Quote from: wannamoonbase on 02/27/2017 09:34 pmQuote from: Rocket Science on 02/27/2017 09:27 pmOr even a lunar base with mining operations....Now you're just teasing me.Surface operations, 3D printed radiation shielding, Lunar Oxygen for fuel, metals for 3D printing, development of a closed loop life support system.There is so much to do on the moon and it's 1 light second away.But first, baby steps.Even if this slips 2 years I have no problems. I've been waiting 20+ years for people to leave earth orbit.It was 1972... So 45 years for me...
Quote from: Rocket Science on 02/27/2017 09:27 pmOr even a lunar base with mining operations....Now you're just teasing me.Surface operations, 3D printed radiation shielding, Lunar Oxygen for fuel, metals for 3D printing, development of a closed loop life support system.There is so much to do on the moon and it's 1 light second away.But first, baby steps.Even if this slips 2 years I have no problems. I've been waiting 20+ years for people to leave earth orbit.
Or even a lunar base with mining operations....
Quote from: eric z on 02/27/2017 08:48 pm I would love to see NASA grab one of those seats; especially with a flown veteran. That would set a great example for the future private-public partnerships. I know Chris and the gang will be busy the next few hours! The NASA astros should be pi---d.
I would love to see NASA grab one of those seats; especially with a flown veteran. That would set a great example for the future private-public partnerships. I know Chris and the gang will be busy the next few hours!
Question: Is the Falcon Heavy human rated? Would the FAA allow this flight?
Quote from: geza on 02/27/2017 09:00 pmQuote from: jsgirald on 02/27/2017 08:57 pmNo mention of a crew, only 2 passengers?People, who are going to spend so much money, are probaly ready to learn to push the abort button in case...But think of a solvable problem, not nearly Apollo 13 leves of bad, wouldn't they like to have a pro who knows what to do and stay calm?
Quote from: jsgirald on 02/27/2017 08:57 pmNo mention of a crew, only 2 passengers?People, who are going to spend so much money, are probaly ready to learn to push the abort button in case...
No mention of a crew, only 2 passengers?
Quote from: Pasander on 02/27/2017 09:31 pmThis can mean only one thing: SPACE SEX! (And that would be science, wouldn't it??)Yes, the 400000 km club ...
This can mean only one thing: SPACE SEX! (And that would be science, wouldn't it??)
To misquote Han Solo, "Doing a hypervelocity entry ain't like dusting crops, boy!" Entry heating rate goes like the cube of velocity, so an entry from a lunar free return trajectory (which is all they could do with a single FH) would be about three times as much heat as an orbital entry. There is no way they should do a crewed mission without a test flight which replicates the same entry conditions. (Also, there's the whole thing about navigation to maintain the free return trajectory with mid-course corrections and to hit the allowable entry corridor, use of the lift vector for heat and g-level modulation, and accuracy of the landing targeting.) So, unless they're planning to eat the cost of another FH launch, I would expect them to retarget the upcoming FH demo for a heat shield demo (probably with a used cargo Dragon?)
Wonder if this will torpedo Russia's lunar tourism program:https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=20311.360
It's a ride inside an aluminum can.... Plus it's likely to be rather odorous as the flight goes on...
"The passengers were “nobody from Hollywood”, Musk said."Matt Damon and Jimmy Kimmel?
I love the name MoonDragon. His is what we have all been waiting for and more than justifies the funding of commercial flights to ISS. Well done Elon and all at SpaceX