SpaceX just launched all civilian crew in rocket (fully autonomous)

[TiMSport]

Can see it live here. It's a fully automated trip with no astronauts on board. Wow.
The passengers on board are:

A billionaire, a cancer survivor, a geologist and a raffle winner. The billionaire paid for the entire trip at reportedly $200 Million.

https://www.spacex.com/launches/

[Nativetexan]

Wow. I wanna see their reactions when they open the 3D window to look out! It stopped at the best part

[MsGoGoMoto]

I don't even know if I can watch it..

I'm still reeling from my 1st flight lesson.
I actually

Wore depends.
And

Glad I did.
All the sudden inertia turbulence behind the sticks.

Feel like I did when I first put a motorcycle on the road. All the cars around me looked HUUUUGE.

[MsGoGoMoto]

Goodness gracious, it looks like they were just sitting in an elevator! Smooth ride!

[TiMSport]

This just goes to show how impressive and successful SpaceX has been. Think about it, the rocket engine used for this flight was the third time it has been used if I heard it correctly. As you probably know, that is one of the biggest distinctions with Elon's company, the ability to re-use rocket engines which was unheard of until they began doing it. As a result it's saving massive amounts of money and is also why NASA has tied up with them to handle space flights.

[leopard print]

Thanks for the link TiMSport

This is the true definition of a once in a lifetime experience. I’m so envious anyone who’s able to do this.

[2000cs]

Originally Posted by TiMSport

This just goes to show how impressive and successful SpaceX has been. Think about it, the rocket engine used for this flight was the third time it has been used if I heard it correctly. As you probably know, that is one of the biggest distinctions with Elon's company, the ability to re-use rocket engines which was unheard of until they began doing it. As a result it's saving massive amounts of money and is also why NASA has tied up with them to handle space flights.

And they land the booster on a barge in the ocean. No splash-down.

[2000cs]

Here’s a site with global launch schedules:

https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/

[vreihen16]

Just another cargo flight, with four meat bags along for the ride.....

[spazzyfry123]

Originally Posted by 2000cs

And they land the booster on a barge in the ocean. No splash-down.

That is extremely impressive.

Curious why, though? Just because it's extremely impressive or does it have a constructive purpose (to facilitate multi-use rockets for example)?

[2000cs]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

That is extremely impressive.

Curious why, though? Just because it's extremely impressive or does it have a constructive purpose (to facilitate multi-use rockets for example)?

I assume to make recovery and reuse better, as well as to demonstrate capability to NASA et al.

Also interesting from this year’s space flights is that you no longer need to be an astronaut to fly a spacecraft into orbit. Another job reduced to mere mortals by technology. About the only professions left are the ones that have regulatory/licensing bounds, like attorney, doctor and barber.

[2000cs]

The crew does land in the water. Scheduled for 7:00 PM Saturday eastern time (I think) near Pensacola FL. Not sure if there will be video, but being SpaceX/Musk I’d bet on it.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

Curious why, though? Just because it's extremely impressive or does it have a constructive purpose (to facilitate multi-use rockets for example)?

They land the first stage boosters either on the barge or back at Kennedy Space Center to be re-used as a "flight-proven" booster on subsequent launches. They have also found a way to retrieve/refurbish some carbon fiber cargo fairing cover halves, which cost millions of bucks to make. SpaceX's goal was to get 10+ launches out of each of the current series of Falcon first stage boosters, IIRC. I'm pretty sure that this was the third launch for this particular booster, and second manned flight for the Dragon capsule.

The only thing thrown away in a Falcon 9 launch is the second stage (and its single Merlin MVAC engine) along with some inter-stage adapters like the "trunk" on the Dragon capsule. I wouldn't be surprised to see SpaceX develop a method to recover the (more difficult) second stage in the future, although I suspect that their research efforts are going into their "Starship" program which is 100% recyclable and a key part of their lunar lander contract with NASA.

Elon Musk's logic is that airlines don't throw away jets after every flight, and there's no reason to throw away rockets after only one flight.....

[TiMSport]

In addition, it sure is nice not to have to rely on the Russians to get up there in space. I can't help but think that is a huge motivator.

[2000cs]

Originally Posted by TiMSport

In addition, it sure is nice not to have to rely on the Russians to get up there in space. I can't help but think that is a huge motivator.

Or the Chinese.

[F30lolz]

So assuming it’s $50M/person? Idk, that’s a lot of coin there. We won’t be around when going up to space will be a Groupon special for $49.95.

[Blitz5]

So are we launching all the 1%er's into space now? Asking for a friend.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by TiMSport

In addition, it sure is nice not to have to rely on the Russians to get up there in space. I can't help but think that is a huge motivator.

That, and the diss from the head of Roscosmos:



Elon Musk even made a comment after the first crew Dragon launch about how well SpaceX's trampoline worked.....

[vreihen16]

As a side note, the Soviet/Russian Soyuz capsule holds three passengers cramped in like sardines.

The SpaceX Dragon capsule was designed to carry 7 passengers (same as a Space Shuttle) if I recall correctly, and AFAIK they have only used the front four seats so far.

A Lada or a 7-series? I'll take the SpaceX trampoline any time.....

[tom2021]

In the future, the ultra rich will send their descendants to Mars, to escape the heavy polluted and unhabitable earth.

[TiMSport]

Originally Posted by 2000cs

Or the Chinese.

I don't think we've relied on China for anything so far. In fact, it has been very contentious because the US believes China is up to no good with their space development. I could be wrong though but I don't recall hearing about Americans tagging along for a ride on a Chinese rocket.

[ASAP]

Originally Posted by 2000cs

The crew does land in the water. Scheduled for 7:00 PM Saturday eastern time (I think) near Pensacola FL. Not sure if there will be video, but being SpaceX/Musk I’d bet on it.

Not this one... it's at 7:06 PM but it will land in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast... I would guess somewhere off the coast of Daytona maybe?