SpaceX F9 / Crew Dragon : Crew-2 : 22 April 2021 - DISCUSSION

[theonlyspace]

Soyuz can and does launch in almost any weather even snow.  Crew Dragon cannot .

[webdan]

So first time since STS-135 (July 2011) that a reused “crewed” spacecraft (Endeavour/C206) has arrived at the ISS, let alone make it to orbit.

Edit: + “crewed”

[Herb Schaltegger]

https://twitter.com/thom_astro/status/1386286404745916418

I took a very lucky shot: as I was getting out of my spacesuit and looking out the window, I happened to spot our 2nd stage of the @SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, flying in formation with us on a perfectly parallel track, but lower... two tiny objects 200 km above Earth! #MissionAlpha

Edit to add: higher res version from flickr & cropped view of S2

So has anyone looked at the EXIF data to see when Thomas took that photo? And along those lines, did S2 fail to deorbit? Alternatively, was S2 intentionally allowed to remain in orbit until it decays naturally?

[Chris Bergin]

This is amazing:

https://twitter.com/TheFavoritist/status/1386338263322013699

[Rekt1971]

https://twitter.com/thom_astro/status/1386286404745916418

I took a very lucky shot: as I was getting out of my spacesuit and looking out the window, I happened to spot our 2nd stage of the @SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, flying in formation with us on a perfectly parallel track, but lower... two tiny objects 200 km above Earth! #MissionAlpha

Edit to add: higher res version from flickr & cropped view of S2

So has anyone looked at the EXIF data to see when Thomas took that photo? And along those lines, did S2 fail to deorbit? Alternatively, was S2 intentionally allowed to remain in orbit until it decays naturally?

The second stage performed successful deorbit burn. We could actually hear that during the live stream (Timestamp 18:53).
"MVac ignition"
"MVac shutdown"
"nominal deorbit burn"


https://youtube.com/watch?v=oqA0ndN-rDc&t=1133s

[kdhilliard]

I took a very lucky shot: as I was getting out of my spacesuit and looking out the window, I happened to spot our 2nd stage of the @SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, flying in formation with us on a perfectly parallel track, but lower... two tiny objects 200 km above Earth! #MissionAlpha

Edit to add: higher res version from flickr & cropped view of S2

So has anyone looked at the EXIF data to see when Thomas took that photo? And along those lines, did S2 fail to deorbit? Alternatively, was S2 intentionally allowed to remain in orbit until it decays naturally?

The second stage performed successful deorbit burn. We could actually hear that during the live stream (Timestamp 18:53).
"MVac ignition"
"MVac shutdown"
"nominal deorbit burn"
https://youtube.com/watch?v=oqA0ndN-rDc&t=1133s

Also:
https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1385632375409975299

SpX Crew-2 has been cataloged as object 48209  (S48209 in my GCAT), the most recent TLE showing it in a 210 x 228 km orbit. The second stage has not been cataloged and is presumed to have been deorbited in the target zone west of Australia

[zubenelgenubi]

11 people on ISS right now thanks to Dragon. What a great photo.
SpaceX has launched 10 people into orbit and 8 are in that shot.

With 11 space voyagers, you get a bustling ISS!

[SPKirsch]

...for the records.
https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/status/1387132686653865997

[SMS]

User who wrote:
"I don't know if anyone viewed the ending theme (outro) at the conclusion of the docking. It's fitting and epic for both NASA and SpaceX. I posted the file here as YouTube flagged the music as copyrighted." contact with me via PM !

Update: I have this attachment file (Launch America NASA-SpaceX Outro) in MP4 format from my temp file (over 28 MB). Thanks I was hearing this file it before !

[hektor]

Was there a wake up music after the sleep period on the way to ISS?

[catdlr]

User who wrote:
"I don't know if anyone viewed the ending theme (outro) at the conclusion of the docking. It's fitting and epic for both NASA and SpaceX. I posted the file here as YouTube flagged the music as copyrighted." contact with me via PM !

Update: I have this attachment file (Launch America NASA-SpaceX Outro) in MP4 format from my temp file (over 28 MB). Thanks I was hearing this file it before !

Thanks, SMS, that was me.   Mods deleted as the music is copyrighted.  It was played again tonight at the conclusion of landing but was trimmed off.  The song or jingle is great.

Update:
Here is the author of the music: 

[SMS]

I like it, too

[hektor]

It is good for Crew-2 that SpaceX has done a few more Dragon reentries before they come back : Cargo Dragon and Inspiration4.

[Albert Lapatin]

Hello. Let me ask a question that I cannot find an answer to. Is the Drago Crew able to perform a manual descent in the event of a loss of communication with the MCC or other emergency?

[AC in NC]

Hello. Let me ask a question that I cannot find an answer to. Is the Drago Crew able to perform a manual descent in the event of a loss of communication with the MCC or other emergency?

Yes.  See the buttons circled in Yellow.  Image attached is a recreation of the control panel. 

Here's a link to an actual photo: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=46136.0;attach=1537705;image

[cscott]

It was also explicitly mentioned as one of the scenarios exercised in the preflight mission sim for the inspiration 4 crew.

[Albert Lapatin]

can i see this "preflight mission sim for the inspiration 4 crew" somewhere?

[Albert Lapatin]

Hello. Let me ask a question that I cannot find an answer to. Is the Drago Crew able to perform a manual descent in the event of a loss of communication with the MCC or other emergency?

Yes.  See the buttons circled in Yellow.  Image attached is a recreation of the control panel. 

Here's a link to an actual photo: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=46136.0;attach=1537705;image

you want to say that it is enough to push one button and the Dragon will return home?

[Albert Lapatin]

Hello. Let me ask a question that I cannot find an answer to. Is the Drago Crew able to perform a manual descent in the event of a loss of communication with the MCC or other emergency?

Yes.  See the buttons circled in Yellow.  Image attached is a recreation of the control panel. 

Here's a link to an actual photo: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=46136.0;attach=1537705;image

you want to say that it is enough to push one button and the Dragon will return home?

Probably not while docked to ISS but if free flying I've no doubt it's default landing location is programmed in so that pushing the button executes the appropriate phasing and deorbits.

If the computer system fails, then this scenario will be impossible.

[Lars-J]

Hello. Let me ask a question that I cannot find an answer to. Is the Drago Crew able to perform a manual descent in the event of a loss of communication with the MCC or other emergency?

Yes.  See the buttons circled in Yellow.  Image attached is a recreation of the control panel. 

Here's a link to an actual photo: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=46136.0;attach=1537705;image

you want to say that it is enough to push one button and the Dragon will return home?

Probably not while docked to ISS but if free flying I've no doubt it's default landing location is programmed in so that pushing the button executes the appropriate phasing and deorbits.

If the computer system fails, then this scenario will be impossible.

Yes. Obviously there are some (extremely unlikely) scenarios where the crew won’t survive.

What are you angling for exactly here? You got an answer to your first Q, and now you are moving the goalposts?