Assuming Boeing does win a contract from NASA to provide launch services for its astronauts and international crew members to the International Space Station, Boeing and ULA state the first launch (no crew) will take place early in 2017, with the first crewed mission commanded by Christopher Ferguson to take place mid-2017. Boeing’s goal is to have the first mission dock to the ISS, not merely make an approach.
“We’ve got a great relationship with Space Adventures,” John Mulholland told Space News in November of 2012. “I love the idea of flying people up to the International Space Station. It brings additional awareness to all the good things that are being done on the space station. You build advocacy. So we really hope to be able to partner with Space Adventures and NASA to fly customers in extra seats to the International Space Station.”
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2538/1Good review of the latest CST-100 event and status of the program in general. Worth reading.Quote Assuming Boeing does win a contract from NASA to provide launch services for its astronauts and international crew members to the International Space Station, Boeing and ULA state the first launch (no crew) will take place early in 2017, with the first crewed mission commanded by Christopher Ferguson to take place mid-2017. Boeing’s goal is to have the first mission dock to the ISS, not merely make an approach. -OPF-3 engine shop refurbishment complete, shuttle processing area still being renovated.-Crew access tower design "96% complete"-Confirms AV 422 (2 SRBs)-Boeing wants to sell tourist excursions to ISS via Space Adventures.
Quote“We’ve got a great relationship with Space Adventures,” John Mulholland told Space News in November of 2012. “I love the idea of flying people up to the International Space Station. It brings additional awareness to all the good things that are being done on the space station. You build advocacy. So we really hope to be able to partner with Space Adventures and NASA to fly customers in extra seats to the International Space Station.” Good to hear. Shame we haven't heard it recently.
-Confirms AV 422 (2 SRBs)
But wait. ....snip... There will be vibrations that will shake the crew to death, and......snip ......, and when the rocket blows up chucks of the solids will set the parachutes on fire. This is all Griffin's fault. Etc. ........
Quote from: arachnitect on 06/24/2014 12:40 am-Confirms AV 422 (2 SRBs)This part bothers me a lot. Is the CST 100 really that heavy?
This really bothered me. I understand prepare for the worst hope for the best, but there is such a thing as crushing the spirit of the engineers.http://nasawatch.com/archives/2014/06/boeing-wont-bui.html
Quote from: happyflower on 06/24/2014 03:08 amThis really bothered me. I understand prepare for the worst hope for the best, but there is such a thing as crushing the spirit of the engineers.http://nasawatch.com/archives/2014/06/boeing-wont-bui.htmlOf course there would be layoffs. Outside of NASA, there is no commercially viable market to transport people to LEO for the reasonably foreseeable future. Why spend money on a product with no near-term customers? I really don't understand why people are shocked by this.
Quote from: Elmar Moelzer on 06/24/2014 02:38 pmQuote from: arachnitect on 06/24/2014 12:40 am-Confirms AV 422 (2 SRBs)This part bothers me a lot. Is the CST 100 really that heavy?think 5-9 passengers
Quote from: Prober on 06/24/2014 03:12 pmQuote from: Elmar Moelzer on 06/24/2014 02:38 pmQuote from: arachnitect on 06/24/2014 12:40 am-Confirms AV 422 (2 SRBs)This part bothers me a lot. Is the CST 100 really that heavy?think 5-9 passengersSo assuming that they baselined for 5 passengers, then we still only have about 400kg more weight (assuming weight for people, extra chairs, spacesuits, etc) for 9 people. This still sounds to me like their capsule is very heavy for what it does (and compared to Dragon v2).