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That's assuming NASA is planning to sell it. What if they simply gave it to Google or SpaceX? Perhaps a deal could be made to exchange the ISS for a few launche
by jads 10y ago
That's assuming NASA is planning to sell it. What if they simply gave it to Google or SpaceX? Perhaps a deal could be made to exchange the ISS for a few launches.
- aschampion 10y agoIf someone was willing to take on the operating costs and still lease out access/experiment time for anything less than billions, NASA would be champing at the bit to give it away. However, I can't imagine why any commercial entity would be interested in burning cash in LEO, unless they have a very lucrative microgravity production requirement. But so far that scenario has just been a fable.
- zardo 10y agoThe cost of operating would be... astronomical. They would have to subsidize it's operation, and convince Russia and the minor international partners to go along with it.
- bpicolo 10y agoWhat's the cost to just keep it in orbit untouched for decades?
- greglindahl 10y agoA lot. You have to keep control of it, and have enough fuel to keep on boosting the orbit. Routine maintenance requires parts and 2+ human FTEs.
- TallGuyShort 10y ago>> parts and 2+ human FTEs And more significantly, the infrastructure to get them up there, support the operation, and return them safely.
- zardo 10y agoIt needs to be reboosted a couple times per year. You could cut a lot of ground crew, but the power and thermal control systems have to remain operational. Telerobotics could replace astronauts for repair and maintenance. Probably 200-300 million per year minimum.(decreasing as the cost to orbit decreases)
- criddell 10y ago> It needs to be reboosted a couple times per year. Is there a elevation that would be a stable orbit? Why not just boost it to that point?
- maxerickson 10y agoThe "just" part is impossible. Higher orbits also make visits harder/more expensive.
- snuxoll 10y agoTo put it in a stable orbit maintained by gravity itself you'd need to put it at a Lagrange Point, any of the Earth-Moon points aren't exactly LEO last I checked.
- bdamm 10y agoPermanent orbit is not the goal. Just a few decades would be enough to keep the dream alive and get some good science out of it.
- dalke 10y agoThere hasn't been much good science out of it yet. I don't think the future will bring much either. If science were our goal we could have done much more science with the same money.
- krallja 10y ago> There hasn't been much good science out of it yet. I strongly disagree with this statement. Here are 1052 pages of summaries of the results of scientific experiments on the ISS. http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/iss_technical_publication_030116.pdf http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/iss_tech...
- kylehotchkiss 10y agoYou have to maintain it to the extent where the eventual de-orbital process lands it in a an ocean and not above population center to ensure no bits that didn't burn up hit anything.
- marcoperaza 10y ago> That's assuming NASA is planning to sell it. What if they simply gave it to Google or SpaceX? Perhaps a deal could be made to exchange the ISS for a few launches. That's still selling it.