HollieSix minutes suddenly sounds like forever.
I did a web search for Mach 32 in MPH, and got three different answers. So...roughly 24,000 mph but nobody knows for sure?
How cool would it be to be the helicopter pilot that took the astronauts back to the ship, duuuude, that's the job I wish I could have. :)
In case you're curious what I'm watching, it's NASA's official broadcast:
NASA’s Artemis II Crew Comes Home (Official Broadcast)
"As the earth grows larger in the field of view" yeah because they're going to be FALLING. My mind can't get over this. My palms literally start to sweat when I think about it, sitting at my desk, on the earth. Tipping out of orbit, like just tipping over a cliff.
This is why I don't want to go to space, lol. When friends get talking about this and begin "what if" questions and I admit I wouldn't actually go up, they ask why and I say it's because it's basically the worst possible fear-of-heights scenario we know of. I like helicopters (yeah, I have been in one). In aviation they're like the horse and carriage of altitude. 😅 (fear of heights doesn't have to be logical)
"We've now armed the pyros" okay NASA that can't mean what it sounds like
Okay that separation was amazing.
"Just 2800 miles from earth"
STRAIGHT UP
<palms sweat profusely>
it's fine we're all fiiiiine
"Less than nine minutes away from entry interface"
Like if this doesn't make your heart sore with awe and feel kinda sappy about it then you probably don't want to hang out with me
They're doing such a great job of explaining what's going on, it's so cool.
Honestly I want to take a screenshot of this view so that the next time I'm in an airplane that is about to land and I look out the window and feel sick at the height I'm about descend, I can see the screenshot and think, "Hey, it could be worse!" 😆
EVERYBODY REMEMBER TO BREATHE
In a neat little bit of synchronicity, when the chutes came out, there was a big flash of lightning and boom of thunder in the rain cloud over our house in Oregon. :)
I love how calm everyone is, the whole time. Their voices are just steady and down to business. So professional.
I would need so much propranolol to do this job. 😅 (beta blockers, they help your heart not to beat super hard)
"no joy on SAR radio" is such a great phrase
Microsoft leadership right now is like, "Oh thank goodness, something else broke, focus on that, everyone"
Microsoft: "We weren't in charge of radio, everyone! The SAR comms aren't us! We had nothing to do with that!"
"You keep hearing that, that it's 'once in a lifetime', but it isn't! We want to go back soon!"
Awww, this guy is great!
"Plenty of people on the boat here"
Yes where are you going to put the astronauts
Oh they won't get in the boats at all, the helicopters will take them straight off the "porch".
The funky grainy, glittery surface, is that from the burn coming in?
🍋 Superball ☀️Just came back from an outing and simultaneously am sad to have missed the big moment and so glad they made it! Could not have asked for a better #Moonstodon commentator. 🥰🌓
@superball Thank you, friend! :D 💜 🚀
I freaking love this stuff
Chrono
SeaFury 🦜🍃
Sarah A
Matt Griffin@hollie I gasped out loud
Mark Boszko@hollie I expect it kind of is? Apollo had explosive bolts on the hatch to they could get the astronauts out of the water if the hatch jammed. I’m guessing Orion does too.
@swizzlevixen Oh! Whoah!
Dan Ports@swizzlevixen @hollie also probably explosive bolts to remove the panel uncovering the parachutes and mortars to launch them!
@dan @swizzlevixen Which just goes to show that arming pyros isn't always a bad thing! Totally useful for space capsules and, like, zombie invasions.
Becca
C.W. Williams 🇺🇦 🌊🇨🇦🦑🇬@hollie
*Looks up "spacecraft pyrotechnics", quietly returns flamethrower to the gun cabinet*
*Looks up "spacecraft pyrotechnics", quietly returns flamethrower to the gun cabinet*
Knut 🏳️🌈 🇳🇴🧸@hollie Pedos. I think they meant pedos....they also wear red hats.
John Carlsen 🇺🇸🇳🇱🇪🇺Mach refers to speed relative to the local speed of sound, which varies with temperature and pressure. (Pressure goes down as altitude increases.)
@johnlogic Oh cool, thank you! I didn't realize the speed of sound changed!
Sam Levine@hollie mach is an absurd measurement since the speed of sound varies with temperature and other factors
@SRLevine Yeah it does make me wonder how useful it is? Or rather, under what conditions is it super useful?
Lisa 🦔 [Copy Moon Joy]
@mycrowgirl @SRLevine <claps wildly> WELL DONE 😂
The Duke of Fall 
@hollie The problem with Mach numbers is that they vary based on temperature and pressure. Mach 1 at sea level is much slower than Mach 1 at the edge of the atmosphere.
@valthonis Yeah I didn't know that until today! So cool. I had always heard it as a static thing but Greg informs me that's just the number that's usually given for sea level.
R.L. Dane 
🍵 
24,552.6112 mph
luce