Quote from: Robotbeat on 06/16/2015 09:09 pmA single MCT won't be billions of dollars of investment or the $500k per passenger figure will be impossible. An order of magnitude less like $100-400 million. Also, electronics can easily be made reliable enough. We have lots an lots of experience running spacecraft for years at a time without maintenance. 6-9 months won't be a challenge for a company that will launch thousands of satellites into LEO.As these craft are supposed to effectively be the DC-3s of space, acting as both cargo and passenger carriers, Billions would be possible. After all, airliners cost tens of millions of dollars and most airline tickets are less than $400.
A single MCT won't be billions of dollars of investment or the $500k per passenger figure will be impossible. An order of magnitude less like $100-400 million. Also, electronics can easily be made reliable enough. We have lots an lots of experience running spacecraft for years at a time without maintenance. 6-9 months won't be a challenge for a company that will launch thousands of satellites into LEO.
Don't forget that your income calculation is only for colonists. There will also be a market for cargo on the MCT as well, which may well be able pull in more per KG (scientific payloads etc). I reckon you might be able to pull in $1B on each MCT trip.How much does it currently cost to put a 100kg payload on Mars?
You may have smaller tanks, but they'll still be large in relation to the overall vehicle. It's not what I am or am not a fan of, but what must be at a minimum. MCT must be a single stage to Mars orbit vehicle at a minimum. And thus, it will still be a big gas can that must get through EDL, whether it does direct return or not...whether it's it's own 2nd stage on Earth ascent or not.:-)
Again please link me to this quote.
Musk has said a lot of stuff that did not survive contact with reality
and we know they are looking at SEP right now.
And Musk doesn't think there's anything worthwhile exporting from Mars, so MCT has to be able to pay for itself.
I've extremely high doubts that once the BFR/MCT package is complete, SpaceX will just cancel its breadwinning Falcon9/Falcon Heavy lines and launch all commercial satellites on a Saturn V class rocket.
Quote from: Darkseraph on 06/18/2015 03:20 amI've extremely high doubts that once the BFR/MCT package is complete, SpaceX will just cancel its breadwinning Falcon9/Falcon Heavy lines and launch all commercial satellites on a Saturn V class rocket. .. and assuming that's the case, what's BFR for? Annual (at best) launches of MCTs?
And? You've done better? Musk and occasionally Shotwell are basically the ONLY source for anything about MCT. So like it or not, that's all we've got right now.