Not only is that not too far off, but the pricing might be based upon the use of the smaller Delta IV launchers. The Delta IV Heavy launches at the present time of about $250 million, and is capable (of course the price per pound might also be somewhat depend on upon whether or not all that capability is used in a flight, but that would also apply just as much to a spacex Falcon 9 Heavy launch as to a Delta IV Heavy launch) of placing some 50,000 lbs into LEO. Now, the last time I looked dividing $250 million by 50,000 lbs yields some $5,000 per each pound. Now, if you were going to use kilograms at some 2.2 pounds per kilogram, then it would have to be $11,000 per kilogram.
And just where does this Maitri982 person get off saying that the EELV program was just a jobs program? The US Air Force wanted to get its over all launch costs down for its Heavy Launches of the largest spy satellites down from the very high costs of the Titan IV, and THAT was the over all goal of the EELV program!
For instance the RS68 rocket engine with a far higher thrust that the SSME costs just about 25% of the cost of an SSME! During the development of the SSME performance and weight were the goals of the program, but during the development of the RS68 program (the last such program that I was involved with at Rocketdyne before I retired in the year 2000) cost was the God of development!. In fact, I was there during the development and production runs of the SSME as well!
I do not make statements that I can not back up with at least some degree of experience, just what actual aerospace (hands on working experience especially) do you Maitri982 actually have?
Here is a site that I thought was authoritative:
http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/deltaiv.htm
They had the actual weights to LEO and the actual final costs to the government. In terms of 2004 dollars. One reason why the costs increased over the costs as originally estimated in 1999 was the collapse of the commercial satellite markets, which would have given all the various launchers to LEO (including the Delta IV) far lower costs per launch, had the market remained stronger. This was NOT the fault of the Delta IV people. And spacex would also have to put up with such a lack of total business as well, driving their costs per launch up also!
The first example was an actual launch of a Delta IV, with a weight of some 18.900 lbs to LEO at a cost of $133 million. By my calculator that comes out to $7037 per pound. of course the original estimated cost of $90 million would have yielded $4762 per pound. You do realize that this was an actual launch?
Next, was an actual launch of 25,700 lbs to LEO for (2004 actual dollars) $138 million, or $5370 per pound to LEO (not too far off my original statement!), of course the original estimated cost was $95 million, or $3696 per pound to LEO!
Next, the Delta IV Heavy with a payload of 56,800 pounds at a 2004 cost to the government of $254 million, or $4472 per pound to LEO! And if the original estimate of $172 million had been used: $2993 per pound to LEO!
And finally, if you really want to be a stickler about this, there was the original developmental cost of $1.38 billion for a contracted 19 Delta IV Launches. or only some $72 million each as an average! And that would have even made the original goals of some $2500 per pound to LEO!
Now, I really do not want to be too hard on a newbie such as Maitri892 here, you probably have not had the experience of knocking heads with the more experienced aerospace types here on space.com yet. Believe me, I am not alone in that area, not by a long shot!
By the way, I also was around as one of the 400,000 or so workers that was responsible for placing men on the moon some 40 years ago. So, I do have at least some degree of experience and first hand knowledge of the US space program!
And do Have A Great Day!
And just where does this Maitri982 person get off saying that the EELV program was just a jobs program? The US Air Force wanted to get its over all launch costs down for its Heavy Launches of the largest spy satellites down from the very high costs of the Titan IV, and THAT was the over all goal of the EELV program!
For instance the RS68 rocket engine with a far higher thrust that the SSME costs just about 25% of the cost of an SSME! During the development of the SSME performance and weight were the goals of the program, but during the development of the RS68 program (the last such program that I was involved with at Rocketdyne before I retired in the year 2000) cost was the God of development!. In fact, I was there during the development and production runs of the SSME as well!
I do not make statements that I can not back up with at least some degree of experience, just what actual aerospace (hands on working experience especially) do you Maitri982 actually have?
Here is a site that I thought was authoritative:
http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/deltaiv.htm
They had the actual weights to LEO and the actual final costs to the government. In terms of 2004 dollars. One reason why the costs increased over the costs as originally estimated in 1999 was the collapse of the commercial satellite markets, which would have given all the various launchers to LEO (including the Delta IV) far lower costs per launch, had the market remained stronger. This was NOT the fault of the Delta IV people. And spacex would also have to put up with such a lack of total business as well, driving their costs per launch up also!
The first example was an actual launch of a Delta IV, with a weight of some 18.900 lbs to LEO at a cost of $133 million. By my calculator that comes out to $7037 per pound. of course the original estimated cost of $90 million would have yielded $4762 per pound. You do realize that this was an actual launch?
Next, was an actual launch of 25,700 lbs to LEO for (2004 actual dollars) $138 million, or $5370 per pound to LEO (not too far off my original statement!), of course the original estimated cost was $95 million, or $3696 per pound to LEO!
Next, the Delta IV Heavy with a payload of 56,800 pounds at a 2004 cost to the government of $254 million, or $4472 per pound to LEO! And if the original estimate of $172 million had been used: $2993 per pound to LEO!
And finally, if you really want to be a stickler about this, there was the original developmental cost of $1.38 billion for a contracted 19 Delta IV Launches. or only some $72 million each as an average! And that would have even made the original goals of some $2500 per pound to LEO!
Now, I really do not want to be too hard on a newbie such as Maitri892 here, you probably have not had the experience of knocking heads with the more experienced aerospace types here on space.com yet. Believe me, I am not alone in that area, not by a long shot!
By the way, I also was around as one of the 400,000 or so workers that was responsible for placing men on the moon some 40 years ago. So, I do have at least some degree of experience and first hand knowledge of the US space program!
And do Have A Great Day!
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