NASA to launch astronauts into space from US soil for first time in nearly a decade (capitalist, Texas)

[Dane_in_LA]

Originally Posted by Spartacus713

You initially were making the case that the entire effort to develop a human launch capability to replace the space shuttle started with Obama...

I have my doubts about the veracity of that statement, but a cite would certainly settle it.

The only reason why we are having this exchange is because of your excessively fond feelings for Barack Obama.

<shrug> I simply find it funny that a simple fact - that this launch is the direct outcome of an Obama-era initiative - sticks in so many conservatives' craw. The mental gymnastics on display are - well, mildly entertaining.

atltechdude posted:

Originally Posted by atltechdude

Obama began the commercial crew program which this launch is being conducted under.

You countered:

Originally Posted by Spartacus713

NASA has been working on a similar system to launch humans into space which goes back to the Bush Administration in 2004.

But those two programs are not similar in the slightest.

[atltechdude]

Originally Posted by CrownVic95

This was Obama's vision for NASA's new direction.

That is a comically absurd overgeneralization from a single statement.

[atltechdude]

Originally Posted by Spartacus713

The original line of discussion that we are finishing off here was about the failed efforts of NASA with the CEV/SLS effort to develop a manned space flight capability to replace the space shuttle. You initially were making the case that the entire effort to develop a human launch capability to replace the space shuttle started with Obama and that all Bush was doing was a resupply program for the space station, or something. In fact, it was Bush who announced the retirement of the space shuttle and the initial plans to try to develop a replacement for it.

Bush started the post Space Shuttle NASA hardware dev which eventually became Constellation/SLS/Orion.

Bush also started COTS/CRS (which Obama continued) that eventually became Commercial Crew.

[Spartacus713]

Originally Posted by atltechdude

Bush started the post Space Shuttle NASA hardware dev which eventually became Constellation/SLS/Orion.

Bush also started COTS/CRS (which Obama continued) that eventually became Commercial Crew.

Well said. Thank you for clearing that up.

[Dane_in_LA]

Originally Posted by atltechdude

Bush started the post Space Shuttle NASA hardware dev which eventually became Constellation/SLS/Orion.

Emphatically agree. Direct lineage. Although Constellation was canceled in the Obama presidency's idealistic phase. (Congress, in a rare display of bilateral cooperation, wasn't having it.) Still has nothing to do with SpaceX. And SLS at least dropped Ares I, in a rare display of common sense.

Bush also started COTS/CRS (which Obama continued) that eventually became Commercial Crew.

Agree, but - a bit less emphatically. The step from unmanned to manned is a big one, and it was the Obama administration that took it. The only reason either administration got away with it was that the figures were so low.

[Spartacus713]

Originally Posted by Spartacus713

Here is the NASA Live channel on youtube. It is as far as I can tell the same feed for the NASA channel on cable TV. The launch will be carried here:



It looks pretty cloudy in Florida, based on the shots they are showing. I hope the launch can go ahead today.

The launch is on for today. 50 minutes until liftoff.

The weather looks good. Unless there is a technical problem, it looks like they are going to do it.

[Spartacus713]

Nineteen minutes. All systems are go.

[Spartacus713]

Three minutes to launch. It looks like they are going to do it.

[elan]

Here we go!!!!

[Spartacus713]

Successful launch and first stage separation.