[extropy-chat] SpaceX announces Falcon 9, private EELV-class rocket

[Mike Lorrey]

I've been watching it. I'm finding the NASA funds for the CEV
interesting. Billions to develop a Apollo-class capsule technology they
already had 30 years ago and tried to burn the blueprints for when the
shuttle came along. What are the funds really being blown on?

Did you know that the Apollo command and service modules had the
greatest altitude and cross-range capabilities (even without an S-IVb)
of any spacecraft in history? Meanwhile the US drove Andrew Beal's
venture under after he'd spent 200 million, Lockheed lied to NASA in
order to get the Venturestar funds and blew it all just to keep the
money away from Boeing. Boeing has been sitting on annular aerospike
technology since the 60's capable of 350,000 lb thrust fully capable of
launching a S-IVb/Phoenix class SSTO into orbit with 10,000 lb cargo,
NASA threw away billions more on various lifting body and mini-shuttle
contracts they then cancelled.

I am very hopeful for SpaceX, but it appears that Lockheed is trying to
strongarm them as well, bullshitting their way into kicking SpaceX out
of Vandenberg after making a major investment, which is why SpaceX has
been delayed for the last year. I'm waiting for the other shoe to fall.

The business of NASA is wasting money, and the business of Lockheed and
Boeing is doing it effectively.

--- "Neil H." <neuronexmachina at gmail.com> wrote:

> (I've recently returned to the internet after disappearing for a
> while due 
> to grad qualifying exams (which I passed!), and realized that nobody
> had 
> posted about the following here yet)
> 
>
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2005/09/spacex-launches-falcon-9-with-a-customer/index.php
> http://www.spacex.com/falcon_9.php
> http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=17763
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_9
> 
> "*SpaceX initially intended to follow its first vehicle development,
> Falcon 
> 1, with the intermediate class Falcon 5 launch vehicle. However, in
> response 
> to customer requirements for low cost enhanced launch capability,
> SpaceX 
> accelerated development of an EELV-class vehicle, upgrading Falcon 5
> to 
> Falcon 9. SpaceX has sold a Falcon 9 launch to a US government
> customer, and 
> still plans to make Falcon 5 available in late 2007. Their efforts
> are worth 
> watching, and could affect the military satellite launch market."
> 
> "**With up to a 17 ft (5.2 m) diameter fairing, Falcon 9 is capable
> of 
> launching approximately 21,000 lbs (9,500 kg) to Low Earth Orbit
> (LEO) in 
> its medium configuration and 55,000 lbs (25,000 kg) to LEO in its
> heavy 
> configuration, a lift capacity greater than any other launch vehicle.
> In the 
> medium configuration, Falcon 9 is priced at $27 million per flight
> with a 12 
> ft (3.6 m) fairing and $35 million with a 17 ft fairing. Prices
> include all 
> launch range and third party insurance costs, and SpaceX claims that
> this 
> makes Falcon 9 the most cost efficient vehicle in its class
> worldwide."
> 
> *So, Boeing's Delta IV Heavy lifts 25,000 kg for $254 million. The
> SpaceX 
> Falcon 9 S9 will be able to lift the same amount for a starting price
> of $78 
> million. Wow.
> 
> Since it's based on the Falcon 5, the Falcon 9 will probably also be 
> man-rated.
> 
> >From the press release:
> 
> *A recent study performed by the Futron Corporation, concluded that
> Falcon 5 
> was superior in design reliability to other vehicles in its class,
> due to 
> engine redundancy. Falcon 9, by extension, has even higher
> reliability with 
> increased propulsion redundancy.
> 
> Falcon 5 and Falcon 9 will be the world's first launch vehicles where
> all 
> stages are designed for reuse. The Falcon 1 has a reusable first
> stage, but 
> an expendable upper stage. Reuse is not factored into launch prices.
> When 
> the economics of stage recovery and checkout are fully understood,
> SpaceX 
> will make further reductions in launch prices. *
> 
> Meanwhile, NASA has recently
> announced<http://space.com/news/050914_nasa_cev_update.html>that it
> will be spending $5.5 billion on developing the Crew Exploration
> Vehicle, $4.5 billion on the Crew Launch Vehicle, and between $5 and
> $10 
> billion on a new heavy-lift vehicle. Who wants to bet that by the
> time 
> NASA's new rockets are ready, SpaceX will already have a similar
> rocket 
> available at a tiny fraction of the price?
> 
> Granted, SpaceX still needs to pull off a successful launch of the
> Falcon I, 
> scheduled for later this year. I wish them the best of luck.
> > _______________________________________________
> extropy-chat mailing list
> extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
> http://lists.extropy.org/mailman/listinfo/extropy-chat
> 


Mike Lorrey
Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
Founder, Constitution Park Foundation:
http://constitutionpark.blogspot.com
Personal/political blog: http://intlib.blogspot.com


		
__________________________________ 
Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 
http://mail.yahoo.com