OMG it's the SpaceX Party Thread!

[FinalFrontier]

In a normal business the cost of development would be captured in future business revenues. So SpaceX captures their 1 billion in development costs from their CRS and commercial contracts. Compare to SLS, which would account for its 25-50 billion in development in its 5-10 launches over 20 years. You would also count the cost of funds, so you would count the interest paid to the foreigners funding our deficit. So add perhaps 5 billion to each SLS launch plus the rocket and operations costs and compare to Falcon 9. 
Make those numbers work and we can start a new party thread.

SLS is not part of this discussion and is not a valid comparison.  ULA and OSC are Spacex peers and not govt managed systems.

For all those who think I am anti Spacex, read my posts about SLS or Ares 1

Apologies of I was a party troll. Appreciate your knowledge. You seem to have the history of the space program in your head.

Jim is a 22 Plus year veteran of the space launch industry. He posted many pictures of himself working on vehicles being prepared for launch not too long ago. Not sure where the thread is however.

[kevin-rf]

Huh, what? !!!!!

edit:  ooo!!
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=29021.msg619105#new

Yep, definitely the new long poll on which to hang a lamp shade and sip the cool aid!!!! 

[FinalFrontier]

One can only hope the opening test flight occurs on schedule........

[Jim]

I hope to eventually work a mission with NASA spacecraft on a Falcon vehicle on the east coast.  (also hoping for a Delta IV and Antares mission too)

Order of likeliness:
1. Falcon
2. Antares
3.  Delta IV (EFT-1 does not count)

[FinalFrontier]

I hope to eventually work a mission with NASA spacecraft on a Falcon vehicle on the east coast.  (also hoping for a Delta IV and Antares mission too)

Order of likeliness:
1. Falcon
2. Antares
3.  Delta IV (EFT-1 does not count)

Although this probably isn't the case I'll ask anyway:

If crew dragon happens, since NASA astros will be flying it would you be involved in that at all or are you singularly non-manned field at this time?

[mmeijeri]

3.  Delta IV (EFT-1 does not count)

Why is Delta at the bottom of the list? Because it isn't competitive with Atlas?

[ugordan]

I hope to eventually work a mission with NASA spacecraft on a Falcon vehicle on the east coast.

Seeing an F9 launch a NASA planetary mission would be a very satisfying moment for me and I'm looking forward to that day very much.

[edkyle99]

The bottom line for me is that SpaceX is getting more traction on positive public awareness of space than any other company, despite any of those having better industrial track record by some or all metrics.

My web site has already seen a 30+% jump in total monthly visitors - and there are still a few days left in May.  May 22 set a new daily record, and my site has been online since 1998.  The busiest pages are all about SpaceX.  It's pretty simple, really.  The more I write about SpaceX, the more visitors I have.

In early May, I uploaded a full page on Liberty, chock full of details, nice images, and so forth. 

Not a blip.

 - Ed Kyle

[Jim]

If crew dragon happens, since NASA astros will be flying it would you be involved in that at all or are you singularly non-manned field at this time?

Only unmanned, since I worry only about the spacecraft support.  Since Commercial Crew will be a service, the spacecraft support is done by the contractor.

[baldusi]

I hope to eventually work a mission with NASA spacecraft on a Falcon vehicle on the east coast.  (also hoping for a Delta IV and Antares mission too)

Order of likeliness:
1. Falcon
2. Antares
3.  Delta IV (EFT-1 does not count)

Although this probably isn't the case I'll ask anyway:

If crew dragon happens, since NASA astros will be flying it would you be involved in that at all or are you singularly non-manned field at this time?

I guess because Delta IV is not currently offered under the NLS II program?

[PahTo]

My web site has already seen a 30+% jump in total monthly visitors - and there are still a few days left in May.  May 22 set a new daily record, and my site has been online since 1998.  The busiest pages are all about SpaceX.  It's pretty simple, really.  The more I write about SpaceX, the more visitors I have.

In early May, I uploaded a full page on Liberty, chock full of details, nice images, and so forth. 

Not a blip.

 - Ed Kyle

What is the link to your website, Mr. Kyle?  (sorry to go OT, if you want, send as PM).
Thanks!

[Lars_J]

What is the link to your website, Mr. Kyle?  (sorry to go OT, if you want, send as PM).
Thanks!

Click on the WWW link for each of his post: http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/

[MP99]

My web site has already seen a 30+% jump in total monthly visitors - and there are still a few days left in May.  May 22 set a new daily record, and my site has been online since 1998.  The busiest pages are all about SpaceX.  It's pretty simple, really.  The more I write about SpaceX, the more visitors I have.

In early May, I uploaded a full page on Liberty, chock full of details, nice images, and so forth. 

Not a blip.

 - Ed Kyle

What is the link to your website, Mr. Kyle?  (sorry to go OT, if you want, send as PM).
Thanks!

Go to any of Ed's posts, find the "WWW" link under his user-name, and that will take you to his site.

NB, this works for anyone who has defined a website in their user profile (Forum Profile / Website URL).

cheers, Martin

[MP99]

Huh, what? !!!!!

edit:  ooo!!
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=29021.msg619105#new

Yep, definitely the new long poll on which to hang a lamp shade and sip the cool aid!!!! 

Actually, AFAICT, FH is no longer (taller) than F9 v1.1!   

cheers, Martin

[Chandonn]

Huh, what? !!!!!

edit:  ooo!!
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=29021.msg619105#new

Yep, definitely the new long poll on which to hang a lamp shade and sip the cool aid!!!! 

Actually, AFAICT, FH is no longer (taller) than F9 v1.1!   

cheers, Martin

Yeah, what Martin said.  ... and "Kool-Aid" is spelled with a "K" 

Here's hoping we have a Dragonrider party thread in our future where we can drink a mix of Kool-Aid and Tang!

[Thunderbird5]

Roll-on the LAS testing!

[kevin-rf]

Huh, what? !!!!!

edit:  ooo!!
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=29021.msg619105#new

Yep, definitely the new long poll on which to hang a lamp shade and sip the cool aid!!!! 

Actually, AFAICT, FH is no longer (taller) than F9 v1.1!   

cheers, Martin

Yeah, what Martin said.  ... and "Kool-Aid" is spelled with a "K" 

Here's hoping we have a Dragonrider party thread in our future where we can drink a mix of Kool-Aid and Tang!

Well, if you want to really nit pick...

1. The Falcon Heavy can lift an upper stage that has more fuel in it. Stretch that upper stage!

-Chalk up one for a longer pole!

2. The Falcon Heavy can lift a larger payload.

-Hence a larger and taller lamp shade.

3. If they develop a dual payload adapter, The fairing will most likely be longer than the current fairing.

-It can wear two lamp shades, and that trumps any Kool-Aid v1.1 induced long rocket envy '''

Personally I wouldn't mind another glass of Kombucha!

[alexw]

3.  Delta IV (EFT-1 does not count)

Why is Delta at the bottom of the list? Because it isn't competitive with Atlas?

     We "know" it isn't cost-competitive (not in NLS-II, Delta withdrawn from the commercial market; pricing hints from HEFT; and Jim has said as much).
      Performance-wise, to lower-energy orbits the differential between M+(5,4) and AV551 isn't so terrible (looks like C3=+20 is ~3700kg vs. ~4500+kg), but to higher-energies the already-flown Star48V really pulls ahead (C3=80 is more like ~500kg vs. ~1800kg), if I'm not misreading the PPGs. AV551 is of course already nuclear-rated, and DIVH wasn't used for PNH and appears utterly cost-prohibitive absent some massive international Flagship mission like Cassini where the US is on the hook instead of Ariane V.
      In fact, absent a political turnabout to cancel SLS and fly Orion on DIVH by mid- to late-decade, and assuming that F9 and FH continue to make visible progress towards eventually being viable launchers for NASA missions, it seems remarkably likely (IMO) that EFT-1 may be the only Delta IV of any kind flown for NASA (vs. NOAA), ever.
     Basically, Atlas has the low, medium, and high ends right now, Antares and F9 both seek the low end and will probably get there, and FH seeks the medium and high ends and may someday get there.

     But you didn't ask in order to hear it from me
    -Alex

[mr. mark]

Hey, just heard that SpaceX landed a contract for Falcon Heavy. Since they don't have a customer for the first test flight, how about using Dragon on a Lunar BEO shakeout flight or how about a totally insane idea like launching a Tesla Model S into orbit for publicity. Yeah, I know totally insane but why not.  (I didn't dare post this on the Falcon Heavy board, I'd never hear the end of it LOL)

[rklaehn]

Hey, just heard that SpaceX landed a contract for Falcon Heavy. Since they don't have a customer for the first test flight, how about using Dragon on a Lunar BEO shakeout flight or how about a totally insane idea like launching a Tesla Model S into orbit for publicity. Yeah, I know totally insane but why not.  (I didn't dare post this on the Falcon Heavy board, I'd never hear the end of it LOL)

Given that mr. musk likes monty python, what about crashing a 16t weight into the moon (and watching the debris plume, deep impact style) 

Realistically, taking a dragon stuffed full of spacex memorabilia like t-shirts and models on a free return trajectory around the moon would be their best option. It would validate BEO operations and reentry from BEO. Also, every spacex employee could have a t-shirt that has been around the moon: how is that for motivation.

Stick a few HD cameras in the trunk and sell the video as well.