Payloads and customers for Falcon Heavy?

I'm wondering who will be the customers and target audience for Falcon
Heavy. I can't imagine NRO launching a 53 metric ton (!) spy satellite
into orbit (although you never know with these guys). And I don't see
NASA being a big customer either. Falcon Heavy is too small for manned
Noon or Mars missions, yet too big for most of their scientific
payloads.

Any ideas?

On 8/4/2011 6:56 AM, Kulin Remailer wrote:
I'm wondering who will be the customers and target audience for Falcon
Heavy. I can't imagine NRO launching a 53 metric ton (!) spy satellite
into orbit (although you never know with these guys). And I don't see
NASA being a big customer either. Falcon Heavy is too small for manned
Noon or Mars missions, yet too big for most of their scientific

According to scuttlebutt it is the military who's interested in it and
gave SpaceX the impetus for its development.
It has a lot higher payload capability than Delta IV Heavy or Atlas V
(Atlas V Heavy could probably beat it if it were developed) but Musk is
promising a lower per-vehicle price than either of those rockets; so if
the military can get a cheaper rocket that can carry more payload if
desired, why not go for it, as you now have room for future payload
expansion if you come up with new uses for it.
A giant reconsat able to see both in the optical spectrum and infrared
would be something to see, because then you could do recon work by day
or night.
Also, I don't think the SDI plans are completely dead yet in the
military's mind.

Pat

On 4 Aug 2011 14:56:55 -0000, Kulin Remailer wrote:

I'm wondering who will be the customers and target audience for Falcon
Heavy. I can't imagine NRO launching a 53 metric ton (!) spy satellite
into orbit (although you never know with these guys). And I don't see
NASA being a big customer either. Falcon Heavy is too small for manned
Noon or Mars missions, yet too big for most of their scientific
payloads.

Any ideas?


Bigelow.

Keith

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Keith Soltys -- -- http://www.soltys.ca/
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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest
of places if you look at it right - Grateful Dead/Scarlet Begonias