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Dragon to cost about $140 million per launch



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 24th 11, 12:49 PM posted to sci.space.shuttle
Alan Erskine[_3_]
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Posts: 1,026
Default Dragon to cost about $140 million per launch

http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20111020

"Now that the Space Shuttle program has ended, the United States relies
on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft for astronaut transport, costing
American taxpayers as much as $62 million a seat. By comparison, Dragon
is designed to carry seven astronauts at a time for an unparalleled $20
million per seat."

Roughly one-tenth the cost of STS.
  #2  
Old October 24th 11, 01:49 PM posted to sci.space.shuttle
Jeff Findley[_2_]
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Posts: 1,388
Default Dragon to cost about $140 million per launch

In article . com,
says...

http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20111020

"Now that the Space Shuttle program has ended, the United States relies
on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft for astronaut transport, costing
American taxpayers as much as $62 million a seat. By comparison, Dragon
is designed to carry seven astronauts at a time for an unparalleled $20
million per seat."

Roughly one-tenth the cost of STS.


If SpaceX can achieve this cost, we can finally give both the Russian
Progress (cargo) and Soyuz (crew) each a big, American, single finger
salute. ;-)

Jeff
--
" Ares 1 is a prime example of the fact that NASA just can't get it
up anymore... and when they can, it doesn't stay up long. "
- tinker
  #3  
Old October 25th 11, 12:39 AM posted to sci.space.shuttle
Brian Thorn[_2_]
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Posts: 2,266
Default Dragon to cost about $140 million per launch

On Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:49:16 +1100, Alan Erskine
wrote:

http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20111020

"Now that the Space Shuttle program has ended, the United States relies
on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft for astronaut transport, costing
American taxpayers as much as $62 million a seat. By comparison, Dragon
is designed to carry seven astronauts at a time for an unparalleled $20
million per seat."

Roughly one-tenth the cost of STS.


Of course, Shuttle lugged along 50,000 lbs. of goodies in the payload
bay...

Brian
  #4  
Old October 25th 11, 08:03 AM posted to sci.space.shuttle
Brian Gaff
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Posts: 2,312
Default Dragon to cost about $140 million per launch

I would remind you that its actually only believable when its working
reliably.
There is a history of promises of cheaper flights for human cargo, and yet,
as yet, its not actually made it to the real world.
In the main, the private companies are going to start by doing it cheap and
attempt to corner any market and then rise the cost to cover their loses
once the industry becomes relient on them, in much the same way as private
contractors have in the past, but as sub contractors. All you are doing is
adding another layer of contractor.
In theory, it should be cheaper to do it with the clout of a government
agency, but the real problems have come from the organisation as being the
only game in town, there was never any incentive for the parts to be
competitive. Be interesting to see just how much waste there was. However if
the Shuttle had been private it might never have happened at all.
Brian

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Note:- In order to reduce spam, any email without 'Brian Gaff'
in the display name may be lost.
Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Jeff Findley" wrote in message
...
In article . com,
says...

http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20111020

"Now that the Space Shuttle program has ended, the United States relies
on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft for astronaut transport, costing
American taxpayers as much as $62 million a seat. By comparison, Dragon
is designed to carry seven astronauts at a time for an unparalleled $20
million per seat."

Roughly one-tenth the cost of STS.


If SpaceX can achieve this cost, we can finally give both the Russian
Progress (cargo) and Soyuz (crew) each a big, American, single finger
salute. ;-)

Jeff
--
" Ares 1 is a prime example of the fact that NASA just can't get it
up anymore... and when they can, it doesn't stay up long. "
- tinker



  #5  
Old October 25th 11, 08:33 AM posted to sci.space.shuttle
Alan Erskine[_3_]
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Posts: 1,026
Default Dragon to cost about $140 million per launch

On 25/10/2011 10:39 AM, Brian Thorn wrote:
On Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:49:16 +1100, Alan Erskine
wrote:

http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20111020

"Now that the Space Shuttle program has ended, the United States relies
on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft for astronaut transport, costing
American taxpayers as much as $62 million a seat. By comparison, Dragon
is designed to carry seven astronauts at a time for an unparalleled $20
million per seat."

Roughly one-tenth the cost of STS.


Of course, Shuttle lugged along 50,000 lbs. of goodies in the payload
bay...

Brian


It never (or very rarely) carried that much. What was the heaviest
payload _actually_ carried?


  #6  
Old October 25th 11, 08:34 AM posted to sci.space.shuttle
Alan Erskine[_3_]
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Posts: 1,026
Default Dragon to cost about $140 million per launch

On 25/10/2011 5:10 PM, JF Mezei wrote:
Alan Erskine wrote:

on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft for astronaut transport, costing
American taxpayers as much as $62 million a seat.



But if they travelled as space tourists, it would only cost $20 million :-)

is that $62m/seat figure trustable or just some exageration ?

Does a Soyuz launch really cost $186 million dollars ? (3*62)


Might include specialised training.
  #7  
Old October 25th 11, 09:03 AM posted to sci.space.shuttle
Alan Erskine[_3_]
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Posts: 1,026
Default Dragon to cost about $140 million per launch

On 25/10/2011 10:39 AM, Brian Thorn wrote:
On Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:49:16 +1100, Alan Erskine
wrote:

http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20111020

"Now that the Space Shuttle program has ended, the United States relies
on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft for astronaut transport, costing
American taxpayers as much as $62 million a seat. By comparison, Dragon
is designed to carry seven astronauts at a time for an unparalleled $20
million per seat."

Roughly one-tenth the cost of STS.


Of course, Shuttle lugged along 50,000 lbs. of goodies in the payload
bay...

Brian


Even if it was for cargo and crew, it's still hugely expensive compared
to Falcon 9. Hell, a Falcon Heavy would still only be $742 million per
flight (53 tonnes/10 [rough payload of Falcon 9] x $140) and would be
able to launch the proposed HL42 (bigger brother to the HL20) with
capacity to spare.
  #8  
Old October 25th 11, 12:12 PM posted to sci.space.shuttle
Greg \(Strider\) Moore
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Posts: 790
Default Dragon to cost about $140 million per launch

"JF Mezei" wrote in message
eb.com...

Alan Erskine wrote:

on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft for astronaut transport, costing
American taxpayers as much as $62 million a seat.



But if they travelled as space tourists, it would only cost $20 million :-)


The $20M price was years ago. Reportedly it's higher now, but I've never
seen firm numbers.


is that $62m/seat figure trustable or just some exageration ?

Does a Soyuz launch really cost $186 million dollars ? (3*62)


Cost? Or price. I'm sure it doesn't COST the Russians that much. They're
just good capitalists who currently have a monopoly on the market.





--
Greg D. Moore President Green Mountain Software
http://www.greenms.com
Help honor our WWII Veterans: http://www.honorflight.org/
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur.

  #9  
Old October 25th 11, 03:15 PM posted to sci.space.shuttle
Jeff Findley[_2_]
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Posts: 1,388
Default Dragon to cost about $140 million per launch

In article , bthorn64
@suddenlink.net says...

On Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:49:16 +1100, Alan Erskine
wrote:

http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20111020

"Now that the Space Shuttle program has ended, the United States relies
on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft for astronaut transport, costing
American taxpayers as much as $62 million a seat. By comparison, Dragon
is designed to carry seven astronauts at a time for an unparalleled $20
million per seat."

Roughly one-tenth the cost of STS.


Of course, Shuttle lugged along 50,000 lbs. of goodies in the payload
bay...


So you launch cargo on a Dragon cargo flight.

But comparing apples to apples, you'd need to compare the *contents* of
an MPLM to the contents of a Dragon cargo mission. The only time the
MPLM was a useful payload, in and of itself, was when it became a
*Permanent* Logistics Module. That happened just *one* time in all of
the flights of MPLM's to ISS.

So a shuttle mission could be compared to multiple Dragon cargo and taxi
flights. The math is a bit more complex, but I'm pretty sure that in
the end, Falcon and Dragon flights still beat a shuttle flight with an
MPLM on cost.

Jeff
--
" Ares 1 is a prime example of the fact that NASA just can't get it
up anymore... and when they can, it doesn't stay up long. "
- tinker
 




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