Comments on: SpaceX Dragon takes fiery ride from ISS back to Earth today

By: Rich Keller

Rich Keller — Thu, 31 May 2012 20:41:00 +0000

Of course they recycle fluids. A spaceman’s flesh is his own; the water belongs to the tribe.

By: pATREUS

pATREUS — Thu, 31 May 2012 20:31:00 +0000

what an awesome day, I feel privileged to witness it =)

By: nw2

nw2 — Thu, 31 May 2012 19:28:00 +0000

SpaceX isn’t at $1000/lb yet; that will require their larger boosters (not yet built) or reusability of stages (not yet achieved).

By: hub

hub — Thu, 31 May 2012 17:06:00 +0000

1042AM ET does not make 1142AM PT but rather 0742AM PT It is barely 1005AM PT

By: nixiebunny

nixiebunny — Thu, 31 May 2012 17:06:00 +0000

Did anyone else notice that for all the newfangled high-techness of the 21st century, the video images from space are crappier than ever?

By: nixiebunny

nixiebunny — Thu, 31 May 2012 17:03:00 +0000

It’s been a long time since any country has developed a space capsule that will splash down intact. That’s something. It’s true that it has been done before, but it hasn’t been done for decades. The only other available system is Soyuz.

Also, this flight is a precursor to bigger, better stuff. That’s exciting.

By: Aloisius

Aloisius — Thu, 31 May 2012 16:53:00 +0000

It was never lack of options that was preventing space tourism and the commercialization of space. The problem was with cost and SpaceX is far far cheaper (<$1000/lb) than anyone else for getting to low earth orbit. That's why it is a breakthrough.

By: liquidstar

liquidstar — Thu, 31 May 2012 16:07:00 +0000

Space X just landed. There is some stuff bugging me about this. It is an amazing achievement for any company, just wanna make that clear, but frankly they are wisely using a very tried and true approach emulating the Apollo missions, perhaps the must successful govt. missions in history (at least PR-wise) – so frankly that s been done – and they are doing it now with more advanced computers and materials. Also, business has been sending stuff into space (unmanned) for ages now. So that s not really new either. Other countries do have space programs, some that can actually put humans in space (and send them back to earth) , so the whole “it s a new age” thing bugs me there. It s very American-centric. There are more viable space programs around the world now than ever before, it was only the U.S. which decided to go backwards for awhile and dismantle it s largest concentration of space – faring knowledge. I even saw a Canadian anchorwoman asking if this will usher in the age of space tourism, but as we know this industry has been going on for awhile now. Sometimes it seems if it s Russsian, Chinese, British/European, or Japanese, it just doesn’t exist. So the Dragon mission starts to look like more corporate propaganda. Sorry, just had to get that stuff off my chest.

By: Noctilucent Studios

Noctilucent Studios — Thu, 31 May 2012 15:18:00 +0000

If you are in a boat about 400 miles off the southern Cali coast, just look up in about 25 minutes and you’re good to go.

By: Jason Smith

Jason Smith — Thu, 31 May 2012 14:59:00 +0000

they said that it’s coming in off the coast of CA, I don’t know if it’ll be visible though,

anyone know?

By: TheKaz1969

TheKaz1969 — Thu, 31 May 2012 14:56:00 +0000

so.. will people be able to see this with the naked eye? if so, where?

By: Darren Woodley

Darren Woodley — Thu, 31 May 2012 14:45:00 +0000

Love to see the Dragon coverage on BB; I was up most of the night watching the livestream on NASA TV. That said, Dragon isn’t the only capsule built for docking with the ISS. Orbital has also had a contract with NASA to develop the Cygnus spacecraft, which should be performing its first ISS mission this summer or fall.