Canceled: SpaceX F9 : Space Adventures private Dragon flight

[abaddon]

It states here the price is likely to be $10-15 million.

https://www.space.com/spacex-crew-dragon-will-fly-space-tourists.html

The article you linked to has been updated this morning.  It now gives $35 million for the last person to pay for a trip on the Soyuz to the ISS, and says that prices are expected to be in "the same range."

Worth noting that the current price (to NASA) for an ISS seat is reported to be $85 million, so $35 million seems like a pretty reasonable price given the difference in the experience.

[Macsen]

The BEAM is berthed to the ISS so it's berthing port could not dock the the Crew Dragon. Of course, this would be a new build BEAM so that could be changed.

The problem (to me) is that it took longer than five days for BEAM to expand at the Station (if memory serves). You would make the mission much more difficult  (read dangerous) and the BEAM might not be usable for most of the mission. Best stow the seats for the flight.

Yeah, BEAM does not have its own separate docking mechanism. It was designed to use an ISS berthing port, not a docking port. Crew Dragon uses the IDAs at Harmony forward or Harmony zenith.

While NASA only wants new ones for its crew missions doesn't mean SpaceX can't use used Crew Dragons for private missions.

If it works out they could place 2nd dragon in same orbit as mini station to give future missions a bit more living space. With extra space could fly 6-7 passengers per mission. Also acts as backup return and rescue vehicle.

SpaceX is currently planning on also re-using Crew Dragons as Cargo Dragons under CRS-2.

[soltasto]

SpaceX is currently planning on also re-using Crew Dragons as Cargo Dragons under CRS-2.

No. This isn't going to happen anymore per Jessica Jensen comments on a last year CRS press conference.

[hektor]

Which simplification / enhancements could be foreseen by foregoing the rendez vous and docking.

Deletion of docking mechanism and rendezvous sensors

Simplification of propulsion ?

Deletion of the hinged docking cover ?

Replacing docking mechanism by a vistadome ?

Any idea ?

[whitelancer64]

SpaceX is currently planning on also re-using Crew Dragons as Cargo Dragons under CRS-2.

No. This isn't going to happen anymore per Jessica Jensen comments on a last year CRS press conference.

To add, that same press conference confirmed that Cargo Dragon 2 will be a separate build without SuperDracos.

[whitelancer64]

Which simplification / enhancements could be foreseen by foregoing the rendez vous and docking.

Deletion of docking mechanism and rendezvous sensors

Simplification of propulsion ?

Deletion of the hinged docking cover ?

Replacing docking mechanism by a vistadome ?

Any idea ?

Any kind of modification would make the capsule / tourist trip much more expensive. It would be cheaper and easier to just fly a "stock" Crew Dragon 2. Even cheaper if it's reusing one that has already flown crew to the ISS.

[hektor]

I suspect a docking mechanism and hatch is complex and expensive. Replacing it by a simple closing structure is probably saving money.

[whitelancer64]

I suspect a docking mechanism and hatch is complex and expensive. Replacing it by a simple closing structure is probably saving money.

That would entail taking the Crew Dragon apart, designing a "closing structure," testing it with the pressure vessel, installing it, performing integrated tests, etc.

Way more expensive than just using a Dragon 2 as it is.

[Comga]

Which simplification / enhancements could be foreseen by foregoing the rendez vous and docking.

Deletion of docking mechanism and rendezvous sensors

Simplification of propulsion ?

Deletion of the hinged docking cover ?

Replacing docking mechanism by a vistadome ?

Any idea ?

Any kind of modification would make the capsule / tourist trip much more expensive. It would be cheaper and easier to just fly a "stock" Crew Dragon 2. Even cheaper if it's reusing one that has already flown crew to the ISS.

I agree, but that last idea is intriguing.
The docking mechanism may be one SpaceX plans on reusing from mission to mission,. 
The interface is probably designed for removal via a good number of bolts.
They could replace it with a plate with a window.
It probably wouldn't be whatever a "vistadome" might be, like the cupola on the ISS, but it could be a window somewhat larger than the two on the DM-2 capsule.
There were also the two additional window locations that are not seen on the DM-1 or DM-2 capsules. 

[whitelancer64]

heh, so they lost their fight to get private astronauts on the ISS.

What a surprise.

Not necessarily. This could be in addition to that.

[whitelancer64]

Does dragon even have a good toilet?

Yes, it does.

[Alexphysics]

The docking hatch has a window, one could use that as an extra view of the outside. Just saying...

[woods170]

heh, so they lost their fight to get private astronauts on the ISS.

What a surprise.

It took you 11 years to figure that out?

Space Adventures effectively lost that fight in 2009 when NASA began buying each-and-every available Soyuz seat due to the impending retirement of the Space Shuttle.

[Craftyatom]

Which simplification / enhancements could be foreseen by foregoing the rendez vous and docking.
[...]
Deletion of the hinged docking cover ?

Disregarding arguments of cost and commonality and the like, this one is (as far as I know) a non-starter.  Not only is that cover an important aerodynamic element on the way up (even if the docking mechanism were removed), it also needs to open to uncover a star tracker once on orbit.  Sure, the tracker won't be needed for precision docking, but from a safety perspective, the spacecraft should maintain that navigation aid.

Again, saying nothing about whether other design changes actually make sense here.

[Cheapchips]

Does dragon even have a good toilet?

Yes, it does.

Isn't it behind a curtain?  If they go as a group of four it'll be, erm, intimate.

[ncb1397]

Who wants to bet this never happens?

Red dragon?
lunar dragon?
dragon lab?

All of them never happened.

[whitelancer64]

Does dragon even have a good toilet?

Yes, it does.

Isn't it behind a curtain?  If they go as a group of four it'll be, erm, intimate.

Yep, there's a privacy screen of some sort.

[QuantumG]

It took you 11 years to figure that out?

Space Adventures effectively lost that fight in 2009 when NASA began buying each-and-every available Soyuz seat due to the impending retirement of the Space Shuttle.

They've been fighting NASA to allow private astronauts to ride side-by-side with NASA astronauts to the ISS. There was some hope that the change in administration and the approaching beginning of service would change things. The Russians are still offering space on their side of the station, but NASA has veto over who can dock with the station - ruling out a separate flight to the ISS.

[ThePonjaX]

heh, so they lost their fight to get private astronauts on the ISS.

What a surprise.

It took you 11 years to figure that out?

Space Adventures effectively lost that fight in 2009 when NASA began buying each-and-every available Soyuz seat due to the impending retirement of the Space Shuttle.

Seems Spacex getting all the business from Roscosmos not only the NASA seats the private ones too.

Who wants to bet this never happens?

Red dragon?
lunar dragon?
dragon lab?

All of them never happened.

Well I thought the same but for each case a better project replaced the older one. Invest in Starship is better but on this case I think it has a greater opportunity to happen. Not new hardware, not special efforts, just the rocket and capsule developed for NASA.
And of course: they'll be the first private company on do that. Another first for Spacex.

[raketa]

At that time Starship could be already on Orbit.
They will be able to dock it and spend 5 days in bigger place..