The current CRS contract with NASA requires new spacecraft for each delivery,
Quote from: Coastal Ron on 05/16/2014 11:01 pmThe current CRS contract with NASA requires new spacecraft for each delivery,Where does it say that?I think this forum has had this discussion about a dozen times.
The current CRS contract with NASA requires new spacecraft for each delivery, so the only customer for a used Dragon would be for DragonLab. As of today there are two DragonLab missions SpaceX shows on their manifest, with the earliest being the fourth payload listed in 2016.I would imagine they will use a more recently flown Dragon for the DragonLab missions since those will have all the latest hardware and software updates, but overall SpaceX will have 12 slightly-used (or "fully tested") cargo versions of Dragon available by the end of the current CRS contract.I would imagine that when SpaceX bids for the CRS-2 contract they might submit two bids, one with new-build Dragons, and one with reused ones. For a number of reasons, I hope NASA selects the reused ones.
The current CRS contract with NASA requires new spacecraft for each delivery, ...
...so the only customer for a used Dragon would be for DragonLab. As of today there are two DragonLab missions SpaceX shows on their manifest, with the earliest being the fourth payload listed in 2016.
I would imagine they will use a more recently flown Dragon for the DragonLab missions since those will have all the latest hardware and software updates, but overall SpaceX will have 12 slightly-used (or "fully tested") cargo versions of Dragon available by the end of the current CRS contract.I would imagine that when SpaceX bids for the CRS-2 contract they might submit two bids, one with new-build Dragons, and one with reused ones. For a number of reasons, I hope NASA selects the reused ones.
Quote from: QuantumG on 05/16/2014 11:07 pmQuote from: Coastal Ron on 05/16/2014 11:01 pmThe current CRS contract with NASA requires new spacecraft for each delivery,Where does it say that?I think this forum has had this discussion about a dozen times.I've certainly heard that started several times. Currently, for some reason, CRS Dragons have to be new. Not sure why.
All NASA said to Spacex was to bid the costs of new vehicles since refurb costs were unknown at the time. And since they did, NASA gets a new Dragon each mission.
The contract did not specify "only" a new Dragon could be flown, but SpaceX was instructed to price each spacecraft at the "new" price because the cost to refurbish and re-certify a flown Dragon was unknown.
The contract is public information right? I remember reading it. Pretty sure I got a copy from this forum.
It is to SpaceX's advantage therefore to supply a new Dragon for each CRS mission and keep the already flown (and paid for) reusable spacecraft for their own developing in-house spaceflight program.
Quote from: clongton on 05/17/2014 01:28 amIt is to SpaceX's advantage therefore to supply a new Dragon for each CRS mission and keep the already flown (and paid for) reusable spacecraft for their own developing in-house spaceflight program.It's also to their advantage to refurbish a Dragon and fly it again, if it costs less than a new Dragon. Assuming mission success, they get paid the same either way. So why haven't they? Surely, making a bigger profit on a signed contract makes a lot more sense than building up a supply for some unspecified future business. Maybe they're not so certain of mission success with a refurbished Dragon?
Quote from: QuantumG on 05/17/2014 02:59 amQuote from: clongton on 05/17/2014 01:28 amIt is to SpaceX's advantage therefore to supply a new Dragon for each CRS mission and keep the already flown (and paid for) reusable spacecraft for their own developing in-house spaceflight program.It's also to their advantage to refurbish a Dragon and fly it again, if it costs less than a new Dragon. Assuming mission success, they get paid the same either way. So why haven't they? Surely, making a bigger profit on a signed contract makes a lot more sense than building up a supply for some unspecified future business. Maybe they're not so certain of mission success with a refurbished Dragon?I agree. And I'd expect it tried sometime before CRS-12. But maybe they want to build up the fleet a bit or the design hasn't stabilised yet? (why reuse one you know is wrong when a better one is in the wings). Or maybe they're just too busy right now and wil have time in a flight or 3... So ya, I think they will, just not next flight.
Quote from: clongton on 05/17/2014 01:28 amIt is to SpaceX's advantage therefore to supply a new Dragon for each CRS mission and keep the already flown (and paid for) reusable spacecraft for their own developing in-house spaceflight program.It's also to their advantage to refurbish a Dragon and fly it again, if it costs less than a new Dragon. Assuming mission success, they get paid the same either way. So why haven't they?