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8 hours ago, tater said:

March 7, Thursday

...

March 8, Friday

... That fast ? Do they need a DM-2 before they can carry people inside it, or would the next one be also "DM" but carries people anyway ?

Edited by YNM
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23 minutes ago, YNM said:

... That fast ? Do they need a DM-2 before they can carry people inside it, or would the next one be also "DM" but carries people anyway ?

What would you gain from more than a few days on the ISS besides an assessment of micrometeoroid impacts, which are already known pretty well.

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54 minutes ago, YNM said:

... That fast ? Do they need a DM-2 before they can carry people inside it, or would the next one be also "DM" but carries people anyway ?

Yes, there is a DM-2 with people in it before the  "operational" missions begin. Currently NET July (so probably late August- September at best)

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38 minutes ago, Ultimate Steve said:

What would you gain from more than a few days on the ISS besides an assessment of micrometeoroid impacts, which are already known pretty well.

... Free long-term vaccuum (with docking seal as well) and irradiation test ?

6 minutes ago, ThatGuyWithALongUsername said:

Yes, there is a DM-2 with people in it before the  "operational" missions begin. Currently NET July (so probably late August- September at best)

Will they leave the capsule longer for that ?

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55 minutes ago, tater said:

People between WA and FL along that line with the ISS icon on it should look up Friday morning and view the reentry.

Cool!  I'm in the south suburbs of Chicago.  I'll be watching for it.

 

Edit:  It looks too far south for me after looking at the path a little closer.  :(

Edited by SuperFastJellyfish
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11 minutes ago, StrandedonEarth said:

Hmm, I’m just a little north (like 0.1 degree) of Sumas, WA, I wonder if I’ll be able to see it. Will it have even started to re-enter at that pint?

FWIW, we heard the sonic boom of Columbia (breaking up :( )here in Albuquerque. It must have been visible even farther west.

It's probably worth a look, anyway.

Check out https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/

I'm betting you can see something if it's clear.

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4 hours ago, Ultimate Steve said:

What would you gain from more than a few days on the ISS besides an assessment of micrometeoroid impacts, which are already known pretty well.

The Dragon has a lot of systems that interact with the ISS while it's docked, like computers. They can make sure the ship can talk to the station.

3 hours ago, tater said:

People between WA and FL along that line with the ISS icon on it should look up Friday morning and view the reentry.

Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Looks like that's after sunrise for me, so probably not visible...but maybe, I dunno? Also the current forecast is cloudy.

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Columbia was apparently visible in daylight. One of the astronaut's dads lives here in ABQ (her brother still does), and was watching when the Orbiter broke up. At the time, I didn't know, but my wife and I were awake in bed (early am) when I heard a thump on the large picture window in the living room. I assumed a large big had flown into it, and actually went to the patio to look for a hawk stumbling around, and just heard a rumble, but didn't see anything.

Anyway, decent chance it might be visible.

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Hmm, Friday calls for overcast, with a three minute appearance at 0527 local time. I’ll have been at work for half an hour at that point, with decent sightlines from the yard. Hope the weather clears up, and hopefully it’ll be in a flaming re-entry state by that point (D2, not the station). 

I wonder how far ahead or behind the ISS it’ll be...

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13 minutes ago, StrandedonEarth said:

Hmm, Friday calls for overcast, with a three minute appearance at 0527 local time. I’ll have been at work for half an hour at that point, with decent sightlines from the yard. Hope the weather clears up, and hopefully it’ll be in a flaming re-entry state by that point (D2, not the station). 

I wonder how far ahead or behind the ISS it’ll be...

Chris B at NSF is working up a viewers guide, apparently.

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1 hour ago, StrandedonEarth said:

Hmm, Friday calls for overcast, with a three minute appearance at 0527 local time. I’ll have been at work for half an hour at that point, with decent sightlines from the yard. Hope the weather clears up, and hopefully it’ll be in a flaming re-entry state by that point (D2, not the station). 

I wonder how far ahead or behind the ISS it’ll be...

The ISS is visible for me near Chicago at:

Date: Fri Mar 8, 4:21 AM central
    Visible: 2 min
    Max Height: 14°
    Appears: 14° above N
    Disappears: 10° above NNE

Dragon splashes at 7:45am central.

Edit: Since ISS is so low, I won't see dragon.  :(

 

Edited by SuperFastJellyfish
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That’s the pass before, I assume. Also, visible passes are not what matters. I was using it to get a feel for how off axis you can be and still see something that high, though reentry will be substantially lower, and hence visible closer to the pass.

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22 minutes ago, SuperFastJellyfish said:

The ISS is visible for me near Chicago at:

Date: Fri Mar 8, 4:21 AM central
    Visible: 2 min
    Max Height: 14°
    Appears: 14° above N
    Disappears: 10° above NNE

Dragon splashes at 7:45am central.

Edit: Since ISS is so low, I won't see dragon.  :(

 

That's two passes prior, though. At 7:36 the ISS will be right on top of you, although you will have daylight.

http://www.satflare.com/track.asp?q=25544#PASS

At some point around that time, Dragon will be reentering overhead.

Spoiler

GQaZp9X.png

yifp7X0.png

NASATV will be covering the deorbit and splashdown starting 7:30 AM Eastern/ 6:30 AM Central. If we're lucky, they'll show us some live maps as it's coming down...

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24 minutes ago, tater said:

That’s the pass before, I assume. Also, visible passes are not what matters. I was using it to get a feel for how off axis you can be and still see something that high, though reentry will be substantially lower, and hence visible closer to the pass.

 

12 minutes ago, cubinator said:

That's two passes prior, though. At 7:36 the ISS will be right on top of you, although you will have daylight.

http://www.satflare.com/track.asp?q=25544#PASS

At some point around that time, Dragon will be reentering overhead.

  Hide contents

GQaZp9X.png

yifp7X0.png

NASATV will be covering the deorbit and splashdown starting 7:30 AM Eastern/ 6:30 AM Central. If we're lucky, they'll show us some live maps as it's coming down...

Good calls.  :)

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50 minutes ago, Ultimate Steve said:

@cubinator What does that map represent? I live in Eastern Iowa, so I may be able to glimpse it.

That's the view from Chicago of the ISS. (Red line is its position.) If you go to the website I linked, you can set your own location by double clicking on the map and pressing "Predict Passes". You'll also need "Show Daytime Passes". You'll be closer to Dragon than either of us.

Edited by cubinator
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