DocM Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 This is for their main test site in McGregor Texas. This has to men the crew version of Dragon, the Merlin 2 engine (bigger than Saturn V's F-1), the Raptor hydrogen 2nd stage and Falcon X heavy lift booster are on the short list. Not to mention they're hiring engineers like nobody's business, headhunting at NASA, Lockheed etc etc. A U of M aerospace engineering prof said they got his top 6 students. Seems to be "the place" to be for aerospace engineers. http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20110309 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoadorable Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 wow, that's amazing news for people in engineering and sciences! good one, it's about freakin time humanity rolled its sleeves and got to work again. prices at the pump have me daydreaming about the Venture Star from Avatar...all that unobtanium... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Growled Member Posted March 11, 2011 Member Share Posted March 11, 2011 SpaceX already has more than $2.5 billion in launch contracts for us to carry out over the next few years -- McGregor is going to be a very busy place.? That's a lot of money involved. I think they are going to be a very busy place for quite some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 12, 2011 Author Share Posted March 12, 2011 That doesn't even count Crew Dragon flights. Figure up to 7 passengers per flight at ~$30 million a seat. That's $210 million a flight. The SpaceX cost of a Falcon 9 is about $30 - $40 million, plus a few mil more for a Dragon (they're re-usable.) Do the math. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherITguy Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 Now if only they extended the international space station to accept guest, heck the host countries could recoup some of the cash, specially now that the USAF is testing the mini shuttle they could resupply the station with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 12, 2011 Author Share Posted March 12, 2011 That's not the role of the US part of ISS - it's being redesignated as a National Laboratory. Russia may allow Space Adventures to fly a few more passengers to their habs, but only on per flight. Bigelow's Space Complex's will be doing the bulk of passenger stays; one BA-330 module can support 6 passengers, equal to the entire ISS crew. Their early Space Comples will be capable of handling 12 to 18 with 3 modules, and far more with more than that. Some of their proposed configurations could support more than 50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherITguy Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 Gosh, i want to go into space one day, even if it is just low orbit, and be able to look down at our planet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoadorable Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 thanks for the additional update Doc, fifty people in orbit at once will be a step in the right direction. The Sprawl here we come! AnotherITguyy - you may well get your chance. within 20 years going up to low orbit will be much more commonplace if things proceed at this rate. it could be a lot sooner even. and yes, i agree with Doc, the ISS makes for lousy accommodations, count me out of that field trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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