John Kraus retweeted
Throughout Earth's history, there have been periods when humans, had we existed, would have been wiped out. Our existence and whatever purpose we intended to serve would have been extinguished. If there’s a technical path to ensuring humanity’s survival—and Starship appears to be the closest we've come—it seems irresponsible not to pursue it. Channeling a bit of JFK, I believe we can venture into the stars and 'do the other things' to make life better here on Earth. We can explore the cosmos and build children's hospitals; we can advance our species and strive to cure childhood cancer; we can attempt to unlock the mysteries of the universe and improve the climate here at home. Those who see this as a binary choice, where resources must be allocated to one side or the other, are incredibly shortsighted. In fact, by attempting to delay progress, they may actually be making things worse.
Space has become the final frontier for billionaut tourists. But is it responsible during a climate crisis for the super-rich to go where no billionaire has gone before in search of thrills and a Planet B? "Humans are almost perfectly calibrated for life on Earth, even if we are making the planet more inhospitable with time," writes Khaled Diab (@DiabolicalIdea). "If space billionaires wish to guard the survival of human civilisation and help us thrive, they would be far better off directing their considerable resources to climate and environmental action here on Earth." @elonmusk @JeffBezos @rookisaacman @SpaceX @blueorigin carbonmarketwatch.org/2024/0…
B1062 still has largely intact Merlins. Hopefully can make a few nice display pieces to celebrate this life leader's great launch career.
Not much left of Falcon 9 B1062. Important to remember that with 23 flights under its belt, it completed 22 more flights than any other orbital-class rocket booster. Here's to celebrating its successful missions and to many more reuse records broken with future boosters.
John Kraus retweeted
I am a firm believer that human spaceflight is possible for a vast majority of the population. You don't have to be Superman, you don't have to be Einstein, you don't have to be Da Vinci. You just have to be open-minded and willing to learn.
Latest forecasts continue to show unfavorable weather conditions in the areas along Florida’s coast where Dragon would splash down upon returning from space. Once teams identify the next best opportunity for launch and return of the Polaris Dawn mission, we’ll provide an update. Falcon 9 and Dragon remain healthy and vertical on the pad at 39A
This is an historic mission: - Furthest distance that astronauts will travel from Earth in over half a century! - First spacewalk by private individuals! Everything possible must be done to ensure astronaut safety.
I wanted to share some updates: - The primary factor driving the launch timing for Polaris Dawn is the splashdown weather within Dragon's limits. Unlike an ISS mission, we don’t have the option to delay long on orbit, so we must ensure the forecast is as favorable as possible before we launch. - We sincerely apologize to those who have traveled to see our launch and have faced delays. Many of our guests were able to witness 1062’s final Starlink mission. While it’s unfortunate she didn’t stick the last landing, the cause is well understood, and she successfully completed her mission. 1062 had an incredible career, flying many notable missions, including Inspiration4 and AX-1. It’s remarkable to think about the life this amazing rocket led from the day she first rolled off the assembly line. - When we are ready to launch, we will be working within the same window as previously briefed. - The crew remains in quarantine, staying productive, keeping fit, and ready to launch within approximately 30 hours of receiving a favorable forecast. Space exploration demands patience, resilience, and teamwork. We are deeply grateful for the dedication of everyone involved and for the support of those who believe in our mission. Together, we are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and continuing humanity’s journey to the stars.
John Kraus retweeted
I wanted to share some updates: - The primary factor driving the launch timing for Polaris Dawn is the splashdown weather within Dragon's limits. Unlike an ISS mission, we don’t have the option to delay long on orbit, so we must ensure the forecast is as favorable as possible before we launch. - We sincerely apologize to those who have traveled to see our launch and have faced delays. Many of our guests were able to witness 1062’s final Starlink mission. While it’s unfortunate she didn’t stick the last landing, the cause is well understood, and she successfully completed her mission. 1062 had an incredible career, flying many notable missions, including Inspiration4 and AX-1. It’s remarkable to think about the life this amazing rocket led from the day she first rolled off the assembly line. - When we are ready to launch, we will be working within the same window as previously briefed. - The crew remains in quarantine, staying productive, keeping fit, and ready to launch within approximately 30 hours of receiving a favorable forecast. Space exploration demands patience, resilience, and teamwork. We are deeply grateful for the dedication of everyone involved and for the support of those who believe in our mission. Together, we are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and continuing humanity’s journey to the stars.
John Kraus retweeted
Falcon 9 transits the moon 🎥 Watch the sound waves radiate outward from Falcon's exhaust! They create a refractive effect and break up the edges of the moon, making it ripple Incredible super-slowmo capture by @johnpisaniphoto with @freeflysystems and a beautiful tribute to veteran booster B1062
John Kraus retweeted
Losing a booster is always sad. Each one of them has a unique history and character. Thankfully this doesn’t happen often, due to the robust design and vigilance of the team. We are working as hard as we can to thoroughly understand root cause and get corrective actions in place ASAP. One thing we do know though is this was purely a recovery issue and posed no threat to primary mission or public safety.
Long live Falcon 9 B1062. It completed 23 flights to space and back, including Inspiration4. A few days after their launch, the crew reunited with the booster after it returned to port. Feels weird to be sentimental over a rocket stage but thanks to reusability we can be.
John Kraus retweeted
Some may use the term 'tourism' to differentiate between NASA and commercial missions, sometimes implying that commercial crews are less deserving than government astronauts. But space should be for all who contribute, not just those in taxpayer-funded operations. While the 'billionaire' label might follow my efforts, that wasn’t my goal when I started a small business in my parents' basement as a teenager. Entrepreneurship is often celebrated until it reaches a certain level, where it unfortunately becomes vilified. What truly matters is the merit of those who take on these missions and what they aim to accomplish. My crew’s engineering degrees, aerospace experience and military service are just as worthy of this opportunity as the backgrounds of NASA astronauts with similar qualifications. If we want to see humanity return to the Moon, land on Mars and unlock the mysteries of the universe in our lifetime, we need to support everyone working to make it happen—regardless of the color of the flight suit they wear or who’s picking up the tab.
The SpaceX train never stops chugging along! 💪
SpaceX teams are targeting back-to-back Falcon 9 launches of Starlink tonight from Florida and California → spacex.com/launches