Total Members Voted: 106
Voting closed: 06/18/2017 07:13 pm
I vote no. There is no need to do one. The risks are mitigated by Crew Dragon flying to the ISS and Falcon Heavy flying a number of missions first. Given the plentiful data on how PicaX performs from LEO they can trust models for reentry with lunar return speed.
SpaceX has already said there will be an unmanned flight as part of the certification process. It will be the very first flight of Dragon2. There is no way that SpaceX would do anything so dumb as to make the very first flight of Dragon2 be a manned circumlunar mission.
I kind of see the D2 sequence asThe FH test flightUnmanned flight of D2Unmanned flight of D2 that docks at ISS (these two may be combined)Manned flight that docks at ISS (all three on F9)Manned flight that goes around the moon (on FH)But I may be wrong.
There should be an unmanned test flight because, in my opinion, that's the logical path to take before putting men aboard the Gray Dragon.
I vote no. However that's because I'm interpreting the poll as "will there be an unmanned flight AROUND THE MOON" rather than "will there be some unmanned test flight before the first manned one" ... I kind of see the D2 sequence asThe FH test flightUnmanned flight of D2Unmanned flight of D2 that docks at ISS (these two may be combined)Manned flight that docks at ISS (all three on F9)Manned flight that goes around the moon (on FH)But I may be wrong.
Quote from: Lar on 05/19/2017 02:07 pmI vote no. However that's because I'm interpreting the poll as "will there be an unmanned flight AROUND THE MOON" rather than "will there be some unmanned test flight before the first manned one" ... I kind of see the D2 sequence asThe FH test flightUnmanned flight of D2Unmanned flight of D2 that docks at ISS (these two may be combined)Manned flight that docks at ISS (all three on F9)Manned flight that goes around the moon (on FH)But I may be wrong.That was my intended question. It is based on the assumption that qualification and the first crew flight to the ISS goes first, then the moon flight. Maybe that headline was short to express it unequivocally. My post, the first in the thread, where I explained why I vote no, should claify it somewhat.
is it really necessary to have an unmanned FH/D2 that slings the D2 around luna? My answer is no, not needed. Elements were tested.
NASA has no problem putting people on the first launch of anything they build.
Apollo tested the rocket and the spacecraft, but didn't send it to the moon before they put people on it. They added the LEM for the first time with people and made other configuration changes. I think we are in the same territory here.
Quote from: ZachS09 on 05/19/2017 05:41 pmThere should be an unmanned test flight because, in my opinion, that's the logical path to take before putting men aboard the Gray Dragon.See above. A test flight of WHAT? All the elements in the stack together? If all of the following are trueFH test works (and maybe even slings a D1 around luna)FH missions lofting birds workF9 unmanned test of D2 to ISS worksF9 manned test of D2 to ISS worksis it really necessary to have an unmanned FH/D2 that slings the D2 around luna? My answer is no, not needed. Elements were tested.Every rocket is different somehow than all rockets that came before it.