Quote from: alexterrell on 02/11/2018 07:40 amHow does it work in NASA - does the top mandate the launch vehicle for every mission?I see you are from Germany.
How does it work in NASA - does the top mandate the launch vehicle for every mission?
And what does SLS do that can't be done with 2 or 3 Falcon Heavy launches? No single module for space exploration needs to mass more than 60 tons.
Quote from: alexterrell on 02/11/2018 07:40 amAnd what does SLS do that can't be done with 2 or 3 Falcon Heavy launches? No single module for space exploration needs to mass more than 60 tons. SLS is designed for delivering large payloads to BLEO not LEO. You need to compare FH BLEO capabilities with SLS not its LEO.SLS can deliver 25t Orion and crew to DSG in single launch. When FH can do this in single launch then there is case for replacing SLS.
Quote from: TrevorMonty on 02/11/2018 12:02 pmQuote from: alexterrell on 02/11/2018 07:40 amAnd what does SLS do that can't be done with 2 or 3 Falcon Heavy launches? No single module for space exploration needs to mass more than 60 tons. SLS is designed for delivering large payloads to BLEO not LEO. You need to compare FH BLEO capabilities with SLS not its LEO.SLS can deliver 25t Orion and crew to DSG in single launch. When FH can do this in single launch then there is case for replacing SLS.Why does it have to be a single launch?Whats the problem of sending crew+most important life support in launch 1 and science equipment in launch 2 for ~200mio instead of all in a single launch for 500m-1B?
I'm familiar with the pork barrel politics, but it's hard to grasp to what level it is entrenched and sets policy. I think it's strongest when there is a President who isn't bothered about NASA - ie like all Presidents since Kennedy. That allows drift in NASA, with no unifying objective other than to provide jobs in certain Senator's seats.
It also accounts for a lot of the cost difference between NASA and SpaceX and is why NASA needs to get out of the launch market, and focus on doing what only NASA can do.
If SpaceX offered means of delivering crew to DSG using FH that NASA didn't need to fund development of.
Quote from: TrevorMonty on 02/12/2018 12:28 amIf SpaceX offered means of delivering crew to DSG using FH that NASA didn't need to fund development of.When by? Getting the astronaut office okay with Falcon Heavy would be hard. Dragon 2 beyond Earth orbit would be too.
Pretty sure any rational decision maker would be happier flying on a rocket that’d flown say 20 times by that point than a rocket that’d flown either once or never depending on whether you consider the new upper stage different enough.
Quote from: MaxTeranous on 02/12/2018 03:31 amPretty sure any rational decision maker would be happier flying on a rocket that’d flown say 20 times by that point than a rocket that’d flown either once or never depending on whether you consider the new upper stage different enough.Nope. I has to pass the "insight" list.