Author Topic: Your Opinion - Which Astronauts should get the first Ares I flight ??  (Read 16740 times)

Offline briguy700

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Just like Young and Crippen christened the STS program aboard Columbia, which astronauts, in your opinion, from the crop that we have now should get the honor/danger of the first manned Orion/Ares I flight ??

"The greatest failure is in not even trying."

Offline Moon King

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Thats a very tough question. With the Space Shuttle retired and orion flying 2 flights per year (8 people in space per year rather than the 21+ we send up now) I doubt many of the current astronauts will stay and wait, most current astronauts will retire or quit before that, just like the gap between Apollo and the Shuttle

However, I think Mark Kelly has a good shot if he stays long enough, and so does his twin brother, Scott Kelly. But will they stay around during the 5 year gap?

Also, will the fact that they have gotten more flights than most of the current astronauts will ever get damage their chances? Maybe NASA will prefer a younger commander who was the pilot for one of the last Shuttle Missions, who knows.
NASA- Returning to the moon (when politicians quit slashing our budget)

Offline Chris Bergin

Jim Kelly. He's made his feelings very much known too.
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Offline imcub

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Perhaps one old salt with lots of experience and a newbie hotshot ... just like Columbia in '81.  I remember reports where John Young's heart rate was rather subdued compared to Bob Crippen's ... ~100 vs. close to 200 at liftoff if my memory serves me correctly.  I've always wondered how Mr. Crippen's heart rate decreased over following flights.  


Offline CFE

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Any of the veteran shuttle flight commanders would make good choices for the initial Orion missions.  I don't know if they will go with a full crew (either 4 or 6) or just a skeleton crew (perhaps only one or two) for the first manned flight.  I can see NASA going with a veteran shuttle commander, a veteran shuttle pilot (flying what would be his/her third mission) and two experienced mission specialists for a first Orion mission.
"Black Zones" never stopped NASA from flying the shuttle.

Offline Moon King

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EXACTLY, AND SCOTT KELLY AND MARK KELLY FIT THAT PROFILE PERFECTLY, MY MONEY IS ON EITHER OF THEM UNLESS THEY DECIDES TO LEAVE DURING THE 5 YEAR FLIGHT GAP.
NASA- Returning to the moon (when politicians quit slashing our budget)

Offline cube donahue

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Moon King - 10/9/2007  3:20 PM

Thats a very tough question. With the Space Shuttle retired and orion flying 2 flights per year (8 people in space per year rather than the 21+ we send up now) I doubt many of the current astronauts will stay and wait, most current astronauts will retire or quit before that, just like the gap between Apollo and the Shuttle

However, I think Mark Kelly has a good shot if he stays long enough, and so does his twin brother, Scott Kelly. But will they stay around during the 5 year gap?

Also, will the fact that they have gotten more flights than most of the current astronauts will ever get damage their chances? Maybe NASA will prefer a younger commander who was the pilot for one of the last Shuttle Missions, who knows.

**One more point, with only 8 slots per year for spaceflights (2 flights per year), the astronaut corps will be a lot smaller, like the times of Gemini. Maybe thats good, they might become household names again (hard to do with the huge number of active duty astronauts currently.) However, they will train for many years and most might only get 1 or 2 shots at a spaceflight, that sucks!!!
Are they not going to send six people to the station then? I know it's four to the moon.

Offline Moon King

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Until recently the plans called for only 2 Orion flights to the ISS, (thats 12 crew), after that its down to 4 (8 per year), unless they change(d) the planned manifest.
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Offline sammie

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I suppose Nowak would be a proper test pilot, I mean, she's crazy enough to be the first in an un-tested spacecraft, and things might go wrong.




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Offline hyper_snyper

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sammie - 10/9/2007  7:12 PM

I suppose Nowak would be a proper test pilot, I mean, she's crazy enough to be the first in an un-tested spacecraft, and things might go wrong.




(you knew this was going to come right)

I don't think she's with NASA anymore.

Offline briguy700

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I agree that either of the Kelly brothers would be great as mission commanders for the first few flights. Who knows who will stick around during the gap, but the Young/Crippen setup of the veteran and the newbie would likely be a good idea as you have all stated. Good inputs !!
"The greatest failure is in not even trying."

Offline Ankle-bone12

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John Young.(joking)
seriosly though I think that Pam Melroy would be a great commander of the first (wo)manned Orion flight. With Chris Ferguson as pilot. that is if they stick around.

 


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hyper_snyper - 10/9/2007  6:20 PM



I don't think she's with NASA anymore.

I think he was being sarcastic.
Alex B.

Offline CFE

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Moon King - 10/9/2007  4:44 PM

EXACTLY, AND SCOTT KELLY AND MARK KELLY FIT THAT PROFILE PERFECTLY, MY MONEY IS ON EITHER OF THEM UNLESS THEY DECIDES TO LEAVE DURING THE 5 YEAR FLIGHT GAP.

ATK or one of the other big contractors could easily lure them away with a cushy management position.  I really wouldn't blame any astronaut who accepted the deal, either.  If you had to choose between the potential of a spaceflight five years from now vs. a high-paying industry job, what would you choose?
"Black Zones" never stopped NASA from flying the shuttle.

Offline vt_hokie

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Moon King - 10/9/2007  6:20 PM

Thats a very tough question. With the Space Shuttle retired and orion flying 2 flights per year (8 people in space per year rather than the 21+ we send up now) I doubt many of the current astronauts will stay and wait, most current astronauts will retire or quit before that, just like the gap between Apollo and the Shuttle

Wow, that's kind of sad when you think about it!

Offline mikeh

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My cynical nature would suggest (scream) that in the politically correct world in which we seem to be mired, that a woman or "minority" commander would be in order for the first "manned" mission.
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Offline kraisee

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While it may be politically incorrect, I hope it is the best qualified person for the job - period.

Deciding this important role based on sex, race, age of any of the other BS-issues would be just stupid.

I don't care about those things one jot as long as the first Orion crew are the best people NASA can find for the job - "the best of the best".

Ross.
"The meek shall inherit the Earth -- the rest of us will go to the stars"
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Offline SpaceNutz SA

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Agree 100%.   Being PC is BS at the best of times and certainly has no place in the selection of an astronaut crew for the maiden flight of a new vehicle.
"Lets not make things worse by guessing" - Gene Kranz - Apollo 13 Flight Director

Offline ShuttleDiscovery

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The Kelly twins sounds cool, but I'm going with some of my favourites: Pam Melroy and Charlie Hobaugh, with Steve Swanson and Tracy Caldwell as MSes!  :)

And by the way, what are the crew designations going to be? For ISS flights will they still be CDR, PLT & MS?

What about lunar missions? :o

Offline AstroRJY

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imcub - 10/9/2007  6:34 PM

Perhaps one old salt with lots of experience and a newbie hotshot ... just like Columbia in '81.  I remember reports where John Young's heart rate was rather subdued compared to Bob Crippen's ... ~100 vs. close to 200 at liftoff if my memory serves me correctly.  I've always wondered how Mr. Crippen's heart rate decreased over following flights.  


"Yojng 'stayed cool' at 85."    "I just couldn't make it go any faster," Young said, to which Crippen laughed " Ha, right." : )

Offline wannamoonbase

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I a crew or 2 or 3 for a test flight makes sense.  I doubt they would load it up to 6.  I think there will be a core of Shuttle Astro's stick around.  The appeal of developing, building and training for the first new vehicle in 30+ years will have huge appeal to keep a few around.  

I wouldn't be surprised if the whole crew is veterans.
Wildly optimistic prediction, Superheavy recovery on IFT-4 or IFT-5

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