Orion crew size reduced by 2!

[brandbll]

NASA better watch out, there might be a fire-breathing Dragon chasing them! :roll: Better a SpaceX Dragon...than a Chinese Dragon!

I don't understand why there is continued insistence in some quarters of seeing private rockets as competition to NASA. NASA welcomes and financially supports private endeavors. There is plenty on NASA's plate when it comes to space science. Everyone, NASA foremost, welcomes the day when private industry can take over the more mundane aspects of space faring.

Very good post, i completely agree.

 

[brandbll]

...Are we going to maintain the lunar base indefinitely, or abandon the moon after a few years....

As I understand it, even an extended lifespan for the ISS will be ending around the time we would be setting a base up on the Moon. Are there plans for a successor to the ISS?

Personally, i haven't read or heard a single thing discussing a replacement for the ISS, not even on here. I think that is probably where Bigelow and private investment comes in. If Bigelow can produce reliable capsules, and we can get a reliable spacecraft to take people to them, than this is a hole for the private investors to move in. Now, IMO the ideal investors for such a project(if it were to become a reality in the sense of being possible) would be joint university and college programs. Thse institutions have TONS of money and that money is soley dedicated to research. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of investment return in LEO, atleast IMO. But research wise universities could have a hay day with it. One major university would have trouble funding such a program, but quite a few combined larger or wealthier institutions could put up the cash to conduct the research. Travelling abroad programs would take on a whole new meaning...