---
title: "Astronaut: SpaceX Ride Not as “Smooth” as NASA Space Shuttle"
description: "Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley stated that SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft was a rough ride compared to the NASA Space Shuttle."
date: "2020-06-02"
modified: "2020-06-17"
authors:
  - name: "Victor Tangermann"
    job_title: "Senior Editor"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/astronaut-spacex-ride-not-smooth-space-shuttle"
categories:
  - "NASA"
  - "Space"
  - "SpaceX"
tags:
  - "crew dragon"
  - "NASA"
  - "SpaceX"
  - "the digest"
---

# Astronaut: SpaceX Ride Not as “Smooth” as NASA Space Shuttle

![NASA pilots Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley described their experience of riding SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft to the ISS. It was a bit of a rough ride.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/astronaut-spacex-launch-not-smooth-space-shuttle.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: NASA\</em\>*

## Bumpy Ride

On Saturday, SpaceX shot its Crew Dragon spacecraft [into orbit](<https://futurism.com/spacex-launches-astronauts-into-space>) with human astronauts on board, becoming the first commercial spacecraft to do so.

The astronauts who rode it up seem impressed with the vehicle overall — though NASA veteran Bob Behnken compared parts of the experience unfavorably to the now-retired Space Shuttle.

"It was not quite the smooth ride the Space Shuttle was," [Behnken said](<https://twitter.com/EmreKelly/status/1267149733069385729>). "A little bit more 'alive' is the best way I would describe it."

## Huffing and Puffing

Both astronauts have had extensive experience piloting NASA's now retired Space Shuttle.

"The space shuttle was a pretty rough ride heading into orbit with the solid rocket boosters," Behnken said during a welcoming ceremony aboard the International Space Station.

## Dragon Rider

But this launch was different.

"And our expectation was, as we continued with the flight into second stage, that things would basically get a lot smoother than the space shuttle did," he added. "But Dragon was huffing and puffing all the way into orbit, and we were definitely driving or riding a dragon all the way up."

**READ MORE:** [SpaceX's Crew Dragon has that 'new car smell' and flies 'totally different' than a NASA shuttle](<https://www.space.com/what-spacex-crew-dragon-flight-was-like-for-astronauts.html>) \[*Space.com*\]

**More on the launch:** *[WATCH NASA ASTRONAUTS GIVE ZERO-G TOUR OF SPACEX’S NEW CAPSULE](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-atronauts-zero-g-tour-spacex-capsule>)*

## Author
I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/vtanger.bsky.social>)