Comments on: SpaceX launches Axiom’s second commercial manned mission to ISS

By: Star Bird

Star Bird — Mon, 22 May 2023 21:09:54 +0000

I would like to see them build a big time Prison in Space we can send the worst of the worst

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Mon, 22 May 2023 15:58:02 +0000

In reply to Andi. Andi: Fixed. Thank you.

By: Ray Van Dune

Ray Van Dune — Mon, 22 May 2023 15:36:03 +0000

I noticed that Commander Peggy Whitson, consummate professional that she is, got out of the camera view quickly in the first on-orbit report, and let three first-timers share the limited air time. She’s a class act.

On that limited air-time, wasn’t the whole point of TDRS (many years ago) to ensure that spacecraft were always in communication with their control centers? Seems like that used to include video, but does no longer. This morning’s docking was audio-only.

By: Andi

Andi — Mon, 22 May 2023 13:32:35 +0000

Minor edit in first sentence: “to launch”

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Mon, 22 May 2023 03:48:13 +0000

In reply to Richard M. Richard M: Thank you for the correction. I am forever grateful for my readers for keeping me honest.

By: Jeff Wright

Jeff Wright — Mon, 22 May 2023 02:47:48 +0000

On SuperHeavy
https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=C9-P-rgMMsI&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.secretprojects.co.uk%2F&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjY&feature=emb_logo

By: pzatchok

pzatchok — Mon, 22 May 2023 01:38:45 +0000

And I remember that just last year China was launch at a rate to equal or better Space X.
I predicted that a huge amount of those flights were just blind launches with little to no science payload or I think in some cases nothing more than an orbital object.

I also predicted that China would drop off severely this year in launches because they were just launching for internal propaganda. I bet they are blocking all news of Space X inside China now since they were able to officially claim last year more launches than Space X.

Granted they are doing good work in space but that number of launches was not sustainable.

By: John

John — Mon, 22 May 2023 01:31:09 +0000

I knew about it and set my alarm to remind me to tune in. But I was busy, and decided to keep doing what I was doing. I guess manned flights are now routine.

By: Edward

Edward — Mon, 22 May 2023 00:55:22 +0000

“Were you aware this was happening?”

Yes, but I thought they were launching in late May.

Oh. Right. I just can’t believe that April is already over.*

“SpaceX has now made American manned spaceflight so routine almost no one pays attention.”

Kate Tice pointed out that this is SpaceX’s tenth manned mission. No wonder the rest of the world yawns at it, it has been done so many times before. What are they doing that is new or newsworthy?

“SpaceX by itself is now tied in total launches with the rest of the world, including American companies.”

That is quite a prolific company! Already they are on pace to exceed 100 (successful orbital) launches this year. That should be newsworthy, but once again, it is merely routine. Rocket Lab, with its own reusable launch vehicles, may also be able to achieve this launch rate in a decade, similar to SpaceX.
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* By this I mean April of 1994. For me, that was one looong month. And, yes, I have been saying this for 29 years (although I’m not that old).

By: Richard M

Richard M — Mon, 22 May 2023 00:17:55 +0000

Hi Bob,

They plan to spend sixteen days docked to ISS.

Correction: It will only be 8 days at ISS now. They shortened the mission because the launch had been pushed back, and there are looming traffic jams at both ISS and LC-39A.

The Dragon spacecraft, named Freedom, is scheduled to dock with the station at about 9:30 a.m. Eastern May 22. The spacecraft will remain there for eight days before returning with its four-person crew.

The Ax-2 mission was scheduled to spend 10 days at the ISS, but delays in the launch caused by a postponed Falcon Heavy launch led Axiom Space and NASA to agree to shorten the mission by two days to fit it into a crowded manifest of missions going to the station.

https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-second-axiom-space-private-astronaut-mission-to-iss/

By: Richard M

Richard M — Mon, 22 May 2023 00:09:15 +0000

Nice to see Col. John Insprucker back on the SpaceX launch stream.

SpaceX has now made American manned spaceflight so routine almost no one pays attention.

On human space flight, they’re starting to approach peak Shuttle cadence levels. In 2023, if the schedule holds, they will launch 20 astronauts to orbit, across five Crew Dragon missions. How does that stack up with the rest of the world?

SpaceX: 20
China/CMSA: 6
Russia/Roscosmos: 3
Boeing: 2

SpaceX literally will be putting more human beings into orbit than everyone else in the world put together.

Why, in fact . . . they will be launching more *private* astronauts into orbit (12) than the rest of the world put together! A new age of spaceflight is dawning.

By: Blair Ivey

Blair Ivey — Sun, 21 May 2023 23:58:52 +0000

As I’ve noted, UAE is quietly making some noise in space operations..

By: Ray Van Dune

Ray Van Dune — Sun, 21 May 2023 22:39:34 +0000

Surprisingly, NPR had a nearly minute-long segment on the launch this morning. Must have been the woman-as-commander thing, but I doubt Peggy Whitson is typical of their core *AWFL audience! The SpaceX coverage this afternoon was typically excellent, with plenty of airtime featuring the beautiful Kate Tice!

*Affluent White Female Liberal

By: Joe

Joe — Sun, 21 May 2023 21:54:59 +0000

Beautiful launch and first stage landing. Putting the stage down on land was new for a crewed flight.