Author Topic: OMG it's the SpaceX Party Thread! (Read 479011 times)

Confusador · « **Reply #1240 on:** 05/26/2012 10:40 am »

From the day 5 update thread:

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 05/26/2012 10:35 am

Thanks for covering Rex and Steven! Had to rush to the barracks and thought I'd get back in time to see this, but they are way ahead of the timeline.

So I used the live update thread as others do! And they just showed the video of it again too.

It's a well oiled machine you've put together here, sir.

It really is indicative that you can be indisposed for the start of operations 2 days in a row and the site doesn't miss a beat!

And add my thanks to those updating, I'm away from the live feed and really appreciate the job you're doing!

Duck · « **Reply #1241 on:** 05/26/2012 10:59 am »

I knew this would happen - last four days finally caught up with me. Slept right through my alarm.

Ah well, looks like everything's going great. Look at the resolution of those shots!

So how long before all 6 of them get inside Dragon to prove that they can (with room for 1 more!)?

-Iain

Thunderbird5 · « **Reply #1242 on:** 05/26/2012 11:22 am »

Well, they have to have the traditional "house warming" party, after all!

Maybe the secret payload was party poppers & bunting?

Jim · « **Reply #1243 on:** 05/26/2012 12:04 pm »

Constellation is not the alternative nor does it exist anymore

manboy · « **Reply #1244 on:** 05/26/2012 12:21 pm »

Quote from: Duck on 05/26/2012 10:59 am

I knew this would happen - last four days finally caught up with me. Slept right through my alarm. Ah well, looks like everything's going great. Look at the resolution of those shots!

So how long before all 6 of them get inside Dragon to prove that they can (with room for 1 more!)?

-Iain

I thought the same thing but the racks inside the CRS Dragon might make it hard to do so.

plank · « **Reply #1245 on:** 05/26/2012 12:45 pm »

Are there windows on the dragon? I never saw one on it.

rickl · « **Reply #1246 on:** 05/26/2012 12:49 pm »

Quote from: plank on 05/26/2012 12:45 pm

Are there windows on the dragon? I never saw one on it.

Not on the cargo Dragon.

rickl · « **Reply #1247 on:** 05/26/2012 12:50 pm »

I missed the hatch opening, but I'm finally caught up on sleep.

What an amazing week this has been!

Space Pete · « **Reply #1248 on:** 05/26/2012 12:57 pm »

Quote from: plank on 05/26/2012 12:45 pm

Are there windows on the dragon? I never saw one on it.

Nope - not on this mission (and likely not on any future cargo Dragons)

There were windows on the C1 Dragon, but I think they realised that having windows on operational cargo Dragons would be pointless, since they'd all be blocked anyway by the internal cargo carrying structure.

From photos I've seen, there is now an attachment point for late cargo loading access hardware where the hatch window used to be.

mr. mark · « **Reply #1249 on:** 05/26/2012 01:20 pm »

Just waking up here in California, nice to see astronauts inside Dragon for inspection. I guess that makes them technically, the first astronauts to fly in space on the spacecraft. It kind of all seems like a dream at this point. Let's hope the rest of the mission goes well.

rickl · « **Reply #1250 on:** 05/26/2012 01:46 pm »

I found a short video clip of the hatch opening and Don Pettit's quote "Smells like a brand new car."

Also see André Kuipers' photos taken during the approach yesterday. What a beautiful spacecraft!

https://secure.flickr.com/photos/astro_andre/

spectre9 · « **Reply #1251 on:** 05/26/2012 01:56 pm »

Good to see the hatch open now.

Dragon doing a great job.

sanman · « **Reply #1252 on:** 05/26/2012 02:06 pm »

I'm curious - what's the need for the gas masks they're wearing? Is there some danger of fumes? Microbes? Dust? What?

Thunderbird5 · « **Reply #1253 on:** 05/26/2012 02:08 pm »

Quote from: sanman on 05/26/2012 02:06 pm

I'm curious - what's the need for the gas masks they're wearing? Is there some danger of fumes? Microbes? Dust? What?

They're dust masks. The masks and goggles are to protect against any potential floating debris, large or small!

sanman · « **Reply #1254 on:** 05/26/2012 02:13 pm »

Quote from: Thunderbird5 on 05/26/2012 02:08 pm

They're dust masks. The masks and goggles are to protect against any potential floating debris, large or small!

Gee, seems a bit overdone. Why don't they just use the simple cheap stuff from Wal-Mart:

douglas100 · « **Reply #1255 on:** 05/26/2012 02:41 pm »

It's not a big deal. They don't wear them very long.

Rex Chan · « **Reply #1256 on:** 05/26/2012 04:06 pm »

Well, the ISS press thingy went well (nice view of the Dragon internals). Shame about the poor quality of questions though - I can see why the ISS crew wouldn't be too fond of them.

One question: does the Dragon come with those cool lights??

BTW: masks are the latest ISS fashion. Get with the times...

(Nothing says I'm a brave explorer like a surgical dust mask)

sanman · « **Reply #1257 on:** 05/26/2012 04:23 pm »

They look like they're busting into Fort Knox, or something.

If dust and metal splinters, etc are such a concern, then they really should have some kind of powerful vacuuming and filtration system. Too bad the ISS isn't set up for artificial gravity.

Silmfeanor · « **Reply #1258 on:** 05/26/2012 04:42 pm »

Quote from: sanman on 05/26/2012 04:23 pm

They look like they're busting into Fort Knox, or something.

If dust and metal splinters, etc are such a concern, then they really should have some kind of powerful vacuuming and filtration system. Too bad the ISS isn't set up for artificial gravity.

The whole point of the ISS is that is has no gravity - or atleast only microgravity

No need for a powerful vacuuming system - this works just fine, and it's only a precaution.

FinalFrontier · « **Reply #1259 on:** 05/26/2012 04:44 pm »

Quote from: Space Pete on 05/26/2012 12:57 pm

Quote from: plank on 05/26/2012 12:45 pm
Are there windows on the dragon? I never saw one on it.

Nope - not on this mission (and likely not on any future cargo Dragons)

There were windows on the C1 Dragon, but I think they realised that having windows on operational cargo Dragons would be pointless, since they'd all be blocked anyway by the internal cargo carrying structure.

From photos I've seen, there is now an attachment point for late cargo loading access hardware where the hatch window used to be.

Correct. Window to return for crewed version. You don't really that huge window otherwise and it messes with the thermal constraints.