Author Topic: SpaceX Dragon derived lander launched by SLS  (Read 2885 times)

Offline space_dreamer

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SpaceX Dragon derived lander launched by SLS
« on: 07/17/2017 10:17 pm »
NASA doesn't have the budget to build a lunar Lander; surely SpaceX could quote for a fix price contract to design and build a Dragon 2 derived (apollo style) lunar Lander to be launched by SLS?

I'm thinking a stripped down Dragon2 with no heat shield as the upper stage and another ring of Draco’s with 3/4 legs for the lower stage. All the components our being developed anyway.

NASA still gets to use the SLS and Orion, SpaceX gets a new revenue stream.

Why is nothing like this being proposed? What am I missing?

Offline whitelancer64

Re: SpaceX Dragon derived lander launched by SLS
« Reply #1 on: 07/17/2017 10:25 pm »
Extensively discussed elsewhere, an unmodified Dragon v2 with a trunk turned into a fuel tank (discarded before touchdown) could land on the Moon, with a drop tank and legs on the trunk a Dragon v2 could both land and launch again from the Moon into lunar orbit.

No proposal because there's no plans (as of now) for NASA to go to the Moon.
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Online Lar

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Re: SpaceX Dragon derived lander launched by SLS
« Reply #2 on: 07/18/2017 12:26 am »
Why would SpaceX do this? It's a dead end. It would distract them from development of a MUCH more capable "lunar lander" called ITS...

Also, "Rockets and rocket parts are not like LEGO elements"
« Last Edit: 07/18/2017 12:27 am by Lar »
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Offline Jim

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Re: SpaceX Dragon derived lander launched by SLS
« Reply #3 on: 07/18/2017 01:39 am »
NASA doesn't have the budget to build a lunar Lander; surely SpaceX could quote for a fix price contract to design and build a Dragon 2 derived (apollo style) lunar Lander to be launched by SLS?

I'm thinking a stripped down Dragon2 with no heat shield as the upper stage and another ring of Draco’s with 3/4 legs for the lower stage. All the components our being developed anyway.

NASA still gets to use the SLS and Orion, SpaceX gets a new revenue stream.

Why is nothing like this being proposed? What am I missing?


Because it won't work on many levels
NASA would have to hold an open competition
Spacex would not build such a kludge

Offline MATTBLAK

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Re: SpaceX Dragon derived lander launched by SLS
« Reply #4 on: 07/18/2017 02:23 am »
There was a thread about this earlier this year. We more or less came to the conclusion that the Dragon pressure shell and Draco landing thrusters could be adapted; but most everything else would be new-build. Less expensive than a complete 'clean-sheet' design, but still a complicated thing. Boeing had some designs for a single-stage crewed Lander a couple years ago. All SpaceX would have to do is follow the basic concept, but compete for a lower-priced version.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=42363.0;all
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