First US launch of a private manned space craft

[polly_mer]

Watch the preparations for sending astronauts to the International Space Station live at https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive starting at noon Eastern Time today.

Years ago, every launch into space was a big deal.  Relive the excitement this time*.


* or hope with fingers crossed and watch the news later for those of us who had our first experience watching live be Challenger.

[mythbuster]

Well, see you all on Saturday for try number two!

[Parasaurolophus]

Years ago, every launch into space was a big deal.  Relive the excitement this time*.

One downside of getting serious about climate change will be even fewer launches. One upside is that each one should be a much bigger deal.

Or: maybe a space elevator.

[kaysixteen]

Hmmm... how much of this technology Musk is using is new, and how much of it is piggybacked on NASA space tech, much of which is by now decades old?  IOW, just how significant is this launch, and is private space launching a real alternative to doing it publicly?

[mamselle]

Sorry, but Elon Musk seems to me to just like to waste resources and play at things.

I can't find it in me to take him seriously, except to hope that his insouciant tinkering doesn't get anyone killed.

M.

[kaysixteen]

BTW,  Musk's 'private' space efforts would be more impressive if he paid for the construction of his own space launch facilities, etc.

[polly_mer]

Hmmm... how much of this technology Musk is using is new, and how much of it is piggybacked on NASA space tech, much of which is by now decades old?  IOW, just how significant is this launch, and is private space launching a real alternative to doing it publicly?

These are easily answered questions by people who can do a web search.

If you don't know the current state of the art at even the mass media level, then your opinion is worth less than the time I've already spent on this post.

[mamselle]

Ummm....no.

Techno-shaming is gratuitous....we're not all engineers who know where to start to look.

M.

[Anselm]

Hmmm... how much of this technology Musk is using is new, and how much of it is piggybacked on NASA space tech, much of which is by now decades old?  IOW, just how significant is this launch, and is private space launching a real alternative to doing it publicly?

I will make an educated guess and say that there is no stunning new tech here.   I likely would have heard about it in the news by now.  Private unmanned launches have been going on for while now.   Globally there are launches into space every week.

[nebo113]

And the leader of the free world just packed up his family and scuttled back to DC after the "failure."

[apl68]

By the way, congratulations for a successful and safe launch!