Re: Falcon9/Dragon launch purchases

On 25 Nov, 17:28, simberg.interglo...@xxxxxxxxx (Rand Simberg) wrote:
On Sun, 25 Nov 2007 09:18:27 -0800 (PST), in a place far, far away,
behlin...@xxxxxxxxx made the phosphor on my monitor glow in such a way
as to indicate that:

SpaceX got a contract last year to demonstrate cargo supply and return
to ISS with Falcon 9. The contract is for 3 cargo flights in 2009,
with an option to extend the contract to crew replacement.

No, Spacex receive no "contract" for ISS logistics

No one said they did.

They have a Space
Act agreement with NASA to demonstrate the ability to deliver cargo to
the ISS.

That was the claim. What are you arguing about?

The first two flights don't even go to the ISS. Spacex is
paid incrementally for each milestone it achieves. As for the crew
replacement, again, it is only for demonstrations and it is highly
unlikely the option will be exercised

Based on what? I'd say that, given the technical, schedule and
budgetary issues with Ares 1/Orion, that it's highly unlikely that it
won't.

In other words, NASA will have no choice other than to go with Dragon
(or the other COTS supplier?), if Dragon can deliver? If neither
works, then NASA is reduced to begging for rides on Soyuz?

.

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