DocM Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Boeing's CST-100 is getting to real-world tests so it's time for its own thread. Boeing overview....(PDF) CST-100 is a 7 passenger capsule with a small service module/launch abort sysyem in competition for an ISS crew contract with SpaceX's Dragon, SNC's Dream Chaser, and Blue Origin's SV. Developed only as a space taxi it has a much shorter on-orbit duration than Dragon because of no solar arrays and less fuel. It also doesn't have the cross-range (off glide path landing capability) of Dream Chaser. Still, a larger service module could add the fuel & solar arrays and like the other two it touches down on land. CST-100 uses air bags and parachutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axel Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Cosy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollow.Droid Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Being uninformed are there any current spacecraft that don't have eject-able compartments i.e. 100% of what goes up comes down and can be used again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astra.Xtreme Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Being uninformed are there any current spacecraft that don't have eject-able compartments i.e. 100% of what goes up comes down and can be used again? Well usually fuel pods are ejected into the ocean and then recovered for reuse. Hollow.Droid 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted October 31, 2011 Author Share Posted October 31, 2011 Compared to Dragon and Dream Chaser, yes. Its interior volume is limited by the steep angle of its sides - a mold like similar to Apollo and Orion. Dragon's are more vertical and it's higher, allowing for two seating rows. Dream Chaser is a spaceplane with a much more elongated single deck. We don't know much about Blue Origin's SV yet as they aren't sharing much other than exterior CG graphics CST = Crew Transfer Vehicle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted October 31, 2011 Author Share Posted October 31, 2011 Being uninformed are there any current spacecraft that don't have eject-able compartments i.e. 100% of what goes up comes down and can be used again? All are launched on ecpendable boosters (so far - SpaceX is working on re-using them), and all use a disposable adapter between booster and spacecraft. Of all the spacecraft Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser spaceplane is probably the most re-usable, and SpaceX's Dragon next - disposing only its unpressurized cargo "Trunk" with its folding solar arrays. The rest of Dragon is very much reusable, and at this point the only one designed to travel beyond Earth orbit. I would refer you to both the SpaceX and Dream Chaser threads for much more detail and imagery. Hollow.Droid 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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