Author Topic: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018  (Read 4274 times)

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Online kevindavis007

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SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« on: February 28, 2017, 02:04:02 am »

SpaceX will fly two private citizens on a trip around the moon in 2018, the company's founder Elon Musk announced Monday (Feb. 27).


The private spaceflight company will use its Falcon Heavy rocket to send the two paying passengers into space aboard one of the company's Dragon spacecraft. The two private citizens, who have not yet been named, approached SpaceX about taking a trip around the moon, and have "already paid a significant deposit" for the cost of the mission, according to a statement from the company. The names of the two individuals will be announced later, pending the result of initial health tests to ensure their fitness for the mission, the statement said.


"Like the Apollo astronauts before them, these individuals will travel into space carrying the hopes and dreams of all humankind, driven by the universal human spirit of exploration," SpaceX representatives said in the statement.


The two passengers will be the only people on board what is expected to be about a weeklong trip around the moon, according to Musk, who spoke with reporters during a phone conference today.


"This would be a long loop around the moon … It would skim the surface of the moon, go quite a bit further out into deep space and then loop back to Earth," Musk said during the teleconference. "So I'm guessing, distance-wise, maybe [300,000] or 400,000 miles [about 500,000 to 650,000 kilometers]."


Read More: http://www.isn-news.net/2017/02/spacex-to-fly-passengers-on-private.html
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Offline Cripplecreek

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2017, 02:12:43 am »
Ambitious start.

Online Ghost Bear

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2017, 02:39:21 am »
I'll believe it when it happens.   10294
Let it burn.

Wingnut

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2017, 02:47:40 am »
I'll believe it when it happens.   10294

When pigs fly and Saint Elon gets more Grant money to line his pockets..

Offline Sanguine

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2017, 02:49:45 am »
I sure would like to go.  Maybe the 10th time or so, not the first trip.

geronl

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2017, 07:18:58 am »
Their first manned trip to ISS is also scheduled for 2018.


Offline Gefn

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2017, 07:53:51 am »
I sure would like to go.  Maybe the 10th time or so, not the first trip.

Me too. I wish I had money for it. I guess I will have to start playing power ball? :)
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Offline DB

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2017, 09:17:57 am »
I sure would like to go.  Maybe the 10th time or so, not the first trip.

Hey, you go on the first trip and your name will live forever in history - no matter what happens...

Offline Sanguine

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2017, 12:41:12 pm »
Hey, you go on the first trip and your name will live forever in history - no matter what happens...

Yeah, I want the experience, not the fame.

Offline Weird Tolkienish Figure

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2017, 01:06:22 pm »
Hey, you go on the first trip and your name will live forever in history - no matter what happens...


I wouldn't go without a suicide pill, lol. Hate to be a debbie downer.

Offline Just_Victor

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2017, 01:13:12 pm »

I wouldn't go without a suicide pill, lol. Hate to be a debbie downer.

Exposure to vacuum is probably a better way to go.  You pass out in a few seconds so you won't feel a thing.
If all I want is a warm feeling, I should just wet my pants.

Offline Cripplecreek

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #12 on: February 28, 2017, 02:14:58 pm »
Exposure to vacuum is probably a better way to go.  You pass out in a few seconds so you won't feel a thing.

I would think that the most dangerous part of the trip would be launch and reentry.

Offline thackney

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2017, 03:05:23 pm »
I would think that the most dangerous part of the trip would be launch and reentry.

Significant problems at those point are not going to last very long either.

I think the concern of a suicide pill is for a course problem that doesn't end soon.  Like an unplanned journey to Alpha Centauri.
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Offline r9etb

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #14 on: February 28, 2017, 03:12:03 pm »
SpaceX will fly two private citizens on a trip around the moon in 2018, the company's founder Elon Musk announced Monday (Feb. 27).

It'll be cool if it happens, and if it works.

Wingnut

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #15 on: February 28, 2017, 03:33:29 pm »
Quote
SpaceX will fly two private citizens on a trip around the moon in 2018, the company's founder Elon Musk announced Monday (Feb. 27).

I think it only fair the Saint Elon occupy one of those 2 seat as a sign of good faith and his confidence in his product.   You know, put his mouth where other peoples money is.

Offline Just_Victor

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #16 on: February 28, 2017, 03:51:46 pm »
It'll be cool if it happens, and if it works.

Considering the launch system has yet to fly with a human on board, I'd say that is quite an ambitious schedule.
If all I want is a warm feeling, I should just wet my pants.

Offline r9etb

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #17 on: February 28, 2017, 04:07:43 pm »
Considering the launch system has yet to fly with a human on board, I'd say that is quite an ambitious schedule.

Oh, I agree.  And considering SpaceX's somewhat spotty record relative to launch performance, and the fact that the Heavy has never launched before .... I'm not sure I'd want to be the first human aboard that particular rocket.

Human spaceflight is not one of those endeavors that rewards half-assed approaches.  One hopes that the SpaceX team has learned that lesson by now -- I'd hate to see people dying because they hadn't.

Offline DB

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #18 on: March 01, 2017, 02:05:15 am »
Elon Musk is very good at leveraging things so that if they go wrong you lose and if they go right he wins.

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #19 on: March 01, 2017, 01:08:07 pm »
Pow! Alice; straight to the Moon!

Offline Gefn

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #20 on: March 01, 2017, 01:19:01 pm »
Yeah, I want the experience, not the fame.

I would hate to be famous.

I'd like the experience too.
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Offline Cripplecreek

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #21 on: March 01, 2017, 01:51:08 pm »
Seems like a few years back someone proposed a manned mission to orbit mars a few times then return to earth.

However it requires almost 2 years in space which is a problem. Every minute spent in space increases the likelihood of something going wrong. That's why I support spending research dollars on better, faster, non explosive propulsion. 24 hours to the moon seems a very reasonable goal to aspire to.

I've read that if we could have launched the Saturn V from orbit rather than from the ground the Apollo crews could have reached the moon in under 12 hours with half of that time spent slowing down enough to enter orbit.

Offline Just_Victor

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #22 on: March 01, 2017, 02:13:56 pm »
Seems like a few years back someone proposed a manned mission to orbit mars a few times then return to earth.

However it requires almost 2 years in space which is a problem. Every minute spent in space increases the likelihood of something going wrong. That's why I support spending research dollars on better, faster, non explosive propulsion. 24 hours to the moon seems a very reasonable goal to aspire to.

I've read that if we could have launched the Saturn V from orbit rather than from the ground the Apollo crews could have reached the moon in under 12 hours with half of that time spent slowing down enough to enter orbit.

With a Saturn V in orbit, that ends up being a lot of fuel to save a small amount of time.  The expendables used during 3 days vs 1 day don't save much weight/expense.  With a trip to Mars the fuel expense vs that of food/water starts to become a viable trade off.  The trade studies are definitely going to be looking at speeding up a trip to Mars.


Of course a new propulsion system could be a game changer.
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Offline driftdiver

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #23 on: March 01, 2017, 02:22:26 pm »
Oh, I agree.  And considering SpaceX's somewhat spotty record relative to launch performance, and the fact that the Heavy has never launched before .... I'm not sure I'd want to be the first human aboard that particular rocket.

Human spaceflight is not one of those endeavors that rewards half-assed approaches.  One hopes that the SpaceX team has learned that lesson by now -- I'd hate to see people dying because they hadn't.

@r9etb
Don't space vehicles have to be rated and approved by some govt agency to be able to launch?

The SpaceX rapid design and development methodology works well in silicon valley and the internet.  Especially when you have tons of investor dollars to throw away. 

I would have very little faith in SpaceX to get me to the moon and back alive.    Musk is all about big ideas and snazzy press releases but his attention span is a tad short for a project as complex as this.

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Offline r9etb

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Re: SpaceX to Fly Passengers On Private Trip Around the Moon in 2018
« Reply #24 on: March 01, 2017, 02:48:05 pm »
The SpaceX rapid design and development methodology works well in silicon valley and the internet.  Especially when you have tons of investor dollars to throw away. 

I would have very little faith in SpaceX to get me to the moon and back alive.    Musk is all about big ideas and snazzy press releases but his attention span is a tad short for a project as complex as this.

To be fair, SpaceX has some really cool ideas and capabilities.  It's the way they run their business that I don't like.  They claim lower cost because they cut corners on things like testing and QA, and it's cost them a few rockets.  As part of that, their hiring practices are designed to avoid the "taint" of institutional knowledge.