Sun, May 31, 2020
Historic Test Flight of SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-2 Rocket Launch Succeeds
It weas a thing of great beauty to witness, here in Florida... For the first time in history, NASA astronauts have launched from American soil in a commercially built and operated American crew spacecraft on its way to the International Space Station. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley lifted off at 3:22 p.m. EDT Saturday on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. “Today a new era in human spaceflight begins as we once again launched American astronauts on American rockets from American soil on their way to the International Space Station, our national lab orbiting Earth,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. “I thank and congratulate Bob Behnken, Doug Hurley, and the SpaceX and NASA teams for this significant achievement for the United States. The launch of this commercial space system designed for humans is a phenome
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Sat, May 30, 2020
NASA Continues to Monitor Weather, Cross Fingers, Keep Rabbit's Foot Close By...
NASA and SpaceX continue planning toward a Saturday, May 30, launch attempt of NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley. Although the weather models for Saturday show an improvement in conditions around Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, teams continue to monitor launch and down range weather. Teams still want more weather data to determine if they will proceed with a launch attempt or focus on the backup attempt on Sunday, May 31.
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Fri, May 29, 2020
NASA Has Rescheduled The Crew Dragon Launch For Saturday at 3:22 p.m. EDT
The Expedition 63 crew will wait a few more days to gain two new crewmembers after weather scrubbed the initial launch attempt of the SpaceX Crew Dragon. Meanwhile, the orbiting trio aboard the International Space Station continued focusing on lab operations. Rain and lightning around Kennedy Space Center kept Commercial Crew members Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken on the ground Wednesday. The Florida weather violated launch rules and SpaceX scrubbed the liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket with the two NASA astronauts atop sitting inside the Crew Dragon vehicle. NASA has rescheduled the Crew Dragon launch for Saturday at 3:22 p.m. EDT with a backup launch date on Sunday at 3 p.m. If Hurley and Behnken launch Saturday, they would dock Sunday at 10:29 a.m. to the Harmony module’s International Docking Adapter.
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Fri, May 29, 2020
NASA Began Its UAS Integration In The NAS Project In 2011
NASA and its partners are taking flying UAS closer to operating in harmony with other aircraft in the National Airspace System (NAS). A new video from NASA Aeronautics provides a behind-the-scenes look into the technology and testing used during a nearly decade-long effort by its UAS Integration in the NAS project, along with the FAA, in creating rules that certify unmanned aircraft to safely coexist with other air traffic. The goal is to enable more routine access of UAS to the airspace for a growing number of new commercial and public service opportunities, such as real-time fire surveillance, infrastructure and pipeline inspections and medical transportation.
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Fri, May 29, 2020
Also: GAMA Report Bad News, Another Airshow Cancelled, ALPA c Ligado, Shorter USAF Pilots
Tecnam has announced the introduction of a new airframe, with an aero-diesel engine and a Type Certificate expected by July. Burning just 5.2 US Gal per hour, the P-2010 TDI takes advantage of the high-wing configuration with 3 access doors plus another dedicated one for the baggage compartment. It can cover 1,000nm on a full tank of 63 Gallons. Boeing has resumed production of the 737 MAX at the company’s Renton, Washington factory. The 737 program began building airplanes at a low rate as it implements more than a dozen initiatives focused on enhancing workplace safety and product quality. “We’ve been on a continuous journey to evolve our production system and make it even stronger,” said Walt Odisho, vice president and general manager of the 737 program. “These initiatives are the next step in creating the optimal build environment for the 737 MAX.&rdquo
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Thu, May 28, 2020
They Only Needed Another 10-20 Minutes To Get Past The Worst of The Weather...
NASA and SpaceX scrubbed Wednesday’s launch attempt of the Demo-2 test flight to the International Space Station with astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley due to unfavorable weather conditions around Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch of the SpaceX Crew Dragon to the ISS was scrubbed less than 20 minutes before the scheduled liftoff due to several 'launch violations' created by different hazards presented by the inclement weather. SpaceX began removing propellant from the Falcon 9 rocket right away before 'safing' the emergency escape system and allowing the astronauts to exit the Crew Dragon spacecraft. The instantaneous launch window reopens at 3:22 p.m. EDT, or 19:22 UTC, with a backup instantaneous launch opportunity available on Sunday, May 31 at 3:00 p.m. EDT, or 19:00 UTC.
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Thu, May 28, 2020
VO: The Rocket Did Not Explode
The folks at Virgin Orbit, displaying an uncommon level of transparency (especially this soon after a launch failure) have filed the following report:
Virgin Orbit Report
As we’ve delved into the data from yesterday’s flight, the more we see, the happier we get. We’ve taken an enormous step forward as a team, and we wanted to share more about the flight, including both the many things that went well and what we know about the areas where we’ll need to improve. The context of everything that happened before the release of the rocket is incredibly important, and we’ll describe that in detail below. But we won’t make you wait for the part that’s of most interest.
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