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Will Dragon V2 be ready for deep space?

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I keep hearing in articles about the new Orion space craft, that the Dragon V2 is not built for deep space. I'm assuming they are talking about the crafts electronics and possible other equipment's resilience to radiation? Oh, and I guess this radiation shileding would apply to humans on board as well?

I've heard Musk say a number of times that Dragon V2 may be the first craft to carry people to Mars. If this is the case, why do the science jounalists(sic) keep repeating this?

Will Orion be in anyway be more capable for deep space than Dragoin V2?

Scott
 
I keep hearing in articles about the new Orion space craft, that the Dragon V2 is not built for deep space. I'm assuming they are talking about the crafts electronics and possible other equipment's resilience to radiation? Oh, and I guess this radiation shileding would apply to humans on board as well?

I've heard Musk say a number of times that Dragon V2 may be the first craft to carry people to Mars. If this is the case, why do the science jounalists(sic) keep repeating this?

Will Orion be in anyway be more capable for deep space than Dragoin V2?

Scott

Of course not. Orion only carries four astronauts. So if you loaded Dragon V2 with consumables and life support for only four, I'd bet you could go just as far as Orion can.

The Orion/SLS/Constellation program has cost NASA over $8 billion so far. Can you imagine what SpaceX could accomplish with that same amount? Look at what they will actually accomplish with a measly $2.6 billion. Look at what they have done with $1.6 billion! I bet Elon could land someone on Mars and get them back safely for $8 billion. I bet they could build a lunar base for $8 billion. You want a space station? I bet Elon and SpaceX could do that with $8 billion too.
 
I would like to see an official rebuttal to this claim about Orion being more deep space capable than Dragon V2. If it really is as capable I would have thought Elon would have blasted it out ot the media? Why the silence?
 
I would like to see an official rebuttal to this claim about Orion being more deep space capable than Dragon V2. If it really is as capable I would have thought Elon would have blasted it out ot the media? Why the silence?

Because Orion is a major NASA project. SpaceX is currently involved in two major NASA projects that pay them huge amounts of money. So you don't bite the hand that feeds you. If NASA suddenly cut them off in favor of someone else, then you'd see the sharp teeth come out.

I believe SpaceX is working under the principle that their innovations speak for themselves and when successful the lower prices will drive the customers to them. So far that strategy is working and when it doesn't, like with the Air Force, you get to hear about it. Elon basically shamed the Air Force and the government into allowing them in since their costs are so much lower than anyone else.
 
I would like to see an official rebuttal to this claim about Orion being more deep space capable than Dragon V2. If it really is as capable I would have thought Elon would have blasted it out ot the media? Why the silence?

I think he would rather prove it in action. The only reason for the lawsuit was the underhanded deal by the ULA and the Air Force that would have locked out SpaceX for years if it stands.

Also most of the life support in the Dragon V2 is internal not in a support stage so the trunk would need a redesign for longer duration missions. I image that will change when these types of mission gets close to funding. Though knowing SpaceX I could see them sending along a mini Bigelow space habitat module instead.
 
I think thats a pretty weak excuse. Elon is not know for being shy or letting anybody trash his projects. I can only assume Orion is actually better suited for deep space as all the latest articles state.

Because Orion is a major NASA project. SpaceX is currently involved in two major NASA projects that pay them huge amounts of money. So you don't bite the hand that feeds you. If NASA suddenly cut them off in favor of someone else, then you'd see the sharp teeth come out.

I believe SpaceX is working under the principle that their innovations speak for themselves and when successful the lower prices will drive the customers to them. So far that strategy is working and when it doesn't, like with the Air Force, you get to hear about it. Elon basically shamed the Air Force and the government into allowing them in since their costs are so much lower than anyone else.
 
I think thats a pretty weak excuse. Elon is not know for being shy or letting anybody trash his projects. I can only assume Orion is actually better suited for deep space as all the latest articles state.

It does have extra shielding and additional safety systems designed for longer voyages. I found this article that explains the details:

NASA's 1st Deep-Space Capsule in 40 Years Ready for Debut

But there isn't supposed to be a manned flight until 2021! C'mon, we know that SpaceX will be light years ahead of anything Orion can do by then. They go on to say that they might get to Mars by 2030! Elon and SpaceX will doing circles around SLS by then. There will be a Dragon V4 by 2021. Elon will already have a Deep Space Dragon built or have the designs solidly in place.

I'm very willing to take bets that SpaceX will beat SLS and Orion to Mars. I'd also bet that SLS is old news and retired by 2020.

All of that said, I doubt Elon will trash SLS or Orion since they are really not a threat to anything that he is doing. The more I think about it, I would think that Falcon Heavy will carry Orion out of the atmosphere and into deep space. That allows NASA to have a backup for the Deep Space Dragon since they seem to focused on SpaceX plus some other manufacturer for their projects.
 
It does have extra shielding and additional safety systems designed for longer voyages. I found this article that explains the details:

NASA's 1st Deep-Space Capsule in 40 Years Ready for Debut
Indeed. We'll see tomorrow how it does in the dress rehearsal: launch, orbits, & return.

But there isn't supposed to be a manned flight until 2021! C'mon, we know that SpaceX will be light years ahead of anything Orion can do by then. They go on to say that they might get to Mars by 2030! Elon and SpaceX will doing circles around SLS by then. There will be a Dragon V4 by 2021. Elon will already have a Deep Space Dragon built or have the designs solidly in place.

And, there seems to be some doubt that SLS will be funded that long:

space.com article on SLS vs. Falcon Heavy (and ULA!)
Booz-Allen cost assessment of SLS
 
I keep hearing in articles about the new Orion space craft, that the Dragon V2 is not built for deep space. I'm assuming they are talking about the crafts electronics and possible other equipment's resilience to radiation? Oh, and I guess this radiation shileding would apply to humans on board as well?

I've heard Musk say a number of times that Dragon V2 may be the first craft to carry people to Mars. If this is the case, why do the science jounalists(sic) keep repeating this?

Will Orion be in anyway be more capable for deep space than Dragoin V2?

Scott

The current version of Dragon V2 is being designed for travel to and from the ISS. Due to that fact, it doesn't currently have the everything it needs to go beyond low earth orbit. It would need additional propulsion (delta-v) for beyond LEO operations like the service module does for Orion. It would need improved communications and other systems to deal with extended flight time. That said, could Dragon be modified or adapted for missions beyond LEO? Sure. Just needs the funding for Spacex to make it happen. Right now NASA is not contracting the beyond LEO missions like they are for ISS crew rotation missions. Once NASA does that, I am sure Spacex would submit a bid. However, based on Elon's comments I find it unlikely that Spacex would put people on a Dragon going to mars. Just too small. That's where MCT comes in. Dragon may well be modified for a simple beyond LEO mission like a lunar free-return mission, just to demonstrate the capability. Spacex may do something like that on it's own dime. Before MCT we might also see some Dragons being used to put some green houses on Mars to fulfill Elon's original dream behind the inception of spacex.
 
I doubt the current Orion capsule is not ready for beyond LEO missions. Media reports exaggerate its capabilities b parroting whatever Boeing says about it. Sure, in the future it will go beyond LEO if NASA gets funding for such missions, but that is many years away.

A future Dragon version will go beyond LEO. I'm thrilled thinking this will happen in my lifetime!
 
I doubt the current Orion capsule is not ready for beyond LEO missions. Media reports exaggerate its capabilities b parroting whatever Boeing says about it. Sure, in the future it will go beyond LEO if NASA gets funding for such missions, but that is many years away.

A future Dragon version will go beyond LEO. I'm thrilled thinking this will happen in my lifetime!

Your phrasing is a little confusing, but the mission for Orion that is currently scheduled for launch tomorrow is already beyond low earth orbit. Or technically it is one low earth orbit followed by an apogee burn to an intersecting with earth orbit (non-orbit really). But technically it's not low earth orbit as it's going about 3600 miles out.