Author Topic: How long before commercial flights to space(Not LEO but HEO)/around the Moon?  (Read 15676 times)

Offline buel

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Hello,
I have previously posted this elsewhere on this wonderful forum but i feel that this particular segment is better suited to the post:

I have just listened to a fascinating radio program on the BBC iplayer from the BBC World Service. It covers what's next for NASA/America now that the shuttles are being retired.
Link here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00gdt5n/Global_Business_Watch_This_Space/


Discussed, amongst other things, are SpaceX and their plans for the Falcon 1 and for it to orbit earth and, later, Falcon 9.

This got me thinking (dreaming) of the question- How long before there will be commercial flights actually to Space and not LEO, like Virgin Galactic which, as described in the program, is barely anything more than an 'up and down' flight.
In fact, Elon Musk of SpaceX, i think, describes it as a 'The world's highest rollercoaster' (although he has bought a seat on it).

I know no one actually knows how long but id be very interested in people's opinions on the time-frame they think, be it 20, 50, 100 years or whatever.


Thank you in advance- B

Offline mlorrey

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Well, that program is a bit old, Falcon 9 has already put spacecraft into orbit. Space Adventures is already advertising a translunar tourist mission that they claim already has one ticket sold for, so the answer is that we could see this mission happen within 2-6 years...
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Offline buel

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Hi and thank you for that.
Can i verify that 'translunar' means around the moon and back?

Offline Ben the Space Brit

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Hi and thank you for that.
Can i verify that 'translunar' means around the moon and back?

'Trans-lunar' in general means any orbit that runs from the Earth to the Moon.  However, in this specific case, it is referring to a 'free-return trajectory', where the orbit goes behind the Moon and uses its gravity to flip the spacecraft back towards Earth without having to stop or fire the engines again.

Notable Usage of Free-Return Trajectory:
* Soviet Zond program (unmanned BEO Soyuz test program)
* Apollo 13 emergency return orbit
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Offline buel

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Hi, thank you for that answer.

At what height would a rocket/spacecraft have to get to to orbit the earth, as in the ISS?

Also, please may i ask if anyone else on this brilliant forum has any other thoughts on pricing/prices?

Offline Ben the Space Brit

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At what height would a rocket/spacecraft have to get to to orbit the earth, as in the ISS?

I believe that the ISS orbits at above 200 miles altitude.  The shuttle (and Apollo before it) both flew up to an initial orbit of about 135 miles.  Technically, space begins at 66 miles but you will want to go comfortably above that to avoid the orbit quickly decaying because of contact with the very highest layers of the atmosphere.

Also, please may i ask if anyone else on this brilliant forum has any other thoughts on pricing/prices?

I believe that Space Adventures LLC have already quoted a price for a lunar fly-around mission.  IIRC, it is in the region of $100M per seat.  I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.  It isn't unaffordable but it would be a very exclusive club.

Personally, a seven-day flight cooped up in a Soyuz with one or two others isn't my cup of tea.  I'll wait until Bigelow cruisers are doing it.  180 or 330 cubic meters sounds a lot better, IMHO. :)
"Oops! I left the silly thing in reverse!" - Duck Dodgers

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Offline Jason1701

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I believe that Space Adventures LLC have already quoted a price for a lunar fly-around mission.  IIRC, it is in the region of $100M per seat.  I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.  It isn't unaffordable but it would be a very exclusive club.

Personally, a seven-day flight cooped up in a Soyuz with one or two others isn't my cup of tea.  I'll wait until Bigelow cruisers are doing it.  180 or 330 cubic meters sounds a lot better, IMHO. :)

It's $150 million. The participants should have plenty of room: the descent module, the orbital module, and another orbital module attached to the EDS. Way more room than Apollo.

« Last Edit: 05/30/2011 08:15 pm by Ronsmytheiii »

Offline Jim

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It's $150 million. The participants should have plenty of room: the descent module, the orbital module, and another orbital module attached to the EDS. Way more room than Apollo.


No, Apollo had a lunar module attached.

Offline Robotbeat

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It's $150 million. The participants should have plenty of room: the descent module, the orbital module, and another orbital module attached to the EDS. Way more room than Apollo.


No, Apollo had a lunar module attached.
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Offline Jason1701

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It's $150 million. The participants should have plenty of room: the descent module, the orbital module, and another orbital module attached to the EDS. Way more room than Apollo.


No, Apollo had a lunar module attached.

CM was 5.9 m3, LM 6.7 m3. Soyuz descent module is 3.5 m3, orbital module is 5 m3, for a total of 13.5 m3 in the Space Adventures proposal - more than Apollo's 12.6 m3.

Offline Jorge

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It's $150 million. The participants should have plenty of room: the descent module, the orbital module, and another orbital module attached to the EDS. Way more room than Apollo.


No, Apollo had a lunar module attached.

CM was 5.9 m3, LM 6.7 m3. Soyuz descent module is 3.5 m3, orbital module is 5 m3, for a total of 13.5 m3 in the Space Adventures proposal - more than Apollo's 12.6 m3.

0.9 m3 more is not "way more room", as you claimed earlier.
JRF

Offline Scia

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With SpaceX to finish the Falcon Heavy in 2013 and to start flying crew to the ISS by 2014-2015. I think its plausible to think we might mount serious cis-lunar missions by the end of the decade.

I hope it works out.

Offline jhoblik

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Falcon Heavy 9 + dragon I think easy could do cis-lunar flight.
1pilot and 6 customers.
Price could be somewhere around 20-40 millions. I think they will  have "plenty of customers".
 If I have this money I will buy it,but I will not spend millions for earth orbit flight.

Offline buel

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Hi, thank you for some brilliant answers!!
Please can someone explain what 'cis-lunar' is? (Sorry for the naiveity)

Offline Jason1701

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Please can someone explain what 'cis-lunar' is? (Sorry for the naiveity)

As it applies to space exploration, it means missions around the moon, either flybys or orbits.

Offline buel

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Thank you for that.
Im learning so much from this thread alone!!

Offline baldusi

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Falcon Heavy 9 + dragon I think easy could do cis-lunar flight.
1pilot and 6 customers.
Price could be somewhere around 20-40 millions. I think they will  have "plenty of customers".
 If I have this money I will buy it,but I will not spend millions for earth orbit flight.
Seven crew on an eight day trip on 10m³? The supposed 14m³ pressurized space, is for cargo. A crew version would be more along 10m³. And you need a bathroom.
Besides, a Dragon to the ISS is calculated at 133M. A Falcon Heavy is 68M extra. That's 200M. And the Dragon isn't even developed for BEO.
« Last Edit: 05/28/2011 11:37 pm by baldusi »

Offline buel

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Hi,
Please can i ask if anyone knows of the price for flights to the 'edge of Space'?
I've watched a program called How the Earth Made Us where the presenter, Iain Stewart, travelled in an English Electric Lightening jet to 50,00ft.

Is there anywhere other than Russia that does these kind of flights?

Offline buel

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anyone please?

Offline Ben the Space Brit

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anyone please?

If Virgin Galactic fly passengers, they're going to charge ~$100,000 per seat.  However, currently, I think that the Russian air force is the only organisation with the equipment and the cash flow problems that they actually do things like that with conventional aircraft.
"Oops! I left the silly thing in reverse!" - Duck Dodgers

~*~*~*~

The Space Shuttle Program - 1981-2011

The time for words has passed; The time has come to put up or shut up!
DON'T PROPAGANDISE, FLY!!!

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