NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are about to strap into SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule.
NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are about to strap into SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule, making them the first people that Elon Musk's company will attempt to launch into space.Both are military veterans, as Behnken served in the Air Force and Hurley in the Marine Corps.
NASA astronaut Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken walk out of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building during a dress rehearsal for the SpaceX Demo-2 launch.They are a pair of astronauts who have worked together for 20 years – but this week they're set to launch on the most significant mission of their lives. NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are about to strap into SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule, making them the first people that Elon Musk's company will attempt to launch into space.represents the first launch of NASA astronauts from the U.S. since the Space Shuttle program ended in 2011. Liftoff for Demo-2 is set for 4:33 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Behnken, 49, and Hurley, 53, were selected in NASA's astronaut class of 2000. Both of them have been to space twice before on Space Shuttle missions, with Hurley piloting the Space Shuttle's final mission. And both are military veterans, as Behnken served in the Air Force and Hurley in the Marine Corps.NASA astronaut Bob Behnken puts on his SpaceX spacesuit ahead during a dress rehearsal for Demo-2.Behnken is a native of Missouri who has flown more than 25 different types of aircraft during his time in the Air Force. He's logged 708 hours in space so far, on Space Shuttle missions in 2008 and 2010. Additionally, during those missions Behnken took six spacewalks, totaling over 37 hours in his spacesuit. For Demo-2, Behnken is the joint operations commander, which means he is responsible for tasks such as reaching the ISS and docking. Behnken told press that, after Crew Dragon reaches orbit, he's excited to begin running tests on how the capsule operates in space. "We'll do some other housekeeping type things [too], we'll get out of our suits, maybe get something to eat," Behnken said of the planned trip to the International Space Station.NASA astronaut Doug Hurley puts on his SpaceX spacesuit during a rehearsal for the Demo-2 launch.Hurley hails from New York and came up through the Navy and then the Marine Corps, logging over 5,500 hours in more than 25 different aircraft. He flew on two Space Shuttle missions in 2009 and 2011, including a number of spacewalks during the first mission. His wife Karen Nyberg is also an astronaut, who shared a special moment when their family got a close look at the spacecraft Hurley will launch on this week. While Hurley said during a preflight briefing that the limited audience in Florida to watch the launch due to the coronavirus "certainly is disappointing," he noted that "it's the right thing to do in the current environment." Hurley is the spacecraft commander and will be responsible for Crew Dragon's launch, landing and recovery.NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken stand in front of the Tesla Model X that will carry them to the launchpad for the SpaceX Demo-2 launch.NASA astronaut Doug Hurley buckles in to his seat in the Tesla Model X that will carry astronauts to SpaceX's launchpad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.The pair officially entered a preflight quarantine on May 13, although the astronauts said they've been self-isolating since mid-March. While astronauts typically enter a quarantine ahead of a mission, the protocol has been additionally strict for Demo-2 due to the coronavirus.One of the key factors for launching remains the temperamental Florida weather. NASA and SpaceX continue to move forward with the launch as planned, with liftoff set for 4:33 p.m. ET Wednesday. As of Tuesday, the Air Force's 45th Space Wing forecast that the launch has a 60% probability, given current weather concerns, which include rain and thick clouds. If NASA and SpaceX decide to postpone the launch, the mission has back-up times set for Saturday at 3:22 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.Related Tags
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