SpaceX gets tentative approval to dock with space station...

I don't really believe anything I see on Fox News but thought this was a good read.
Enjoy.

www.foxnews.com...

Is it just me, or am I missing where on the Dragon that a 28,000 kg payload fits. Also no mention of a payload on the first successful launch and return of the unmanned Dragon, Space X Falcon 9 launched at Cape Canaveral.

"This most recent space shuttle mission ... was able to stock up the space station with supplies and consumables to buy some time for both us and SpaceX to get our cargo systems operational, but the pressure is on to get both of these delivery systems proven and into service over the course of the next year," Thompson told industry blog Spaceflight Now.

Read more: www.foxnews.com...

David Thompson, chairman and CEO of Orbital Sciences Corp. quoted above.

reply to post by Skorpiogurl


Cooperation with private companies is certainly cutting costs - from more than $1 billion per flight for the space shuttle to $133 million per flight for the Dragon.

Just as long as we don't contract out to Japanese companies for manned missions. Our astronauts have enough to worry about in space, they don't need to be irradiated by their own vehicle.

Someone should design a Hummer shuttle.

reply to post by CLPrime


Right, who do you think will be the first car company to design a space ship available to the public. I wonder which bank would offer financing on such a thing...

reply to post by Skorpiogurl


Just as long as it's not Ford, we should be alright. I can see the mission insignia now... "Please pray for us, I don't think we're gonna make it" in Latin.

I do have an idea for a stretch capsule, though. I call it the Limozoom.

Originally posted by CLPrime
reply to post by Skorpiogurl

 

Just as long as it's not Ford, we should be alright. I can see the mission insignia now... "Please pray for us, I don't think we're gonna make it" in Latin.

I do have an idea for a stretch capsule, though. I call it the Limozoom.

Ideas are a dime a dozen...

The implementation is the hard part..

If anyone believes TPTB are going to let us
drive flying space cars I have ocean front
property to sell you in Oklahoma...

It is very neat though.

reply to post by Skorpiogurl


My guess would be Saab, Rolls-Royce, or Mitsubishi.

reply to post by hillynilly


Fun Fact, Oklahoma has more shoreline than the Atlantic and Gulf coasts combined.
OK facts

reply to post by Skorpiogurl


It may be an American car company, but it won't be able to turn corners.

Well, it's a step forward for SpaceX and even though I don't like at ALL the profit-seeking private sector to involve in space, I reckon that nowadays it seems the most viable option for the US.
And it should allow NASA to focus on the scientific research part, maybe that's a positive aspect.
I'll be fair and give them the benefit of the doubt for now...

Offtopic: Does anyone know if there's any advancement in other alternatives to rocket engines for launching spacecrafts to orbit?
I've read about the Skylon and it's awesome SABRE engines lately, and that could be a more efficient and safe alternative to pure-rocket designs...
Maybe the US could invest in it's research given that it probably won't be ready for another 10 years or so... At least with current funding...
Anyway, nice post!

reply to post by drakus


NASA has already transfered more of it's funds to the private sectors to develop what they promise/draw up than the entire Chinese and Indian space program's funding combined! That's in the 10 figure range US dollars.

I'd rather NASA give it to who brought us to the dance (so to speak) Boeing, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Rockwell Collins, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Teledyne, and maybe a nice 8 figure amount to the company I work for (over 5 years), not asking much.

They should keep their $hit home IMO!

Originally posted by Skorpiogurl
reply to post by CLPrime

 

Right, who do you think will be the first car company to design a space ship available to the public. I wonder which bank would offer financing on such a thing...

quite honestly,.
I am suprised Mr Branson hasnt been working an angle to get there

Drakus, I understand an ion engine was supposed to go up in STS 134, (next to the last) to the ISS for larger scale testing but was cancelled. Something to that effect but I myself don't like the plausibility of powering human space exploration with such propulsion, nuclear generated electricity would be imperative to provide the ion thruster with a viable power source. So why not just use the thrust nuclear power can generate and forget about the Ion thruster, they live on tiny unmanned space probes, and that's where they belong.

For what I know we have going for us, I say nuc'em!

Of course I could gather a bunch of flack for dispelling the VASIMR on 'impulse'.

In short, I have no answers that don't require huge volumes of mass. We need G-force propulsion for man the ion thrust doesn't provide.