Short Wave Space Launch! (It's Tomorrow And It's Historic.)
May 26, 2020
Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR's science correspondent, joins the discussion about an upcoming NASA launch featuring astronauts boarding a SpaceX spacecraft—its first crewed mission since 2011. They explore the excitement and nostalgia surrounding this historic event, comparing it to the Space Shuttle era. Greenfieldboyce highlights the revolutionary partnership between NASA and SpaceX and the advances in safety protocols. They also delve into how the pandemic shaped launch preparations, reflecting on the evolving public interest in space exploration.
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New Era of Space Travel
- The SpaceX Crew Dragon is a brand new vehicle launching NASA astronauts.
- This is the first such launch from American soil since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011.
SpaceX Firsts
- This marks SpaceX's first human spaceflight and the first time NASA astronauts have launched from the U.S. since 2011.
- American astronauts have been using Russian rockets launching from Kazakhstan since then.
Wayne Hale's Experience
- Wayne Hale, a junior flight controller in 1981, watched the launch on TV.
- He was struck by the shuttle's brightness and speed, contrasting it with the slower Saturn V rockets.