Author Topic: SpaceX Crewed Dragon Circumlunar Mission (Read 516345 times)

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #20 on:** 02/27/2017 08:44 pm »

Totally open for discussion, but posting "wow" is not worth people's finger scrolling. So make a point.

toruonu · « **Reply #21 on:** 02/27/2017 08:44 pm »

Quote from: Welsh Dragon on 02/27/2017 08:44 pm

Quote from: matthewkantar on 02/27/2017 08:41 pm
Space tourism is a side show. I hope these stunt persons paid full price for this. Seems to have little upside and many possible pitfalls. This make SpaceX seem less serious.

Matthew
It provides them with 'deep' space tracking and control experience, long-ish term ECLSS experience, BEO reentry experience and brings in hard cash. Can't see how this is anything but a win-win-win-win situation.

Well the Lose part comes when they somehow manage to die on the mission

Basto · « **Reply #22 on:** 02/27/2017 08:44 pm »

Quote from: matthewkantar on 02/27/2017 08:41 pm

Space tourism is a side show. I hope these stunt persons paid full price for this. Seems to have little upside and many possible pitfalls. This make SpaceX seem less serious.

Matthew

So if a government pays for it, it's serious?

pb2000 · « **Reply #23 on:** 02/27/2017 08:45 pm »

Quote from: shooter6947 on 02/27/2017 08:35 pm

Sounds like a free-return trajectory, presumably, without a SM for a lunar orbit insertion burn and later trans-Earth injection?

The dragon trunk could possibly be modified to hold more fuel, it would just a be a question of if the existing (super) draco engines could perform the required burns.

Alpha Control · « **Reply #24 on:** 02/27/2017 08:45 pm »

Wow indeed! Returning to the vicinity of the Moon in under 2 years.

KDH · « **Reply #25 on:** 02/27/2017 08:46 pm »

Wonder if this is why Sarah Brightman cancelled trip to ISS, decided trip round the moon for the same price made more sense.

andrewsdanj · « **Reply #26 on:** 02/27/2017 08:46 pm »

Quote from: matthewkantar on 02/27/2017 08:41 pm

Space tourism is a side show. I hope these stunt persons paid full price for this. Seems to have little upside and many possible pitfalls. This make SpaceX seem less serious.

Matthew

And what will the Mars colonists be? They'll be paying large sums of money in return for a rather long trip to Muskville.

Coastal Ron · « **Reply #27 on:** 02/27/2017 08:46 pm »

Quote from: matthewkantar on 02/27/2017 08:41 pm

Space tourism is a side show. I hope these stunt persons paid full price for this. Seems to have little upside and many possible pitfalls. This make SpaceX seem less serious.

I think it's important to separate adventurism from tourism. Adventurers take risks that can't be fully calculated, whereas tourist take few risks.

For instance, Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager were not tourists when they flew around the world without landing, but adventurers.

Adventurers pave the way for not only tourism, but commerce too.

neoforce · « **Reply #28 on:** 02/27/2017 08:47 pm »

Any speculation if they will do an unmanned dry run? Maybe with the Falcon Heavy demo?

If I was the paying customer, I would feel more comfortable that they are certified by NASA for commercial crew AND they successfully demonstrated the Circumlunar flight path

meekGee · « **Reply #29 on:** 02/27/2017 08:47 pm »

Quote from: matthewkantar on 02/27/2017 08:41 pm

Space tourism is a side show. I hope these stunt persons paid full price for this. Seems to have little upside and many possible pitfalls. This make SpaceX seem less serious.

Matthew

Nah. Never has there been a more far looking company.

But.

Use opportunity to practice deep space ops, high velocity return? Why not?

It's as near-sighted as flying supply missions to the ISS, or wasting time launching comsats....

Mongo62 · « **Reply #30 on:** 02/27/2017 08:48 pm »

Quote from: pb2000 on 02/27/2017 08:45 pm

Quote from: shooter6947 on 02/27/2017 08:35 pm
Sounds like a free-return trajectory, presumably, without a SM for a lunar orbit insertion burn and later trans-Earth injection?
The dragon trunk could possibly be modified to hold more fuel, it would just a be a question of if the existing (super) draco engines could perform the required burns.

I wouldn't use Superdracos, since ordinary Dracos apparently have much better Isp. The burn would take longer for a given delta V, but use less propellant, and in the trajectory apparently being considered, the longer burn time does not really matter.

eric z · « **Reply #31 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!

Star One · « **Reply #32 on:** 02/27/2017 08:48 pm »

Quote from: matthewkantar on 02/27/2017 08:41 pm

Space tourism is a side show. I hope these stunt persons paid full price for this. Seems to have little upside and many possible pitfalls. This make SpaceX seem less serious.

Matthew

No this is how commercial space should be done. This is exactly the kind of fully private initiative I want to see from them that also drives interest in space exploration, especially if the two passengers are celebrities.

clongton · « **Reply #33 on:** 02/27/2017 08:49 pm »

Apollo 8 was the first shot of the Saturn-V sending anything toward the moon.

Space Opera · « **Reply #34 on:** 02/27/2017 08:51 pm »

Quote from: neoforce on 02/27/2017 08:47 pm

Any speculation if they will do an unmanned dry run?

This is not "speculation", this is clearly explained it will be the case in the official statement.

yg1968 · « **Reply #35 on:** 02/27/2017 08:51 pm »

This news justifies the commercial crew program in of itself! Well done, SpaceX!

Lars-J · « **Reply #36 on:** 02/27/2017 08:51 pm »

Neat. But this does rather put a stake in the heart of Russian based efforts to do the same with Soyuz. SpaceX is a much more credible provider, and can do it in one launch. (Vs a Soyuz and proton)

jpo234 · « **Reply #37 on:** 02/27/2017 08:52 pm »

Can we do a back of the envelope calculation of the price? My gu is about $500 million...

Gesendet von meinem SM-T800 mit Tapatalk

blasphemer · « **Reply #38 on:** 02/27/2017 08:52 pm »

Return of manned flights beyond LEO after 45 years. This is huge.

envy887 · « **Reply #39 on:** 02/27/2017 08:52 pm »

Quote from: clongton on 02/27/2017 08:40 pm

Quote from: CraigLieb on 02/27/2017 08:36 pm
Apollo 8!!! so much for the suits!

Not quite. Apollo 8 actually entered lunar orbit. This mission would not do that but swing around the far side of the moon on a free return trajectory without entering lunar orbit.

Dragon 2 could probably use its landing fuel and RCS Dracos to insert into DRO for an orbit or two, then return under chutes. I doubt they will to that on this mission, but it's a possibility.