So, is this the resurrection of Hermes?
Quote from: aquanaut99 on 01/09/2014 04:04 amSo, is this the resurrection of Hermes?.. with similar capasity, much much lower mass. What I'm missing here?Dreamchaser is something like 11 tonnes, hermes was getting too heavy for ariane V which could lift something like 20 tonnes. Both have similar class of capasity. How is dream chaser so much lighter?
I am sceptical. First of all, ESA can already fly to the ISS with the Russians or whatever NASA choses as a commercial crew vehicle. That's part of the deal, right? So maybe ESA plans to contribute to ISS operations with Dreamchaser participation? (similar to the SM of Orion). I don't like the sound of that, at least not in the case of commercial crew. In any case, its very unlikely that ESA would fund an american company to build a crew vehicle for them. I don't think that is how ESA works. Regarding launch on the Ariane 5, that seems to be another ploy from the DLR to keep Ariane 6 from happening too soon.
ESA is spreading it's eggs over multiple baskets. Risk reduction. Soyuz for ISS flights.
Actually, it is more likely that ESA will want to have orbital access for non-ISS missions.
And I don't think SN will be building DC's for ESA. It very much more likely will be that ESA will be buying DC flight services.
Could anyone expand on this? As Europe has no re-entry capability, I had assumed all the experience and practical knowledge of TPS is largely in the US!