NASA has been looking at what to do with the ISS for awhile. The first parts went into orbit in 1998. It also consumes most of NASAs manned spaceflight budget. So to free up that budget for exploration work they’ve been looking to see if handing over operations to private enterprise might be possible.
So while the current administration is pursuing handing over operations sometime in the mid 2020’s, figuring out what to do with the ISS has been going on for several years.
The only other option would be to increase NASAs budget to let it do both the ISS and Exploration.
Increase budget of course. As I understand it, some intermediate stage is going to be needed in faring between the surface and further out in the solar system, a place to taxi to and to refuel. Why not start with the ISS.. or maybe the ISS needs to retire to make room for something new/better?
You involved with SpaceX?Have not seen traffic like that since the orbiter/space shuttle was a big deal. The shock waves were impressive too. Good stuff! The SpaceX employees here bust their asses, and missions like this are what keep them going. The ones I know are proud of what they do, and rightly so.
Quoted For Truth.Gonna be honest, what Elon Musk is doing with SpaceX is truly astonishing. I was so amazed watching the video, and the landings of the rockets was superb to watch.
Such a wonderful break from hearing about the Kardashians, the Trumps, the Kim Jon Ungs, and the Putin's. Musk is actually contributing to society.
No, just acquaintances with a few employees. Fun fact: some of the people I know that are with other contractors at KSC trash talk SpaceX, and say how overworked and miserable the employees they talk to are. Have heard them say they work long, hard, hours, but never once had one tell me they are miserable, or don't like working for the company. Having worked on property at one point, and having number of friends and family work for Boeing, United Space Alliance, NASA, and a few of the smaller contractors, there is a lazy culture there. And I personally thinks it is great that a company like SpaceX is there now. One that has rolled up its sleeves and gotten back to the incredibly difficult tasks of moving forward with space exploration and transportation.You involved with SpaceX?
Nice movie reference. Heavy Metal. It sucked after the movie came out, there was some weird legal battle that kept it from being released in video tape/CD for quite awhile.Anyone mention this yet?
Sadly, the ISS is a huge money pit. Would like to know if there has really been a decent technology RTOI from that project.Increase budget of course. As I understand it, some intermediate stage is going to be needed in faring between the surface and further out in the solar system, a place to taxi to and to refuel. Why not start with the ISS.. or maybe the ISS needs to retire to make room for something new/better?
Sadly, the ISS is a huge money pit. Would like to know if there has really been a decent technology RTOI from that project.
Sadly, the ISS is a huge money pit. Would like to know if there has really been a decent technology RTOI from that project.
I wonder at what point foreign entities begin to perceive spacex as a threat. Musk is kicking off a space race some will argue it is motivated by his irrational fixation on Mars, this fixation means he is an unlikely candidate for bribery and the company is not listed, there is a limited amount of ways to influence the direction of the company and right now SpaceX, an US company, is leading this new space race by a HUGE margin.
First country with a functional base on the moon.
First country with a functional presence on mars.
This is the new frontier.
I would not be surprised if foreign entities are already targeting/infiltrating spacex staff.
/paranoid.
Anyone mention this yet?
I wonder at what point foreign entities begin to perceive spacex as a threat. Musk is kicking off a space race some will argue it is motivated by his irrational fixation on Mars, this fixation means he is an unlikely candidate for bribery and the company is not listed, there is a limited amount of ways to influence the direction of the company and right now SpaceX, an US company, is leading this new space race by a HUGE margin.
First country with a functional base on the moon.
First country with a functional presence on mars.
This is the new frontier.
I would not be surprised if foreign entities are already targeting/infiltrating spacex staff.
/paranoid.
I think SpaceX is leading in rocket tech right now. I don't think they're actually going to land on Mars, not before NASA does. NASA may do so using some SpaceX hardware, but it will be NASA who does it, not SpaceX.
Russia, whose space program goes back to the 1950's has tried to land unmanned craft on Mars 7 times and failed every single time. And what they tried to land is much lighter and easier to land than the gigantic spacecraft that Musk is talking about sending to Mars.
Only NASA has the experience and institutional knowledge to land a manned craft on Mars, at least any time in the foreseeable future.
So far as foreign governments, or rival corporations, trying to steal SpaceX rocket technology, sure that could happen. There are many possible motives for such behavior.
Russia makes quite a bit of money from the sale of not only rocket engines, but also rides up to the ISS for crewmembers. With SpaceX getting their Dragon spacecraft ready, they will be able to do that instead of Russia, and for much cheaper. So yeah, I imagine Russia will not be happy with SpaceX because they are pulling the bottom out from under the market.
Depends on if NASA changes their current goals. Right now, as far as I know, NASA is still fixated upon using the Senate Launch System to get to Mars. If they do that, and if SpaceX wants to go to Mars (and I think they do), then SpaceX will beat them to it.
It is a simple matter of an old, slow, expensive bureaucracy vs a fast, nimble company. The only way that NASA can get to Mars soon is if they partner with SpaceX. SpaceX provides the rocket and the spacecraft, NASA does everything else. If they do it that way, then NASA is good.
NASA's role needs to change in this modern world. They should not be in the business of building rockets at all.
Doh! Spell check fail!Dead hooked?
Doh! Spell check fail!
That was all obviously just a way of disposing of a dead hooker!