Tweet
Elon Musk on CBS NEWS.
What's new is the lunar trips and confirmation that their large core will be massive. Rumors run 180-200+ metric tons to LEO with reusability, perhaps 300 metric tons as an expendable.
We know the big (650,000-690,000 lbf) Raptor staged combustion methane engines (booster and vacuum) components start tests at NASA Stennis early this year. Raptors could easily power the beast.
Summary.
1) though he's not very interested in the Moon, after getting Commercial Crew they may do a fly-circumnavigation of and/or landing on the Moon to prove the capability.
2) Mars Colonial Transport will be a rocket on a scale than has ever been done before, would make the Saturn V look small and it would have to launch very frequently.
3) mid-2020's for the first crew to Mars
What's new is the lunar trips and confirmation that their large core will be massive. Rumors run 180-200+ metric tons to LEO with reusability, perhaps 300 metric tons as an expendable.
We know the big (650,000-690,000 lbf) Raptor staged combustion methane engines (booster and vacuum) components start tests at NASA Stennis early this year. Raptors could easily power the beast.
Summary.
1) though he's not very interested in the Moon, after getting Commercial Crew they may do a fly-circumnavigation of and/or landing on the Moon to prove the capability.
2) Mars Colonial Transport will be a rocket on a scale than has ever been done before, would make the Saturn V look small and it would have to launch very frequently.
3) mid-2020's for the first crew to Mars