Milestone 10a is funded at $5MMilestone 15a is funded at $15M
At this point, I have to ask the unthinkable. What if Dreamchaser crashes during the drop test. Does it mean the Dreamchaser program gets fast tracked to the recycle bin? How would that affect the commercial manned program overall? Would that give ammunition for the foes of commercial spaceflight in congress?
My latest: Dream Chasinghttp://theklydemorrisproject.blogspot.com/2013/08/dream-chasing.html
For better or worse Dreamchaser is the first "physical" commercial manned spacecraft to be tested out of the gate. A lot is riding on this test. It's one thing for SpaceX to have a partial success on a parachute drop test. Meaning possibly a partial chute deploy. It's another for Dreamchaser to come crashing down. For this drop test Dreamchaser will be the posterboy for the whole commercial spaceflight industry. Here's to a successful drop test.
Spacex's cargo vehicle is very different in some ways from the manned version. So really the dragon manned version has not been tested yet physically. Boeing's CST-100 capsule drop test was really just a shell. Dreamchaser will be the first test of an actual, although, partial vehicle.
Quote from: mr. mark on 08/16/2013 06:32 pmSpacex's cargo vehicle is very different in some ways from the manned version. So really the dragon manned version has not been tested yet physically. Boeing's CST-100 capsule drop test was really just a shell. Dreamchaser will be the first test of an actual, although, partial vehicle. I think we all know that. The point is that many systems that will be in common HAVE been tested on orbit, in an actual flying spacecraft. Not a partial/structural test article - even if the shape of this "partial vehicle" is close to the final vehicle.
Quote from: Lars_J on 08/16/2013 06:36 pmQuote from: mr. mark on 08/16/2013 06:32 pmSpacex's cargo vehicle is very different in some ways from the manned version. So really the dragon manned version has not been tested yet physically. Boeing's CST-100 capsule drop test was really just a shell. Dreamchaser will be the first test of an actual, although, partial vehicle. I think we all know that. The point is that many systems that will be in common HAVE been tested on orbit, in an actual flying spacecraft. Not a partial/structural test article - even if the shape of this "partial vehicle" is close to the final vehicle.Understand and point taken. It's true that some of Dragon's manned systems have flown on an actual cargo vehicle to orbit. It will be interesting to see how the race shakes out in 2014 with Spacex's pad abort and inflight abort tests. I have a feeling though that a successful Dreamchaser drop test could go a long way in cementing a top 2 position in the upcoming dowselection. Especially if Boeing or SpaceX appear to lag for whatever reason.
Quote from: mr. mark on 08/16/2013 07:02 pmQuote from: Lars_J on 08/16/2013 06:36 pmQuote from: mr. mark on 08/16/2013 06:32 pmSpacex's cargo vehicle is very different in some ways from the manned version. So really the dragon manned version has not been tested yet physically. Boeing's CST-100 capsule drop test was really just a shell. Dreamchaser will be the first test of an actual, although, partial vehicle. I think we all know that. The point is that many systems that will be in common HAVE been tested on orbit, in an actual flying spacecraft. Not a partial/structural test article - even if the shape of this "partial vehicle" is close to the final vehicle.Understand and point taken. It's true that some of Dragon's manned systems have flown on an actual cargo vehicle to orbit. It will be interesting to see how the race shakes out in 2014 with Spacex's pad abort and inflight abort tests. I have a feeling though that a successful Dreamchaser drop test could go a long way in cementing a top 2 position in the upcoming dowselection. Especially if Boeing or SpaceX appear to lag for whatever reason.I'm not sure it'd cement them ahead of Boeing just because Dreamchaser isn't going to build more airframes and so plans to use this test airframe for the flight vehicle.
Quote from: Robotbeat on 08/16/2013 07:07 pmQuote from: mr. mark on 08/16/2013 07:02 pmQuote from: Lars_J on 08/16/2013 06:36 pmQuote from: mr. mark on 08/16/2013 06:32 pmSpacex's cargo vehicle is very different in some ways from the manned version. So really the dragon manned version has not been tested yet physically. Boeing's CST-100 capsule drop test was really just a shell. Dreamchaser will be the first test of an actual, although, partial vehicle. I think we all know that. The point is that many systems that will be in common HAVE been tested on orbit, in an actual flying spacecraft. Not a partial/structural test article - even if the shape of this "partial vehicle" is close to the final vehicle.Understand and point taken. It's true that some of Dragon's manned systems have flown on an actual cargo vehicle to orbit. It will be interesting to see how the race shakes out in 2014 with Spacex's pad abort and inflight abort tests. I have a feeling though that a successful Dreamchaser drop test could go a long way in cementing a top 2 position in the upcoming dowselection. Especially if Boeing or SpaceX appear to lag for whatever reason.I'm not sure it'd cement them ahead of Boeing just because Dreamchaser isn't going to build more airframes and so plans to use this test airframe for the flight vehicle.I don't believe this actual airframe is going to space. That's the job of the next one. I do believe this ETA is a lot more functional than the aluminum shells used in the capsule drop tests
I'll be very interested when I see an airframe with full TPS and full propulsive capability tested. Then it'll be real!
Quote from: Robotbeat on 08/16/2013 07:42 pmI'll be very interested when I see an airframe with full TPS and full propulsive capability tested. Then it'll be real!Agreed. In the mean time, it will only be awesome.