Episode 1201: Dragon, Arriving

On this special episode of Talking Space, we devote the entire episode to the successful launch of Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station. The crew successfully launched in their Crew Dragon capsule on Demo-2, marking the first time humans have launched from the US since the end of the shuttle program in 2011. We go through the differences between Space Shuttle and Crew Dragon all the way from the suit-up room to orbit. We discuss the origins behind the spacecraft's name, Endeavour, along with a stow-away. We also talk about the small, New Jersey group that played a major role in the design of one of the aspects of the capsule. Then it's a look at their mission so far and what's to come. Plus, we've heard so many people try and take credit for the commercial crew program, so how did we get to Demo-2? Finally we reflect on the significance of the launch during a time of civil unrest and amidst a pandemic. Show recorded 6-7-2020 Host: Sawyer Rosenstein Panelist: Gene Mikulka