Re: Robert Bigelow to announce $50 million orbital space prize; inflatable modules

From: Dan Schmelzer (dschmelzer_at_gmail.com)
Date: 10/02/04 

Date: 2 Oct 2004 09:37:31 -0700

Indeed, SpaceX says the Falcon V upper stage will not be reusable from
first flight. On NPR's Talk of the Nation Science Friday, Elon Musk
stated that SpaceX will work toward making the upper stage reusable in
order to enable manned launch on the Falcon V.

My question is whether such a stage/capsule on the Falcon V could
really carry 5 to 7 passengers. I always thought -- without any
backup except a vague comparison to Soyuz -- that it would be a
challenge to carry that many people on a rocket of this weight class.

Tom Kent <teeks99stuff@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<Xns9575E93C487F8teeks99stuffyahoocom@151.164.30.42>...
> "Pete Lynn" <pete@peterlynnkites.com> wrote in news:1096688357.351813
> @kyle.snap.net.nz:
>
> > "George William Herbert" <gherbert@retro.com> wrote in message
> > news:415df75a$0$13837$c0de7616@newsreader.dsl.net...
> >>
> >> SpaceX is selling their Falcon V (which hasn't flown yet, to be fair)
> >> for $12 million plus range fees per flight, if you order the flight
> >> this year.
> >>
> >> That leaves you $38 million for combined R&D on capsule and
> >> eventual profit, if you care to do the accounting in that manner.
> >
> > A question that has been bugging me, what are the advantages and
> > disadvantages of combining such a capsule with the Falcon V upper stage?
> > Assuming the upper stage is to be reusable anyway.
> >
> > Pete.
> >
> >
> >
>
> I don't think the upper stage is going to be re-usable on the Falcon 5 (or
> on the Falcon 1 for that matter). This is the stage that is basically in
> orbit, it would have to go through de-orbit maneuvers to be re-used....not
> really worth it.
> Tom

Relevant Pages