SpaceX to attempt first night splashdown since Apollo 8 in 1968
Capitalism in space: Because of weather delays, SpaceX will now attempt the splashdown of Resilience carrying four astronauts from ISS in the predawn hours tomorrow, the first nighttime splashdown in more than a half century, since Apollo 8 in 1968.
Resilience will undock from ISS tonight at 8:35 pm (Eastern), and splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico at 2:57 am (Eastern).
This will also be only the third nighttime landing ever. Besides Apollo 8, which was planned, in 1976 Soyuz 23 failed to dock with the Soviet Union’s Salyut 5 station and came home after only two days in space. That unplanned landing also turned out to be the first and only manned splashdown ever in Russian history, as the capsule landed on frozen Lake Tengiz in Kazakhstan, breaking through the ice, during a blizzard. The two astronauts were safely recovered, though their return to Earth was far from pleasant.
The support of my readers through the years has given me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Four years ago, just before the 2020 election I wrote that Joe Biden's mental health was suspect. Only in this year has the propaganda mainstream media decided to recognize that basic fact.
Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Even today NASA and Congress refuse to recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
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Capitalism in space: Because of weather delays, SpaceX will now attempt the splashdown of Resilience carrying four astronauts from ISS in the predawn hours tomorrow, the first nighttime splashdown in more than a half century, since Apollo 8 in 1968.
Resilience will undock from ISS tonight at 8:35 pm (Eastern), and splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico at 2:57 am (Eastern).
This will also be only the third nighttime landing ever. Besides Apollo 8, which was planned, in 1976 Soyuz 23 failed to dock with the Soviet Union’s Salyut 5 station and came home after only two days in space. That unplanned landing also turned out to be the first and only manned splashdown ever in Russian history, as the capsule landed on frozen Lake Tengiz in Kazakhstan, breaking through the ice, during a blizzard. The two astronauts were safely recovered, though their return to Earth was far from pleasant.
The support of my readers through the years has given me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Four years ago, just before the 2020 election I wrote that Joe Biden's mental health was suspect. Only in this year has the propaganda mainstream media decided to recognize that basic fact.
Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Even today NASA and Congress refuse to recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are five ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation:
5. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above. And if you buy the books through the ebookit links, I get a larger cut and I get it sooner.
Just read the Wiki on the mission. You can’t get any more Russian than that.
Can anyone recommend a good source of info on the ground track of the re-entering Dragon? I am temporarily at a location in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur, near La Paz. I would like to determine whether Dragon will be visible here during re-entry.
Great question Ray. I’m in Northern California and was wondering if the re-entry might come by this far north.
I’m not an expert but the Dragon reentry track should be somewhat aligned with the ISS ground track. With splashdown in the eastern GOM just offshore of FL, it is probably going to be coming over Central America during the reentry. I’m just guessing.
@Tommy K: Re-entry from the s/w to NE coming over the Yucatan Peninsula.
What I have done is look at the Heavens-above website for ISS passes in the re-entry timeframe.
I found none for my locale, so I conclude that I will probably not see the Dragon either, because I am sure the Dragon will be in the same inclination, and slightly ahead or behind the ISS, depending on the maneuvers that are used in separating from the ISS. But I’ll be scanning the skies anyway.
It is remarkable how comparatively rare ISS passes are here at 24-ish degree north latitude, compared to the 48-ish north latitude I normally observe from! I believe this is due to the fact that at higher latitudes the ISS orbital track is more East-West, covering a broad swath of longitudes, but nearer the Equator is is steeply inclined at around 51 degrees, and thus a given longitude point las a lower probability of seeing a visible pass.
Guess who’s going be a regular feature here on BTB?
https://nypost.com/2021/05/01/kamala-harris-to-chair-national-space-council/
I bet the Zman never saw that coming.
God, this is going to get ugly (But I like her smile :)
They’re going to the gulf of Mexico, I’m hearing it’s the Panama City splashdown area.
Cotour: You obviously did not pay much attention. After the first National Space Council meeting under Trump, I stopped paying much attention to it. It was designed solely as a propaganda machine, so its meetings were garbage. Much more important were the larger decisions made outside that council.
It will be the same, in fact more so, under Biden.
Q:
Just watched the last 10 minutes of splash-down real quick, –>how far off the coast are we talking about?
Cotour/ Mr. Z.,
–Is this essentially one of those vice-presidential duty-things’, or what? (the national space council)
Cotour–
you’re starting to worry me, my man! Kamala, really?! (The AOC thing’ I can totally understand, she’s not my type but there is something to be said for youth and puppy-dog eyes.)
Kamala— well, I’d put forth a proposition:
We all know exactly what she is, we’re just negotiating the price. (so to speak)
———
here we go…
CBS News
Apollo 8 Splashdown 12-27-68
(cued to roughly the last 10 minutes)
https://youtu.be/aoh7EgpDp6A?t=1899
This, is really good.
NASA’s Space Tracking Ships
Scott Manley 4-15-21
https://youtu.be/fQFZyHWy4Vs
13:10
“During the 1950’s and 60’s the US converted a number of aging cargo ships into floating tracking stations to support the space program. About 20 of these would be converted to host multiple antennas and tons of electronics as well as mini versions of mission control which could operate independent of primary mission control if needed.”
Wayne:
I like to find something positive in most everyone. For instance, Stalin had one hell of a mustache. No?
Kamala, Leftist, racist and as dopey and as vacant as she is has a nice smile. And thats it for her, its got her a long way in her career. I don’t know where you are going with this but I think you might get yourself suspended for a week if you continue :)
Just another symbolic job for the no can do, know nothing about much of anything, 2% VP.
I for one am glad that they are keeping the national space council with the VP chairing it. I mean of course it doesn’t do much, but there are so many other terrible projects that a VP could otherwise work on – starting wars, destroying the energy sector, indoctrinating young kids, etc. I’d much prefer that they focus on something relatively positive even if their contribution is minimal.
@ pawn: I read the article, too, and concur.
“Yeah, well, landing a passenger jet on a river is cool, but let me tell you about *my* landing!”
Cotour–
Well, if recall correctly, she does have a lot of teeth.
–> sorta like Mr. Ed. (so to speak)
continuing on my apollo-8 theme…..
“The Future of Space Exploration & Apollo 8”
The Moore Show w/ Robert Zimmerman
May 2013
https://youtu.be/jSMnjT-OuJA
56:12