Rocket launches LIVE.

[LONEWOLF]

I think it's leaving in another day or two? Around the 8th or 9th.. The mission length was 5-6 days so should be soon... Im keen to watch the Splashdown too...

It wont be long before we can fly to an Asteroid, take a sample and return home... There is so much going on ATM...

Canada has announced they are going to be part of building a Base on the Moon for Human Habitation and for future launches further into Space.... Now its getting interesting...

LW....

 

[LONEWOLF]

Crew Dragon is leaving the ISS around 6pm Qld time tonight and Splashdown is at around 11.30 tonight... Safe return Ripley

https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive

LW....

 

[LONEWOLF]

Reviewed times are departure at 5.30 and splashdown 2hrs later..

LW...

 

[grubstake]

YouTube channel for live de-orbit and splashdown of SpaceX Crew Dragon from the ISS w/ "Ripley", with countdown clock to commencement:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROmO6sdd17Y

 

[Ramjet]

Not sure I will be able to stay awake for this..... :| :/ :zzz: :zzz:

 

[grubstake]

Perfect splashdown!

 

[BigWave]

Was a great re-entry/splash-down :Y:

 

[LONEWOLF]

SPLASHDOWN ...... Yay...... :clap: :clap: erfect:

LW

 

[LONEWOLF]

Well the 'Toasted Marshmallow' landed safe and well although a little singed.... They need to move a bit quicker and recover a bit better than they did last night.... And if there is Rough waters I think they will have further issues... Looked quite unstable in the water...

Did anyone else see bits flying off on its way back ? A few others did and it would be interesting to find out a bit more on that... We should know more in a few days after Spacex's inspections...

Overall a very successful Mission with everything going according to plan... Now for the Abort Test... :Y:

LW.....

 

[Ramjet]

I haven't even see a replay yet. Hope to this arvo.

In other SpaceX new. Star hopper had it's first journey. Over to the launch pad on the back of a big *** transporter. This is a long video. Skip ahead like I did.

[video=480,360]https://youtu.be/qIFpLblpC-E[/video]

 

[Jaros]

It didn't even make a cup of coffee!!!

 

[LONEWOLF]

It's looking more like that water tank Ramjet.. {) or a big Still...

This is one of my favourite 'Clips' from a few years ago... and I can only imagine the new one with Crew Dragon staring in the lead role.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0FZIwabctw

LW....

 

[Ramjet]

Yeah that's a great clip LW.

 

[grubstake]

Lengthy but very interesting article on the US space program - past, present and future:
https://interestingengineering.com/why-is-it-taking-us-so-long-to-get-back-to-the-moon

 

[LONEWOLF]

For the early risers there is a Russian Soyuz Launch at 5.30 am tomorrow... MS 12... Carrying 3 Astronauts to the ISS... 2 of them are the ones that had the Failure several months ago and I bet their nerves are up there... Although they seem pretty relaxed about the whole thing I know I would be oop: myself...

There are also 3 Spacewalks planned for the last week of March to early April... The second Spacewalk will be Historic with the first time 2 Female Astronauts are doing a Spacewalk together... NASA has stated that these Spacewalks will be broadcast, but they haven't put up any links yet...

LW....

 

[LONEWOLF]

A successful Launch and a safe arrival at the ISS for All on board today.....

LW....

 

[grubstake]

There's a Rocket Lab Electron basking in the sunshine at Mahia, NZ:

Payload details are here: https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2019-01-22b

 

[LONEWOLF]

Looks nice... When they fill up it turns white from the ice buildup... Last launch i thought they painted it white.... Looks cool in NZ Black...

LW....

 

[Ramjet]

Well a lot of news from Musk today's Twitter. No nee nose cone for the star hopper and it will start tests with the one raptor within a few days.
The other cylinder being built is not a new nose cone but the start of an orbital test vehicle. Woo hoo
Not only that but they will be building it in Texas while building the super heavy booster at KSC at the same time. Really pushing forward.

There is also another change in heat shields. Now we have hexagonal shield pieces being tested with transpiration on the hot spots.

 

[LONEWOLF]

Nice, moving at a rapid pace....

LW.....