Alan Lindenmoyer's presentation to the FAA Commercial Space Transportation Conference about the Commercial Crew and Cargo Program contains juicy details about the proposals that were awarded CCDev money:Commercial Crew and Cargo Program
And perhaps Ariane 5, though I've heard that would be very expensive to "man-rate". And with higher flight rates for EELVs ESA would have even more reason to focus on reducing costs instead of man-rating, which is what is leading them towards Ariane 6.
The United states government is not going to fund a foreign launcher/crew capsule for CCDEV, the program was made so that we no longer have to (ie. Soyuz). Once a domestic alternative is created, that would be the only design used by the US.
Of course. I was thinking that NASA might lean on ESA to man-rate Ariane 5 at ESA's own expense, so that it could be used as a backup.
Why? Soyuz and the manned Russian program are not going anywhere.
Quote from: mmeijeri on 02/24/2010 11:27 amAlan Lindenmoyer's presentation to the FAA Commercial Space Transportation Conference about the Commercial Crew and Cargo Program contains juicy details about the proposals that were awarded CCDev money:Commercial Crew and Cargo ProgramWhat I find very encouraging is that a lot of prototype and demonstration hardware is included in the funded activities. Not just a bunch of paper studies.Seems like everyone has learned from T/Space. They took a $6m study contract from NASA and did capsule & booster drop tests, plus other hardware.
Interesting article on commercial space taxis:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36678222/ns/technology_and_science-space//
Quote from: yg1968 on 04/26/2010 03:57 amInteresting article on commercial space taxis:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36678222/ns/technology_and_science-space//A passenger capsule will need windows for the tourists/miners/scientists to look out of.
Quote from: A_M_Swallow on 04/26/2010 04:11 amQuote from: yg1968 on 04/26/2010 03:57 amInteresting article on commercial space taxis:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36678222/ns/technology_and_science-space//The cheap/simple one proposed in the article. (It only had a single window for then pilot.A passenger capsule will need windows for the tourists/miners/scientists to look out of.Which proposed passenger capsule does *not* have windows??? They all do. Even Cargo Dragon.
Quote from: yg1968 on 04/26/2010 03:57 amInteresting article on commercial space taxis:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36678222/ns/technology_and_science-space//The cheap/simple one proposed in the article. (It only had a single window for then pilot.A passenger capsule will need windows for the tourists/miners/scientists to look out of.