Dragon in space

[Kraken]

It's a small milestone, but worthy of mention: The first-ever private payload is currently en route to the International Space Station. Others are soon to follow.

To the extent that this frees NASA from the trucking business (even though much of the development funding came from NASA), it's a positive development. To the extent that it foreshadows a larger private space industry, it's even more positive.

The big question is whether these private companies can create enough of a market to survive without billion-dollar government contracts.

[Enough]

Maybe I'm just a Disney-ist (one step above optimist, heh) but I view this as a pretty huge watershed moment in space flight history. Congrats to SpaceX!

[Kraken]

I hope it will turn out to be a milestone and not a footnote. If even one company is to survive long term (let alone half a dozen competitors), they're going to need a reliable market after the ISS is decommissioned in 2020, and that means creating an orbital destination to service (probably private space stations/hotels). The commercial satellite launch business isn't big enough by itself.

It will be all kinds of awesome if these companies can build a big enough new industry to keep them in business.

[GreenGoo]

The big question is whether these private companies can create enough of a market to survive without billion-dollar government contracts.

Fucking socialists.

[Odin]

I'm missing the dragon reference, but I also think this is terrific news. Major, earth-shattering projects are often government-funded, going back to the pyramids of Egypt and pretty much all of the initial exploration of the Americas. But the government's never going to take it to even a fraction of its full potential. Capitalism does that. Private enterprise does that.

[GreenGoo]

I'm missing the dragon reference, but I also think this is terrific news. Major, earth-shattering projects are often government-funded, going back to the pyramids of Egypt and pretty much all of the initial exploration of the Americas. But the government's never going to take it to even a fraction of its full potential. Capitalism does that. Private enterprise does that.

It's been over 40 years since the moon landing. You guys have been in space since before that.

Capitalism, we're waiting. Let's go already. Tick tock.

[Isgrimnur]

Personally, I'm surprised that Earthlink is still a thing.

[Kraken]

I'm missing the dragon reference,

"The capsule called Dragon was due to arrive near the space station for tests early Thursday and dock on Friday with its load of supplies. "

[Odin]

I'm missing the dragon reference,

"The capsule called Dragon was due to arrive near the space station for tests early Thursday and dock on Friday with its load of supplies. "

Ah, thanks! I hadn't caught the name.

[msduncan]

I'm missing the dragon reference, but I also think this is terrific news. Major, earth-shattering projects are often government-funded, going back to the pyramids of Egypt and pretty much all of the initial exploration of the Americas. But the government's never going to take it to even a fraction of its full potential. Capitalism does that. Private enterprise does that.

It's been over 40 years since the moon landing. You guys have been in space since before that.

Capitalism, we're waiting. Let's go already. Tick tock.

Capitalism wasn't allowed in space by our government prior to now. This is new territory. Feel free to have your socialist government put a man in space.

[Odin]

Here's some video of the first private spacecraft (Dragon - thanks, Kraken) to fly a rendezvous orbit with the ISS.

http://bcove.me/rkgw5ogu" target="_blank

[Holman]

Capitalism wasn't allowed in space by our government prior to now. This is new territory. Feel free to have your socialist government put a man in space.

(I agree with you in a certain spirit, msd, but this had to be done.)

[Stefan Stirzaker]

Dont forget live streaming of the docking (hopefully) of dragon with ISS at 6am UTC . http://www.spacex.com" target="_blank or nasa tv I believe.

[Kraken]

Capitalism wasn't allowed in space by our government prior to now. This is new territory. Feel free to have your socialist government put a man in space.

Yes, well, I don't think capitalism was exactly clamoring for admittance. Capitalism requires profit. With generous government development subsidies and fat service contracts, the economics can work. But what happens when ISS is decommissioned eight years from now?

The success of SpaceX and the others will depend on creating new markets. Don't get me wrong -- I'm rooting for them. Maybe they can bootstrap a whole new orbital economy. But I don't see where the money comes from after the ISS is gone.

[Stefan Stirzaker]

Well lets look at what may be in the pipeline for the future.

We've got a partnership of private companies to try and mine asteroids etc, at least one going to the moon to prospect for minerals etc, Space X who has spent 600 million on developing a good CHEAP launch system (it costs $200,000 to fuel the Falcon 9, same as a 747!) with (if I remember rightly) contracts pre signed for 1.5billion dollars from satellite companies and others (admittedly including NASA) (sorry double checked $3 billion in revenue).

These guys are in it for a profit, they've slashed development costs and seem to have a financial future planned out for at least the next 10 years. Tourist rides etc will be a part of that I'm sure, but, the big earners will be if/when mining of moon, asteroids etc happen, then you get a large increase in launches of supplies etc.

If these start ups are successful, you could see Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton etc buying these companies out in the future to do their mining operations.

Pie in the sky maybe? Could be but they are taking good long looks at profitability here, so while yes at the moment a big chunk comes from NASA, I think you'll find more possible sources of revenue coming in over the next 10 years.

[Kraken]

Ten years is about how long they have to pull it off. Presumably the capitalists have done their homework and have a plan. I hope it doesn't involve turning NASA into their piggy bank.

[AWS260]

View of the ISS from Dragon:



Some other good pictures and graphics here.

[Odin]

Boy, Dragon got screwed on his corporate cell phone. The picture quality is lousy.

[Stefan Stirzaker]

Iss has caught a dragon by the tail! Successful capture. Now to dock

[raydude]

Best Geek Pride Day Ever!

[Kraken]

Couple of factinos I picked up from the SpaceX website:

The crewed version will be able to carry up to seven passengers; and

The capsules are reusable.

Dragon is bigger and more sophisticated than it looks.

[PLW]

Looks like the Dragon is on it's way home. I actually think this is just as important the ascent, since most capsules are not reusable in this way, and we'll probably want one that comes home intact for manned spaceflight.

[$iljanus]

Welcome home, Dragon!

[Kraken]

Yay success. So much for being reusable, though: NASA's contract specifies a new vehicle for each launch...and SpaceX doesn't have any other clients. (Personally, I'd have more confidence in reusing mission-tested capsules than fresh-off-the-line ones).

The first capsule will end up on display somewhere, but I don't know what they'll do with subsequent ones. Cannibalize parts?

[PLW]

Use for other missions? Or are they only good for the ISS?

[Kraken]

ISS is the only customer that needs shuttle service for the foreseeable future. That's what I meant about trying to bootstrap a private orbital industry...a lot of very expensive pioneering ventures need to come together at more or less the same time if there is going to be profit potential for anybody.

[Isgrimnur]

Achievement unlocked: First commercially contracted re-supply mission to the ISS

The robotic Dragon ship took off on 7 October, with 400kg of food, clothing, experiments and spares for the orbiting platform's six astronauts, and docked three days later.

On its return, the capsule carried broken machinery and medical samples gathered by the astronauts aboard the ISS over the course of the past year.
...
Nasa's aim is eventually to put astronaut transport in the hands of the private sector too.

SpaceX says it is just a few years away from being able to provide an astronaut "taxi" service.

Nasa's policy of outsourcing its cargo and crew transport needs is intended to find savings that can be ploughed back into building a rocket and capsule system capable of taking humans to more challenging destinations.

[Stefan Stirzaker]

Second mission to ISS successful https://spacex.com/updates.php. Seems strange that they took 2,300 pounds up but are bringing 3000 pounds down. Less packaging needed for return trips??

Well done spacex.

[Kraken]

Second mission to ISS successful https://spacex.com/updates.php. Seems strange that they took 2,300 pounds up but are bringing 3000 pounds down. Less packaging needed for return trips??

Well done spacex.

No fuel needed to boost it. Going downhill is easier.

[Stefan Stirzaker]

Duh *slaps head* Stupid brain.

[Kraken]

Cargo Dragon has flown for the last time.

Beginning in 2012, SpaceX flew its first cargo mission to the station. On Tuesday, Cargo Dragon completed its 20th and final flight to the station, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. (For future supply missions, SpaceX will use a modified version of Crew Dragon, which has 20 percent greater volume and twice as much powered locker capacity).

Over the last eight years, various Dragon spacecraft have spent a total of 547 days attached to the space station, flown more than 450,000kg of cargo to the space station, and returned more than 35,000kg of science experiments and other cargo back to Earth.

Reading my old comments in this thread...I guess they showed me! I wasn't entirely wrong; SpaceX couldn't have come this far if the world had really retired the ISS in 2020. If they follow through with that in 2028, the private launch industry will have matured enough to survive without it.