…have been updated. Many have commented on the fact that they now have Mars in the catalog.
11 thoughts on “SpaceX Prices”
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…have been updated. Many have commented on the fact that they now have Mars in the catalog.
Comments are closed.
The F9 payload to LEO is now just slightly less than the max payload of the Shuttle, and twice the launch mass of the Hubble Space Telescope.
Ironically, HST with in-orbit servicing, would have made a lot more sense had F9 been available then, with crewed Dragon used for servicing. As launch costs go down it makes sense to service rather than replace.
Has anyone put together a sketch of a plan for how the ISS could have been assembled with the F9 as a launcher?
I suspect that Dragonlab would have been the initial basis for it, instead of Zarya.
That would actually be a useful exercise to demonstrate a) the flexibility of modern launchers and b) the lack of need for an SLS.
The Russians built their Salyut and Mir stations without a Shuttle. Instead, they used their Proton booster. They also launched a few modules to the ISS using the Proton. The only problem with their approach is that each module had to have all of the systems necessary to fly to and rendezvous with the target station. This makes the modules more complicated and expensive than those that were simply delivered to the ISS by the Shuttle. A space tug would’ve overcome that problem but to date no one has developed one.
Close though.
Did you see the new pricing on the Delta IV Heavy after the Medium is retired?
Cue Dr. Evil-One Billion Dollars!
That makes your flight rate argument quite nicely Rand.
The Falcon 9 Full Thrust payload exceeds that of the venerable Saturn IB by a little over two tons. What’s really remarkable is the cost per pound, however: $1,233 per pound into LEO, $3,388 per pound to GTO. Compare that to the previous cost champ, the wonderful Delta II. In 1987, it could do LEO for $3,800 per pound, and GTO for $11,000 per pound (1987 dollars).
From the early 1980s through 2000, the mantra of the entrepreneurial space launch companies was “We’ll get to orbit for HALF the price!” Well, SpaceX has blasted through that barrier. What was supposed to happen next was: 100% market capture by the company that did it, followed by a proliferation of new space projects spurred by the newly cheap access to space.
Let’s see what happens.
The inflation calculator says that $3,800 in 1987 dollars is close to $8,000 in 2016 dollars.
A Delta IV Heavy at $1 billion would be over $15,000 a pound. I’d hate to work for their sales department.
Dragon 2 is about what? $60m. So add a $90m FH and you have $150m (includes going to mars or other places.)
So $300m is a good deal for SpaceX and a really good deal for NASA. This would move things forward faster and give taxpayers a break. The so called win-win.
SpaceX can handle the schedule. Can NASA? (Keep in mind Zubrin and other non specialists built a sabatier reactor for $20k.)
I also note the uprated F9 can loft a BA330 where before a FH was required (assuming a proper fairing?)
It should be interesting once they add the new hatch and they inflate the BEAM module. Then they will have tested two critical components for making an all private space station. Add to that a Dragon launch with crew and perhaps we can (finally) start the next chapter in manned space.
The Falcon 9 Full Thrust seems like a wonderful way to kill Arianespace. More payload than the heaviest launcher they have for a fraction of the price and complexity. Once SpaceX gets more flight rate and provides a solution that does multiple-launches in one flight like Arianespace and if they continue being reliable. Then its the end of Arianespace.