If there is a major conflict of interest then Orbital's LAS division could be sold off, possibly via a management buy out.
If the the spaceflight now article about orbital offer the Orion LAS on the market is true:http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1002/18orionlas/Then I have 2 questions.If Orbital offered a resized LAS for Dragon, would the R&D and production techniques they have developed for Orion be applicable to a Dragon LAS, meaning less than a 2-3 year development time?How likely would a deal between Orbital and SpaceX for LAS be considering they are competing for future cargo contracts for ISS?
Any news (and hopefully pictures/video) of the rollout yet?
Jim, are you at KSC today? If so, has there been any talk around the water cooler about doings at LC-40?
I can watch out my window and can see the pad in the distance.
Quote from: Jim on 02/19/2010 02:39 pm I can watch out my window and can see the pad in the distance.Can you see the erector? If not, do you remember the last time you saw it out?Thanks
Quote from: Ben the Space Brit on 02/19/2010 02:31 pmJim, are you at KSC today? If so, has there been any talk around the water cooler about doings at LC-40?there is no talk since they are isolated. I can watch out my window and can see the pad in the distance.
I suspect there are *videos* (more than just one camera), some by SpaceX and some by others.
as did the late-lamented Kistler who would have given us real reusable LV's, had Musk not seen his chance and put the boot in to kill competition in COTS.
I suspect there are *videos* (more than just one camera), some by SpaceX and some by others. - Ed Kyle
Quote from: edkyle99 on 02/18/2010 11:10 pmI suspect there are *videos* (more than just one camera), some by SpaceX and some by others. - Ed KyleAnd I am sure that almost all launch failures have TONS of unreleased data. Telemetry, camera angles, internal reports, pictures of debris, saftey review reports from the people involved. The write up of the person that didn't properly check the nut.So you will not be happy till you have every camera angle, the picture of the payload that supposedly landed back on the island (you know they took pictures of that), pictures of the burn remains they had to pick off the reef. pictures of Elon's tear strewn face when it went off course....
I mean seriously we know they FUBARed their 1st launch. What profit would there be in letting us see all the gristly details... even though I would LOVE to see the hole in the roof the payload made.
Quote from: edkyle99 on 02/18/2010 11:10 pmI suspect there are *videos* (more than just one camera), some by SpaceX and some by others.Which, praytell, "others" are going to be out at Kwaj? It ain't Spring Break in Cocoa Beach.
For me one question is why has SpaceX been increasing their headcount so much. They probably needed more staff for doing the capsule work, including small hypergolic engines. They needed to ramp up engine production for Falcon 9. They also have more launch sites now.However, given Falcon 9 reuses components from Falcon 1, why all this headcount? Is SpaceX doing parallel engine development work? Just how big are their ambitions, considering they only had one successful launch for a paying customer so far?
Over the next four years, SpaceX needs to build fifteen Falcon 9s and fifteen Dragons for COTS and CRS alone,
Quote from: Nate_Trost on 02/20/2010 08:39 pmOver the next four years, SpaceX needs to build fifteen Falcon 9s and fifteen Dragons for COTS and CRS alone, Wow...when you put it like that, you realize that's 150 Merlin's, or just short of one a week!