SpaceX Successfully Completes NASA Systems Requirements Revi

SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft approaches the International Space Station, where it is grappled by a robotic arm, then attached to the station's docking adapter. Audio: Silent. (Video: SpaceX.com)

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[ti994apc]

@Nowhereman10

Simply not true. Orion does nothing but get carried by AresV out of LEO. Dragons heat sheild works just as well as Orions. Although I think Dragon will end up having more unpressurized volume space (as soon as NASA releases the info) it is really not an issue. Dragon can have 20 service/cargo modules and still be cheaper than a single Ares1 / Orion. The only limitation is how much weight can AresV take out of LEO.

[ti994apc]

@Nowhereman10

I don't know where you are getting your numbers from? NASA will not release the actual unpressurized volume space. What we do know is Dragon is 9.51 ft tall and Orion is 10.10 ft tall. Dragon hold 7 people, Orion downgraded to only 4. Ares 1 cost $1 Billion per launch to lift only 4 people. Falcon 9 cost $45 million to lift 7 people. Dragon carries *** 156 *** people to LEO for the price of only *** 4 *** with Orion.

[Nowhereman10]

@ti994apc

Simply incorrect, and you are confusing the issues. The Dragon is physically much smaller than an Orion capsule (by a factor of 3x). The Dragon is designed solely for use in LEO, while the Orion is bigger because it is intended for BEO class missions (heavier heat shields, better crew facilities, and more supplies, ect), regardless of what capabilities the Falcon 9 and Ares 1 have for lifting payloads into LEO. That's all there is to it.

[ti994apc]

@Nowhereman10 The Dragon "capsule" is bigger than the Orion "capsule." Falcon 9 "rocket" is much smaller than Ares1 "rocket." Most of Ares1 lift capacity is waisted on the elaborate escape system required to pull away from a solid fuel system. Falcon 9 carries "7" people. Ares1 was downgraded to only hold "4" people. Ares 1 cost $1 Billion a launch. Falcon 9 cost $45 million. The question is can Ares1 lift as much as 22 dragon rockets?

[ti994apc]

@Nowhereman10

The 7 person Dragon capsule can be an alternative to the 4 person Orion capsule. Orion rides on the "Ares1" rocket. Ares1 takes 4 people to LEO, ("nothing more", it has no special moon capabilities). Just like the "Falcon9" rocket takes the Dragon capsule to LEO (in a safer way). Don't let NASA / Lockheed fool you. Its the "Ares V" (a totally different rocket) that that takes the capsule out of LEO to the moon or beyond. It could just as well be Dragon as well as Orion.

[Nowhereman10]

@swunt10 Because for the simple reason that it is not designed to do so. It would need to be much bigger, like Orion or Apollo in size (iDragon roughly 3 times smaller) to carry all the supplies and equipment (it will need a much heavier heat shield, for instance) for extended flights beyond low Earth orbit. The regular Falcon 9 would be unable to lift it, and would require the heavy-lift version ( For comparison, the Ares I is a 56k lb to LEO launcher, the Falcon 9 baseline is 23k lbs). .

[Nowhereman10]

@Dms12444 What test rockets are you refering to? The Falcon 1 failed three out of 5 times. The Falcon 9 thankfully was more successful, but only has one mission flown under it's belt. They also have not launched people into orbit yet, and will not do so for at least 3 more years..

[swunt10]

why^^?

[Dms12444]

Yep in 6 years they ad a concept, designed the rockets, built 4 test rockets (all successful), and actually started launching people and satellites into orbit.

And all at less than 1/6th the cost of NASA.

[Nowhereman10]

Dragon is not an alternative to Orion, except for LEO transport of cargo and crew. It cannot replace Orion as a means to return astronauts to the Moon, or anywhere else in the solar system.