Why would they need to be former NASA astros?
Quote from: AncientU on 05/26/2015 04:44 pmWhy would they need to be former NASA astros?Not necessary - but i am simply interested, which former NASA astronauts are now working for them.
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/06/spacexs-reisman-next-giant-leap-dragon-v2/I think it's still current that there will be a NASA astronaut on the test flight suggesting not more than one SpaceX astronaut. It would be pretty hard to justify more than two on the test flight. Reisman himself seems like a reasonable bet. 3 Shuttle missions, lot's of time on the ISS, PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Caltech.
Reisman have the same chance as Musk of doing an early Dragon 2 flight. Zilch.One just does not use the department head or the company CEO as test pilots. Someone less critical in the company ranks will be chosen.
The first time anyone rides on Dragon 2 will be with NASA astronauts. Whether there will be SpaceX test pilots on board as well, I don't know, but NASA has made it clear that they won't be accepting the label of being less risk adverse than commercial test pilots. Similarly with CST-100. This is a good thing.
It wouldn't exactly make sense either to do for SpaceX, I mean... NASA is paying a handsome fee for that milestone, why bother taking another flight out of your own pocket at all.
Quote from: Ludus on 05/29/2015 03:42 amhttp://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/06/spacexs-reisman-next-giant-leap-dragon-v2/I think it's still current that there will be a NASA astronaut on the test flight suggesting not more than one SpaceX astronaut. It would be pretty hard to justify more than two on the test flight. Reisman himself seems like a reasonable bet. 3 Shuttle missions, lot's of time on the ISS, PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Caltech.Reisman have the same chance as Musk of doing an early Dragon 2 flight. Zilch.One just does not use the department head or the company CEO as test pilots. Someone less critical in the company ranks will be chosen.
Quote from: Zed_Noir on 05/29/2015 06:22 amQuote from: Ludus on 05/29/2015 03:42 amhttp://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/06/spacexs-reisman-next-giant-leap-dragon-v2/I think it's still current that there will be a NASA astronaut on the test flight suggesting not more than one SpaceX astronaut. It would be pretty hard to justify more than two on the test flight. Reisman himself seems like a reasonable bet. 3 Shuttle missions, lot's of time on the ISS, PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Caltech.Reisman have the same chance as Musk of doing an early Dragon 2 flight. Zilch.One just does not use the department head or the company CEO as test pilots. Someone less critical in the company ranks will be chosen.I don't know that I'd speak with such certainty about that. Deke Slayton was Chief Astronaut when he selected himself for ASTP. John Young did similar for STS-1.
Quote from: Zed_Noir on 05/29/2015 06:22 amReisman have the same chance as Musk of doing an early Dragon 2 flight. Zilch.One just does not use the department head or the company CEO as test pilots. Someone less critical in the company ranks will be chosen.This is SpaceX we are talking about. They don't always do things the way outside folks expect them to do. I suggest you keep that in mind.
Well maybe. You have to remember that SpaceX is only providing the service for Nasa and so maybe Nasa can call the shots on flights that they pay for. There is nothing to stop SpaceX, on it's own, as part of the development process for Dragon 2 , from doing a test flight that they pay for, with their own crew. And yes I understand that Nasa are part funding the development of Dragon 2, and they are the 500 pound gorilla in the room, but in the end they are just buying a service. Not saying it will happen but I don't see how/why Nasa would have any control over it. You could argue that, if a SpaceX test flight was successful, there's less risk to Nasa with their crew.
Quote from: kevinof on 05/29/2015 11:07 amWell maybe. You have to remember that SpaceX is only providing the service for Nasa and so maybe Nasa can call the shots on flights that they pay for. There is nothing to stop SpaceX, on it's own, as part of the development process for Dragon 2 , from doing a test flight that they pay for, with their own crew. And yes I understand that Nasa are part funding the development of Dragon 2, and they are the 500 pound gorilla in the room, but in the end they are just buying a service. Not saying it will happen but I don't see how/why Nasa would have any control over it. You could argue that, if a SpaceX test flight was successful, there's less risk to Nasa with their crew.This is not (yet) simply a services acquisition by NASA. CCtCap includes development, certification and post-certification missions. Unless SpaceX could show that such a flight was divorced from and funded independently of CCtCap (extremely unlikely), NASA is going to have a say.
Well I hope you folks read the tea leaves better than me and Resiman is on one of the early Dragon 2 flight. We shall see.
It all depends on how the contract was written. Either the contract gives NASA veto power over who can fly on the CCtCap milestone flights or it doesn't. I expect it's discussed in the contract.