Author Topic: ISS Partners Dragon Charter (Read 2189 times)

NX-0 · « **on:** 10/27/2021 05:05 pm »

Is there any possibility of ESA, CSA, or JAXA buying four seats on a Dragon for a mission?
For instance, Japan could purchase 4 seats on a single mission for a 6-10 week stay, upping the total workforce on ISS to 11 for a couple of months.

gongora · « **Reply #1 on:** 10/27/2021 05:25 pm »

It's probably possible to do if any of ESA/JAXA/CSA are interested in paying for their own flight.

jebbo · « **Reply #2 on:** 10/27/2021 05:45 pm »

Given Nauka added a crew cabin and they are bringing CASA online, the station can support 8 people long term, plus 1 in each Crew Dragon (which was practice before Nauka) ... so feels like a longish stay by visiting crew is now possible; just 1 longish term berth to find.

Question is more as gongora said above: will they want to pay for one?

--- Tony

ajmarco · « **Reply #3 on:** 10/27/2021 05:48 pm »

I thought that there was a concern of resource usage on the ISS, that was brought up during the Crew-1/Crew-2 handover that brought the number of astronauts on the ISS to 11. My impression at the time was that they could only maintain that for about a week or so without running into issues.

jebbo · « **Reply #4 on:** 10/27/2021 05:59 pm »

Since then, Nauka has docked and been integrated. It adds a galley, crew cabin, toilet with urine recycling, oxygen production for 6 crew. So a significant enhancement to the life support. Dragon also delivered a new toilet ...

Hence, I *think* they have the capacity for longer visiting vehicle stays.

--- Tony

ajmarco · « **Reply #5 on:** 10/27/2021 07:46 pm »

Quote from: jebbo on 10/27/2021 05:59 pm

Since then, Nauka has docked and been integrated. It adds a galley, crew cabin, toilet with urine recycling, oxygen production for 6 crew. So a significant enhancement to the life support. Dragon also delivered a new toilet ...

Hence, I *think* they have the capacity for longer visiting vehicle stays.

--- Tony

Fair point, I believe those earlier comments were prior to Nauka.

Maybe at the Crew-3 briefing someone could ask what the current ISS capacity is?

hektor · « **Reply #6 on:** 10/27/2021 08:03 pm »

I do not know about JAXA and CSA, but for ESA I would say no way. ESA is only flying astronauts through bartering agreements with NASA, and the countries which make the decision would never agree with a European check being sent to SpaceX.

If one Agency was to do that, the most probable would be Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.

Josh_from_Canada · « **Reply #7 on:** 10/27/2021 08:23 pm »

Quote from: hektor on 10/27/2021 08:03 pm

If one Agency was to do that, the most probable would be Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.

From what I know, they look to be more interested with flying on Soyuz then Dragon 2.

wannamoonbase · « **Reply #8 on:** 10/27/2021 09:08 pm »

Quote from: Josh_from_Canada on 10/27/2021 08:23 pm

Quote from: hektor on 10/27/2021 08:03 pm
If one Agency was to do that, the most probable would be Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.
From what I know, they look to be more interested with flying on Soyuz then Dragon 2.

For now, Dragon 2 fleet increasing in size and experience and SpaceX is very responsive. Elon maybe more than happy to unprice a Soyuz flight.

Regardless, Russia seems to be struggling more with each passing year to keep their existing capabilities. I will not be surprised if in the not to distant future they struggle to maintain Soyuz reliability.

We don't know who or what is going to replace the ISS yet, but Dragon 2 could have a long future ahead.