SpaceX Falcon 9 / Dragon 2 : SpX-DM2 : May 30, 2020 : DISCUSSION

[tommy099431]

I would've loved to have been in the car when they started playing The Girl From Ipanema. Def going to be on my list if I go

[king1999]

Does anybody know if they changed shoes or clean them before boarding? They were working around everythere.

[niwax]

Does anybody know if they changed shoes or clean them before boarding? They were working around everythere.

They wear covers until just before they enter

[kevinof]

Yes. they have 5(?) shoe covers on and removed at different points as the get to their final seated position.

Does anybody know if they changed shoes or clean them before boarding? They were working around everythere.

[FlattestEarth]

Yes. they have 5(?) shoe covers on and removed at different points as the get to their final seated position.

Does anybody know if they changed shoes or clean them before boarding? They were working around everythere.

Wow 5 layers? I did not notice that.  Only saw the sticky mat on the arm walkway and the ninjas doing a shoe check before they entered dragon.

[king1999]

Yes. they have 5(?) shoe covers on and removed at different points as the get to their final seated position.

Does anybody know if they changed shoes or clean them before boarding? They were working around everythere.

Need to go back to watch. Those must be very good covers, tightly fit. You can't really tell from their boots.

[alexterrell]

Or you can give your clicks to VideoFromSpace who have made a video of just the tour:

That is a really great tour.

Why were the astronauts using a microphone on a cable? A cable is onerous to maintain - and probably has to be especially designed for Dragon. The obvious way to have a mic would be over a blue tooth link (or if NASA were doing this, some new standard they'd invent at great cost).

This suggests that wireless comms are not used inside the capsule. Is that correct? Do they need to be in "flight mode"?

For a space station design, using wifi rather than cabling would make the design a lot, lot easier.

[kevinof]

it was mentioned on the webcast yesterday - I assumed they had some covers especially before they get into the white room and then before they step into the Dragon.

Yes. they have 5(?) shoe covers on and removed at different points as the get to their final seated position.

Does anybody know if they changed shoes or clean them before boarding? They were working around everythere.

Need to go back to watch. Those must be very good covers, tightly fit. You can't really tell from their boots.

[Oersted]

Notice how Musk not once gives into the patriotism? Not once did he say "great day for America" or "american company" "american soil" or stuff like that? Instead, he sais, its a "great day for all humanity" and "this is a great thing for all humans" and "a necessary step in making like multiplanitary". Its ok to be proud of the home country for good things accomplished. But as a non-american, it makes it much more comfortable to relate with SpaceX the way I do. Musks attitude defies the tribalism that is induced by patriotism. Which is a good thing, and I hope will remain that way in the future, especially when they talk about the first human to Mars.


PS: I know Musk was born in South Africa

You decided to inject a discussion of "tribalism" (as you call it) into this thread, which is a bit weird, because you seem to prefer that we talk about this as an accomplishment of humanity.

However, now that you have broached the subject, allow me to say that - as a non-American - I am extremely happy that the US has decided to get back into human spaceflight.

The other super powers that do human spaceflight are run by extremely unsavoury, undemocratic regimes. That's a fact.

Europe - which has accomplished nothing on its own in human spaceflight - proves that, without the effort, drive and wherewithal similar to those of the US, democracies may very well stay on the sidelines. That's a fact.

For these reasons I am VERY thankful that American patriots, representing the best of Humanity, made the sacrifices and put in the huge effort that made yesterday possible.

[kevinof]

So it's funny reading back through the posts over the years since Crew Dragon was unveiled (remember that event) and all the comments about the touchscreens and how they would never work, would be a disaster and will have to be removed. Real buttons were the only thing to use given all shaking that would happen during launch.

So what shaking?

That looked like the smoothest flight I've ever seen.  Unless the cameras are all really really stabilized and we're not seeing the real thing. Either way, touchscreens are not a problem and really do free up space in the craft for living.

Good decision.

[Oersted]

Yeah, that worry went the way of the Millenium Bug. Good observation.

[Oersted]

Any ascent views from ISS?

Ivan Vagner took a very nice photo of the plume from an oblique angle. When the ISS passed above Kennedy the Falcon 9 was still on the pad. By the time it was in space the ISS was a good deal ahead, as you know, so all they got was the oblique photo, which was great btw. It is linked in a tweet in the updates thread.

[Welsh Dragon]

Well, I'm glad to wake up to everything still being good, not that I'd expected anything less. As much as I hate cutesy names, Endeavour (note the correct spelling), is a good one. Also, how much better is the SpaceX stream now NASA is not involved any more? No more nauseating nationalism.

[alexs]

The obvious way to have a mic would be over a blue tooth link (or if NASA were doing this, some new standard they'd invent at great cost).

Bluetooth is not the kind of technology I'd expect to see in a spacecraft. It's finicky even in regular consumer applications, the protocol is rather complex for reasons that make no sense in spaceflight applications, and if things go wrong, figuring out what went wrong and how to fix it is not easy. Take COTS components and pray it works is probably the only approach that favors Bluetooth.

That said, Bluetooth is not the only wireless option. There are non-Bluetooth microphones easily available.

[vicarofdidley]

The obvious way to have a mic would be over a blue tooth link (or if NASA were doing this, some new standard they'd invent at great cost).

Bluetooth is not the kind of technology I'd expect to see in a spacecraft. It's finicky even in regular consumer applications, the protocol is rather complex for reasons that make no sense in spaceflight applications, and if things go wrong, figuring out what went wrong and how to fix it is not easy. Take COTS components and pray it works is probably the only approach that favors Bluetooth.

That said, Bluetooth is not the only wireless option. There are non-Bluetooth microphones easily available.

Plus, wired is more reliable than radio. No batteries to charge or run flat. Radio gives freedom, when it works. When it doesn't work you can't be heard.

[vicarofdidley]

I read that PMA2 is having its pressure equalised. Is it kept at vacuum, or around station pressure?

[SpaceFinnOriginal]

Do we post about docking in this thread or there is a separate one?

[yo3ict]

Hello,

Is there any comm net-only stream for the Crew Dragon mission?

Getting tired of this redundant commentary that lacks the technical engagement I was used to during the space shuttle program.

Thanks

[mlindner]

Is there a loop audio stream somewhere? These constant interruptions are really frustrating. SpaceX/NASA seem to be allergic to dead air lately.

[kevinof]

Great view of the interior of the Dragon in the latest tour. Lots of storage below the seats for cargo - hell you could even put some beds in there.

I am surprised they left the foot rests in place , especially on the other two seats. Would give  them a bit more space to move around. Maybe they are trying to see what it's like in it's most cramped config.