Proton Only $48.7 Million

On 6 Sep 2003 16:39:44 -0700, (Ian Woollard)
wrote:

Hell will freeze over before the Pentagon launches spy satellites on
Proton.

I wouldn't like to bet either way.

I would. It will never happen. Take that to the bank.

Brian

(Explorer8939) wrote in message . com...
(ed kyle) wrote in message . com...
(ed kyle) wrote in message . com...

Some comparisons. The next Delta II launch (a vehicle
only capable of boosting 1.9 tons to GTO), is costing
the Pentagon $56.7 million.

That's not an entirely accurate report. The USAF extended Boeing's
Delta II Navstar contract for another 12 months, for $56.7 million. It
happens that a DII previously paid for under the Navstar contract is
being launched in the next 12 months, too, but presumably only a small
part of the 12 month extension dollars go to the launch, the rest goes
to maintainence and paperwork.

Officially, no one is saying what the money is specifically for.
However, delays had slipped the next GPS Delta launch into the
next fiscal year (adding a second planned GPS launch to FY2004).
The number is suspiciously close to previously estimated Delta II
launch costs.

See: "http://www.defenselink.mil/contracts/2003/ct20030829.html"

According to: "http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/bu2/ELV_US.html",
a Delta 7925 costs $55-60 million.

"http://ngst.gsfc.nasa.gov/project/launchers/delta2/delta2.html"
pegs it at $45-50 million.

"http://www.spaceandtech.com/spacedata/elvs/delta2_specs.shtml"
estimates the cost to be $52 million.

"http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d285/" listed the cost of a
2001 Delta II launch at $50-60 million.

and this interesting document
"http://explorer.larc.nasa.gov/explorer/MIDEX_5_6_AO_ELV_Input_010515.pdf"
lists the cost at $76 million, including additional costs such
as "telemetry support".

- Ed Kyle

Brian Thorn wrote in message . ..
On 6 Sep 2003 16:39:44 -0700, (Ian Woollard)
wrote:

Hell will freeze over before the Pentagon launches spy satellites on
Proton.

I wouldn't like to bet either way.

I would. It will never happen. Take that to the bank.

You have to say "trust me" to finish that statement off correctly.

Brian

"Ultimate Buu" wrote:
"Brian Thorn" wrote in message
...
Hell will freeze over before the Pentagon launches spy satellites on
Proton.


The Germans are launching their spy satellites on Russian rockets.

And that makes it smart because ... ?

"Christopher M. Jones" wrote in message ...
"Ultimate Buu" wrote:
"Brian Thorn" wrote in message
...
Hell will freeze over before the Pentagon launches spy satellites on
Proton.


The Germans are launching their spy satellites on Russian rockets.

And that makes it smart because ... ?

A - Germany has no national launcher of its own.
B - Germany has to trust a foreign launch provider.
C - ESA's Vega will not be ready in time.
D - the russian launchers are cheap.
E - the russian launchers are reliable.

Gunter Krebs
www.skyrocket.de/space

Brian Thorn wrote in message . ..

On a side note, AvWeek reports last week's Delta IV launch cost $75
million (9/1/03, p.18)


That is based on the value of the initial EELV contract award.
This turned out to be an underbid, however, due to the failure
of Delta IV to compete in the commercial market. Boeing
recently revealed that it is losing millions, maybe even tens
of millions, on each Delta IV launch.

- Ed Kyle

Gunter Krebs a écrit dans le message :
...
"Christopher M. Jones" wrote in message
...
"Ultimate Buu" wrote:
"Brian Thorn" wrote in message
...
Hell will freeze over before the Pentagon launches spy satellites on
Proton.


The Germans are launching their spy satellites on Russian rockets.

And that makes it smart because ... ?

A - Germany has no national launcher of its own.
B - Germany has to trust a foreign launch provider.

I would disagree on these two. Ariane V is there. It's, however, a bit of an
overkill for SAR-Lupe.

C - ESA's Vega will not be ready in time.
D - the russian launchers are cheap.
E - the russian launchers are reliable.

Very true.


Gunter Krebs
www.skyrocket.de/space

ed kyle a écrit dans le message :
...
Brian Thorn wrote in message
. ..
On 6 Sep 2003 06:53:41 -0700, (ed kyle) wrote:

It is a lucrative gig for these companies,
but I'm starting to get ticked off about it as a taxpayer.
I wonder what Krunichev whould charge the Pentagon for a
Proton launch?

Hell will freeze over before the Pentagon launches spy satellites on
Proton.


Certainly not a spysat, but why not one of the Pentagon-
funded experimental or research satellites on an ILS
Proton? NASA has already used Proton.


Used it, but not paid for it, AFAIK. It was always part of a reciprocital
agreement, I think.

On 8 Sep 2003 06:11:08 -0700, (ed kyle) wrote:


Hell will freeze over before the Pentagon launches spy satellites on
Proton.


Certainly not a spysat, but why not one of the Pentagon-
funded experimental or research satellites on an ILS
Proton? NASA has already used Proton.

The Zarya launch was a one-shot (no pun intended) deal that will very
likely never happen again. And the Russians launching a spacecraft
they built for Boeing/NASA is a far cry from them launching a Pentagon
experimental satellite.

I say again, Hell will freeze over first.

Brian

On 8 Sep 2003 05:22:44 -0700, (Gunter Krebs)
wrote:

E - the russian launchers are reliable.

Tell that to Express A1, Astra 1K, or Mars '96 people.

Brian