Author Topic: SpaceX Building Reusable Crew Capsule (Read 14073 times)

Hotol · « **on:** 03/06/2006 11:53 am »

http://space.com/spacenews/businessmonday_060306.html

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #1 on:** 03/06/2006 11:59 am »

I'll allow that story to stand as it's got quotes, but looking at the timelines last night, this was Keith's story from what I can tell.

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=1095

Captain Scarlet · « **Reply #2 on:** 03/06/2006 12:14 pm »

Don't they need to get their Falcon I off the ground first. Not sure about the reasoning for them releasing this? Stock price a bit low?

UK Shuttle Clan · « **Reply #3 on:** 03/06/2006 12:33 pm »

Compare this to the Blackstar and you have to laugh.

Jim · « **Reply #4 on:** 03/06/2006 12:50 pm »

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Captain Scarlet - 6/3/2006 7:14 AMDon't they need to get their Falcon I off the ground first. Not sure about the reasoning for them releasing this? Stock price a bit low?

They are a private company. The COTS procurement proposals were due 3/3/2006. They could be a proposer and figured that the info would come out anyways.

http://procurement.jsc.nasa.gov/cots/

Jim · « **Reply #5 on:** 03/06/2006 12:51 pm »

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nacnud - 6/3/2006 7:48 AMI like this design, interesting use of the CBM for berthing as well, first I've seen that definatly uses this for crew exchange vehicels. Can anyone work out what the rear section of the craft is supposed to be, the hollow cylinder attached to the recoverable SM? I think it is an unpressureised cargo section.

No, they just didn't want to show all of the details.

Dogsbd · « **Reply #6 on:** 03/06/2006 03:53 pm »

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UK Shuttle Clan - 6/3/2006 8:33 AM

Compare this to the Blackstar and you have to laugh.

Not in the least, each (if Blackstar is even real) serves a unique purpose.

hyper_snyper · « **Reply #7 on:** 03/06/2006 08:35 pm »

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UK Shuttle Clan - 6/3/2006 8:33 AMCompare this to the Blackstar and you have to laugh.

Compare the budgets while your at it. US Gov Black Budget vs. what Elon has in his bank account. Pretty impressive if you ask me.

Also, it looks like the CXV.

simonbp · « **Reply #8 on:** 03/06/2006 09:57 pm »

Nice to see that there actually might be something coming out of COTS, rather than the typical silly proposals that never get built...

Simon

rsp1202 · « **Reply #9 on:** 03/06/2006 10:44 pm »

Yeah, this proposal might actually have some legs. If they can just launch their launcher . . .

Bruhn · « **Reply #10 on:** 03/07/2006 01:21 am »

Elon reminds me alot of Howard Hughes. He puts his money where his mouth is.

rsp1202 · « **Reply #11 on:** 03/07/2006 02:07 am »

Up to seven crew in a capsule smaller than Apollo; that's when you find out who your real friends are. And this is a nose-first re-entry capsule (the reason for the hinged nosecone covering the docking port)?

Avron · « **Reply #12 on:** 03/07/2006 03:13 am »

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Bruhn - 6/3/2006 9:21 PM

Elon reminds me alot of Howard Hughes. He puts his money where his mouth is.

Sure does... and yes, his bank balance is quite impressive, note bad for an African.

nacnud · « **Reply #13 on:** 03/07/2006 09:25 am »

I don't think it enters nose first, more likley base first.

stargazer777 · « **Reply #14 on:** 03/08/2006 11:13 am »

The Howard Hughes comparison is telling. Hughes, in addition to his wealth, actually flew his aircraft. In fact, he was quite a remarkable flyer. Now I don't expect "Elon" to become an astronaut, but I do expect that before he and his company start talking about launching manned vehicles into orbit, they will actually accomplish something -- like get a rocket off the ground. Right now, from all appearances, more than anything he has a very good publicity agent. If alt.space is ever going to be anything more than Power Point presentations and artists conceptions, a solid base of tangible achievements needs to come before giving them any credibility in terms manned space objectives. Scaled Composites understands this, and they have proven there is substance behind their plans. What was it Mao said -- the Chinese couldn't even put a potato in orbit? Lets see Space X put some spuds in orbit before we go any further with their "plans."

Jamie Young · « **Reply #15 on:** 03/08/2006 05:27 pm »

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Captain Scarlet - 6/3/2006 7:14 AM

Don't they need to get their Falcon I off the ground first. Not sure about the reasoning for them releasing this? Stock price a bit low?

Kinda thought that too. Falcon 1, then maybe in 5 years Falcon 9, how long till this?

Jim · « **Reply #16 on:** 03/08/2006 05:42 pm »

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Jamie Young - 8/3/2006 12:27 PM
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Captain Scarlet - 6/3/2006 7:14 AMDon't they need to get their Falcon I off the ground first. Not sure about the reasoning for them releasing this? Stock price a bit low?
Kinda thought that too. Falcon 1, then maybe in 5 years Falcon 9, how long till this?

Soon, it is an entry for the COTS competition

nacnud · « **Reply #17 on:** 03/08/2006 06:09 pm »

The falcon 9 is slated for launch Q2 2007.

Crispy · « **Reply #18 on:** 03/08/2006 06:36 pm »

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nacnud - 8/3/2006 7:09 PM

The falcon 9 is slated for launch Q2 2007.

I truly will believe that when I see it. Didn't Falcon 1 originally have a launch date of Q1 2005? And they're going to have a bunch of new problems with 9, especially if they have to launch from Kwajelian. You can't fit a Falcon 9 stage in a cargo plane like they did with the Falcon 1 2nd stage - not to mention the much greater quantities of fuel needed. Just handling a rocket that big brings a whole raft of new problems. The falcon 1 is small enough that a tank segement, say, can be shifted by two people and a dolly; whereas the falcon 9 will need cranes and whatnot.

I wish them the best of luck and I really want them to succeed, but I'll bet the family silver on a 1st Falcon 9 launch much later than Q2 2007.

publiusr · « **Reply #19 on:** 03/08/2006 06:46 pm »

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Dogsbd - 6/3/2006 10:53 AM

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UK Shuttle Clan - 6/3/2006 8:33 AM

Compare this to the Blackstar and you have to laugh.

Not in the least, each (if Blackstar is even real) serves a unique purpose.

Well said. I think more of Musk's craft than Blackstar myself. A pure, dedicated rocket is hard to beat.

Musk's Dragon has a bit more bite to it than the t/Space vehicle which might wind up underpowered..

IIRC Falcon 5 and Falcon 9 are to be similar with more engine placements on Falcon 9, which is to be Titan II-EELV strength.

Musk might even have his own MOL--if he just gets Falcon I off. My guess is that he was waiting for a win against the primes before making this statement, so it wouldn't sound as lame--and for some of the lawsuit money to go into LV development.