BBC interview with Elon Musk

On 11/21/2012 5:21 PM, bob haller wrote:
most boosters had their beginnings as ICBMs, where cost really didnt
matter, it was all about fast launch to beat the USSR.

There was no doubt money saved in the early days of spaceflight by using
these prior-art ICBM launchers. However the Moon Program had enough
unique requirements to justify its own booster, the Saturn series,
specifically the Saturn V.

the high ICBM cost are imbeded in the atlas and delta programs, hey
lets use our existing whatever its expensive but why worry its being
paid for by government, and already has a track record.


Well to be fair, back in the 50's and 60's this was definitely new tech.
There weren't a lot of options to choose from. The cost/performance
trade-offs back then evolved over time as other tech became available.

Today we have far more options to choose from than we did back when the
"Space Age" began. Also different design goals. We know now that it can
be done for example. So we focus more on the cost than the performance.

Curious to know the linage of Delta as an ICBM since AFAIK the evolution
of our ICBM fleet went (from Atlas) to Titan to Minuteman II/III (which
are solids).

Can anyone supply further details on the history of the development of
the Delta? (Links or other ref. works always appreciated).

Dave

David Spain speculated:
On 11/21/2012 5:21 PM, bob haller wrote:
most boosters had their beginnings as ICBMs, where cost really didnt
matter, it was all about fast launch to beat the USSR.

There was no doubt money saved in the early days of spaceflight by using
these prior-art ICBM launchers. However the Moon Program had enough unique
requirements to justify its own booster, the Saturn series, specifically the
Saturn V.

the high ICBM cost are imbeded in the atlas and delta programs, hey
lets use our existing whatever its expensive but why worry its being
paid for by government, and already has a track record.


Well to be fair, back in the 50's and 60's this was definitely new tech.
There weren't a lot of options to choose from. The cost/performance
trade-offs back then evolved over time as other tech became available.

Today we have far more options to choose from than we did back when the
"Space Age" began. Also different design goals. We know now that it can be
done for example. So we focus more on the cost than the performance.

Curious to know the linage of Delta as an ICBM since AFAIK the evolution of
our ICBM fleet went (from Atlas) to Titan to Minuteman II/III (which are
solids).

Can anyone supply further details on the history of the development of the
Delta? (Links or other ref. works always appreciated).

Wasn't Delta based on Thor?

You can start with the Encyclopedia Astronautica article.

There were also some posts by Henry Spencer and Nick Watkins (who
references _The Rocket_ by David Baker, Crown (US publisher), 1979 +/-

Look for these in sci.space archives. DejaGoogle sasys they were
posted Nov 15 and 16, 1989.

/dps

--
Who, me? And what lacuna?

Snidely wrote on 1/2/2013 :
David Spain speculated:
On 11/21/2012 5:21 PM, bob haller wrote:
most boosters had their beginnings as ICBMs, where cost really didnt
matter, it was all about fast launch to beat the USSR.

There was no doubt money saved in the early days of spaceflight by using
these prior-art ICBM launchers. However the Moon Program had enough unique
requirements to justify its own booster, the Saturn series, specifically
the Saturn V.

the high ICBM cost are imbeded in the atlas and delta programs, hey
lets use our existing whatever its expensive but why worry its being
paid for by government, and already has a track record.


Well to be fair, back in the 50's and 60's this was definitely new tech.
There weren't a lot of options to choose from. The cost/performance
trade-offs back then evolved over time as other tech became available.

Today we have far more options to choose from than we did back when the
"Space Age" began. Also different design goals. We know now that it can be
done for example. So we focus more on the cost than the performance.

Curious to know the linage of Delta as an ICBM since AFAIK the evolution of
our ICBM fleet went (from Atlas) to Titan to Minuteman II/III (which are
solids).

Can anyone supply further details on the history of the development of the
Delta? (Links or other ref. works always appreciated).

Wasn't Delta based on Thor?

You can start with the Encyclopedia Astronautica article.

Over-zealous "send" button ...
http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/thor.htm


There were also some posts by Henry Spencer and Nick Watkins (who references
_The Rocket_ by David Baker, Crown (US publisher), 1979 +/-

Look for these in sci.space archives. DejaGoogle sasys they were posted Nov
15 and 16, 1989.


/dps

--
Who, me? And what lacuna?

Was not the original Delta the one that they tried to use to launch the
first us sat and it blew up on the pad in a very spectacular way?

Brian

--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email:
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________


"David Spain" wrote in message
...
On 11/21/2012 5:21 PM, bob haller wrote:
most boosters had their beginnings as ICBMs, where cost really didnt
matter, it was all about fast launch to beat the USSR.

There was no doubt money saved in the early days of spaceflight by using
these prior-art ICBM launchers. However the Moon Program had enough unique
requirements to justify its own booster, the Saturn series, specifically
the Saturn V.

the high ICBM cost are imbeded in the atlas and delta programs, hey
lets use our existing whatever its expensive but why worry its being
paid for by government, and already has a track record.


Well to be fair, back in the 50's and 60's this was definitely new tech.
There weren't a lot of options to choose from. The cost/performance
trade-offs back then evolved over time as other tech became available.

Today we have far more options to choose from than we did back when the
"Space Age" began. Also different design goals. We know now that it can be
done for example. So we focus more on the cost than the performance.

Curious to know the linage of Delta as an ICBM since AFAIK the evolution
of our ICBM fleet went (from Atlas) to Titan to Minuteman II/III (which
are solids).

Can anyone supply further details on the history of the development of the
Delta? (Links or other ref. works always appreciated).

Dave