I find it intriguing that suddenly people are calling for NASA to just cancel the SLS because spacex can do it instead.
However the spacex module to be sent would weigh approximately 1/3rd of the weight of the payload sent to the moon by the SLS (according to a source I read. validation of that would be nice?) because it doesn't have to land or even achieve orbit. So hopefully people figure that out eventually.
Though it does raise the question. If they (spacex) start doing their mars shuttle thing in the next decade, would they then just use it to ferry back and forth stuff to the moon while they wait for transfer windows? That would surely have the ability to get to and land on the moon, and often.
Moonbase anyone?
The issue is people being short sighted. The SLS launching next year isn't the final planned SLS. Final design SLS will likely put Falcon Heavy to shame in both payload mass AND volume. Falcon heavy, still being based on a falcon core is limited to falcon sized fairings, maybe slightly larger but nothing like what SLS will manage. Damn expensive. But impressive and useful for specific missions. The once around the moon is just the test drive off the lot, 10 minutes, around the block and back. Don't get me wrong. I think losing Ares was a shame, but SLS is still a worthwhile project and given time to grow, it'll be an amazing piece of equipment. It, alongside commercial crew, is almost a ressurection of the apollo applications program. Not quite, but almost.
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Topic: Space Thread (Read 290451 times)