Space X - Dragon Launch Today

[MartG]

Hopefully they are getting some sharper still images which they can download later

[dickymint]

I bet Branson is kicking himself.

[Eric Mc]

Beginning to see some detail. The deployed solar panels are pretty obvious now.

[dickymint]

Any idea on magnitude of the upcoming passes Eric? Will it appear much brighter with Dragon docked?

[Eric Mc]

A bit. Dragon isn't that big so will only increase the reflectivity by a decimal point or two.
Migt be able to see the pair over the UK before docking - if you get up early enough.

Just seen a lovely shot of the Dragon crossing the eastern coastline of South Africa as the ISS and Dragon start across the Indian Ocean.

[dickymint]

Did you note the little dig when He commented Atlanta being the last American craft sighted over a year ago?

[Eric Mc]

dickymint said:

Did you note the little dig when He commented Atlanta being the last American craft sighted over a year ago?

Atlantis.

I didn't think it was a dig - more a wistful comment.

Bad timing in that they are going to have a four minute loss of signal (LOS) just at the moment of closest approach.

[Einion Yrth]

Eric Mc said:

Atlantis.

I didn't think it was a dig - more a wistful comment.

Bad timing in that they are going to have a four minute loss of signal (LOS) just at the moment of closest approach.

Indeed, or is it bad planning? They should have launched from somewhere else.

[Eric Mc]

Einion Yrth said:

Eric Mc said:

Atlantis.

I didn't think it was a dig - more a wistful comment.

Bad timing in that they are going to have a four minute loss of signal (LOS) just at the moment of closest approach.

Indeed, or is it bad planning? They should have launched from somewhere else.

My back garden is available.

And the ISS passes directly overhead.

[Einion Yrth]

Eric Mc said:

My back garden is available.

And the ISS passes directly overhead.

I think you'd need a rather large back garden and the neighbours might have something of an issue with the noise (and potential large explosion situation).

[marksx]

Einion Yrth said:

I think you'd need a rather large back garden and the neighbours might have something of an issue with the noise (and potential large explosion situation).

Pfft. Neighbours. Always moaning.

[Eric Mc]

Absolutely.

I had a fireworks party in the back garden back in 2000. That shows it's suitable.

Anyway, it would be revenge for their non-stop yappy dog.

[Caruso]

Watching the launch again, I noticed another major leap forward for American technology...the use of SI units!

[Eric Mc]

All the reporting and calls to and from the spacecraft today was in metric units.

The fact that Musk is a South African might have something to do with it.

[dickymint]

What units (SI or otherwise) are we talking about?

[Eric Mc]

dickymint said:

What units (SI or otherwise) are we talking about?

Distances were been given in meters and kilometres. Speed was given in meters per second.

[MartG]

Getting close :-)

[TheHeretic]

What time is the docking supposed to take place? All NASA tv seems to have on the schedule is ISS updates, without any more detail.

[Eric Mc]

Within the next hour.

[TheHeretic]

Eric Mc said:

Within the next hour.

Cheers.