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Why the Augustine Commission is looking so hard at getting NASA out of the low Earth orbit manned
mission business.
3 versions: crew, cargo and DragonLab. The DragonLab configuration will be an orbital laboratory - either
manned or unmanned, with an unmanned mission duration of up to 2 years. Even unmanned it could be visited
by a crewed mission.
The first Dragon cargo goes up around this coming New Years. The crew version could be up
3-5 years before NASA's Orion is ready, as early as late 2010 or early 2011, though they started about
the same time. Dragon can carry a crew of 7 while the much larger/heavier Orion can only carry 4.
Rather large because she has two decks: up to 3 persons on the lower deck and 4 on the flight deck,
or a mix of crew and cargo racks. Its "trunk" (not shown) can also carry unpressurized cargo.
Her PicaX heat shield material configurable to handle LEO up to Mars re-entry+, almost 30,000 mph.
Question is - where was she going?
Dragon on the road
Closeup of the Draco maneuvering and re-entry thrusters. Total fuel over 1,200kg.
mission business.
3 versions: crew, cargo and DragonLab. The DragonLab configuration will be an orbital laboratory - either
manned or unmanned, with an unmanned mission duration of up to 2 years. Even unmanned it could be visited
by a crewed mission.
The first Dragon cargo goes up around this coming New Years. The crew version could be up
3-5 years before NASA's Orion is ready, as early as late 2010 or early 2011, though they started about
the same time. Dragon can carry a crew of 7 while the much larger/heavier Orion can only carry 4.
Rather large because she has two decks: up to 3 persons on the lower deck and 4 on the flight deck,
or a mix of crew and cargo racks. Its "trunk" (not shown) can also carry unpressurized cargo.
Her PicaX heat shield material configurable to handle LEO up to Mars re-entry+, almost 30,000 mph.
Question is - where was she going?
Dragon on the road
Closeup of the Draco maneuvering and re-entry thrusters. Total fuel over 1,200kg.