability with reusability. Vostok launched to within 2 degrees of the Arctic circle, so is close to polar.

Offline Brovane

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From a touristic viewpoint i would go for the highest inclination achievable and relatively low altitude (ISS like or lower). I wonder what will be their choice.

I agree with a low orbit with the highest inclination possible.  Could Crew Dragon be launched into a Polar Orbit?  Make this the first crewed launch into Polar Orbit.

I doubt it's got the capability with reusability. Vostok launched to within 2 degrees of the Arctic circle, so is close to polar.

https://elvperf.ksc.nasa.gov/Pages/Results.aspx

According to this NASA site, F9 can place 12,120 kg into a 90 Degree 400km Polar Orbit.  However that assumes a launch out of VAFB.  Not sure what the launch mass is of the Crew Dragon and what would be the performance impact from launching from 39A. 
"Look at that! If anybody ever said, "you'll be sitting in a spacecraft naked with a 134-pound backpack on your knees charging it", I'd have said "Aw, get serious". - John Young - Apollo-16

Offline baldusi

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From a touristic viewpoint i would go for the highest inclination achievable and relatively low altitude (ISS like or lower). I wonder what will be their choice.

I agree with a low orbit with the highest inclination possible.  Could Crew Dragon be launched into a Polar Orbit?  Make this the first crewed launch into Polar Orbit.

Have you considered the logistics of a rescue for an abort over the Arctic? Plus I thing you would go pretty hard on radiation, there's a reason you only see auroras there. Those are ionizing particles.

Offline Welsh Dragon

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From a touristic viewpoint i would go for the highest inclination achievable and relatively low altitude (ISS like or lower). I wonder what will be their choice.

I agree with a low orbit with the highest inclination possible.  Could Crew Dragon be launched into a Polar Orbit?  Make this the first crewed launch into Polar Orbit.

I doubt it's got the capability with reusability. Vostok launched to within 2 degrees of the Arctic circle, so is close to polar.
Nope, it was a 64 degree inclination. STS-36 was 62 degrees so the Vostoks/Voskhod/Soyuz 22 still have the record for highest inclination at 64-65 degrees, I believe.
« Last Edit: 02/04/2021 04:23 pm by Welsh Dragon »

Offline daedalus1

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From a touristic viewpoint i would go for the highest inclination achievable and relatively low altitude (ISS like or lower). I wonder what will be their choice.

I agree with a low orbit with the highest inclination possible.  Could Crew Dragon be launched into a Polar Orbit?  Make this the first crewed launch into Polar Orbit.

I doubt it's got the capability with reusability. Vostok launched to within 2 degrees of the Arctic circle, so is close to polar.
Nope, it was a 64 degree inclination. STS-36 was 62 degrees so the Vostoks/Voskhod/Soyuz 22 still have the record for highest inclination at 64-65 degrees, I believe.

Well the Arctic circle is 66 degrees, so yes.

Offline Jorge

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From a touristic viewpoint i would go for the highest inclination achievable and relatively low altitude (ISS like or lower). I wonder what will be their choice.

I agree with a low orbit with the highest inclination possible.  Could Crew Dragon be launched into a Polar Orbit?  Make this the first crewed launch into Polar Orbit.

I doubt it's got the capability with reusability. Vostok launched to within 2 degrees of the Arctic circle, so is close to polar.
Nope, it was a 64 degree inclination. STS-36 was 62 degrees so the Vostoks/Voskhod/Soyuz 22 still have the record for highest inclination at 64-65 degrees, I believe.

Well the Arctic circle is 66 degrees, so yes.

So Vostok was close to the Arctic Circle, but literally no one in the launch business considers that "close to polar".
JRF

Offline daedalus1

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From a touristic viewpoint i would go for the highest inclination achievable and relatively low altitude (ISS like or lower). I wonder what will be their choice.

I agree with a low orbit with the highest inclination possible.  Could Crew Dragon be launched into a Polar Orbit?  Make this the first crewed launch into Polar Orbit.

I doubt it's got the capability with reusability. Vostok launched to within 2 degrees of the Arctic circle, so is close to polar.
Nope, it was a 64 degree inclination. STS-36 was 62 degrees so the Vostoks/Voskhod/Soyuz 22 still have the record for highest inclination at 64-65 degrees, I believe.

Well the Arctic circle is 66 degrees, so yes.

So Vostok was close to the Arctic Circle, but literally no one in the launch business considers that "close to polar".

No that's just my take.

Offline Zed_Noir

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From a touristic viewpoint i would go for the highest inclination achievable and relatively low altitude (ISS like or lower). I wonder what will be their choice.

I agree with a low orbit with the highest inclination possible.  Could Crew Dragon be launched into a Polar Orbit?  Make this the first crewed launch into Polar Orbit.

Have you considered the logistics of a rescue for an abort over the Arctic? Plus I thing you would go pretty hard on radiation, there's a reason you only see auroras there. Those are ionizing particles.

Any realistic rescue scenario will need national assets of whatever nation(s) that the Dragon come down on.

Coming down at sea in the Arctic will be very dicey. Not many rescue assets available that can operate there with timely arrival at remote abort sites.

Unless they are flying Inspiration4 with an expended booster core. Don't think there is enough payload capacity for a Polar Dragon flight.



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