Quote from: clongton on 02/19/2017 12:14 pmMatt we don't need a bigger NASA budget. What we need is fiscal responsibility in the use of that budget; things like not giving a dime of it to companies with a decades-long history of sucking it dry and then asking for more, without actually producing what they were contracted for.Matt we don't need a pony. What we need is a unicorn.
Matt we don't need a bigger NASA budget. What we need is fiscal responsibility in the use of that budget; things like not giving a dime of it to companies with a decades-long history of sucking it dry and then asking for more, without actually producing what they were contracted for.
Getting rid of the useless Orion and launching the crew with a proven Falcon 9 and Dragon (or Atlas V and Starliner) would help. SLS isn't designed to launch astronauts, wasn't that acknowledged already by the Ares I?
SLS isn't designed to launch astronauts, wasn't that acknowledged already by the Ares I?
Quote from: TakeOff on 02/23/2017 04:05 amSLS isn't designed to launch astronauts, wasn't that acknowledged already by the Ares I?You are confusing Ares V with SLS. They are totally different things. SLS is designed to launch astronauts, just the delta IV-derived underpowered upper stage of the first launch is not crew rated, all the proper later upper stages will be.
The modular configuration of DSG would make it difficult to fit one flight. Then it would need assembling without human assistance. Orion would miss out on it uncrewed EM2 flight.Having assembly spread over a few flights with crew spreads costs, gives more crew flight which is point of SLS/orion. As each module is assemble crew can check it out, if problems can't be resolved then, they should have parts and fix for following mission.They hope to deliver service module on unmanned EM2, EM3 would deliver habitat module on first crew mission. In theory 42day stay should be possible on EM3.
Currently it would beEM2 Unmanned + service moduleEM3 manned + habitatEm4 manned + module (not sure which)EM5 manned + module.4 flights, 3 of which are manned and DSG is being used on first manned flight.Your plan is.EM2 DSGEM3 Unmanned OrionEM4 mannedEM5 MannedLose one crew flight and use of DSG is put back by a year. With maybe 3x 10t of surplus capacity not used
The financial year 2017 Budget for the US Government contains wording that suggests NASA should target the Moon. Since each president has his own views on missions to the Moon or Mars IMHO there may only about 8 years before this changes again. NASA may get a small budget but a big one is unlikely.What can we do in these 8 years?