4 ms·

Well, we're all here for a moment in the history books. This is crazy. Space travel is now affordable for the rich, not just the hyper-wealthy.

RotaryTelephone 5y ago
Don't fret, the poor will be herded up into space to mine the asteroids eventually.
- mensetmanusman 5y ago
  We can’t even herd them to pick crops any more, I doubt we won’t have robotics ready by then.
- pfdietz 5y ago
  For our robot overlords (did I say overlords? I meant protectors.)
  - hulitu 5y ago
    I don't think they will be robots. Maybe cyborgs.
alphabettsy 5y ago
What a time to be alive! That said, I’d like to live in your world where having an expendable $55 million per seat is merely rich.
- notfried 5y ago
  The trip was paid for by one person, so it's a $220 million personal expense. For a 3-day trip, this has to be the biggest expense per unit of whatever by anyone, ever.
  - nerbert 5y ago
    The ISS orbits 16 times per day. In 3 days roughly 50 orbits. $220M / (40000*50) = $110/Km. Still expensive, but at least we now have a number (a trip from NYC to Paris, first class cabin, is roughly $1/Km)
- rpmisms 5y ago
  Source on the price?
  - cdash 5y ago
    There isn't one because it isn't public. Maybe there are some numbers for how much SpaceX charges NASA but almost all missions involving the military or NASA cost more than civilian launches due to extra requirements. Especially so when they are not just ordered on an ad-hoc basis but instead are part of large contracts that include development funding.
    - rpmisms 5y ago
      A Falcon 9 launch can cost under $30 million, I'd be shocked if Mr. Isaacman paid more than $100 million, all told.
      - biaachmonkie 5y ago
        I'd be shocked if SpaceX didn't treat this launch with all the care and preparation and expense of a manned NASA launch. Any issue with this launch would ground F9/Dragon and require full investigation the same as an issue with a NASA launch.
      - nickik 5y ago
        No. Falcon 9 never costs less then $50-60 million for costumers. $30 million is maybe internal cost for SpaceX (likely SpaceX is lower by now). The Dragon however is more expensive then the rocket itself. I would be shocked if it was less then $150M.
  - dustintrex 5y ago
    Space Adventures is selling seats on their planned SpaceX mission next year for a cool $60M a pop. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Adventures_Crew_Dragon_mission https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Adventures_Crew_Dragon_m...
    - 5y ago

RotaryTelephone 5y ago

Don't fret, the poor will be herded up into space to mine the asteroids eventually.

mensetmanusman 5y ago
We can’t even herd them to pick crops any more, I doubt we won’t have robotics ready by then.
pfdietz 5y ago
For our robot overlords (did I say overlords? I meant protectors.)
- hulitu 5y ago
  I don't think they will be robots. Maybe cyborgs.

alphabettsy 5y ago

What a time to be alive! That said, I’d like to live in your world where having an expendable $55 million per seat is merely rich.

notfried 5y ago
The trip was paid for by one person, so it's a $220 million personal expense. For a 3-day trip, this has to be the biggest expense per unit of whatever by anyone, ever.
- nerbert 5y ago
  The ISS orbits 16 times per day. In 3 days roughly 50 orbits. $220M / (40000*50) = $110/Km. Still expensive, but at least we now have a number (a trip from NYC to Paris, first class cabin, is roughly $1/Km)
rpmisms 5y ago
Source on the price?
- cdash 5y ago
  There isn't one because it isn't public. Maybe there are some numbers for how much SpaceX charges NASA but almost all missions involving the military or NASA cost more than civilian launches due to extra requirements. Especially so when they are not just ordered on an ad-hoc basis but instead are part of large contracts that include development funding.
  - rpmisms 5y ago
    A Falcon 9 launch can cost under $30 million, I'd be shocked if Mr. Isaacman paid more than $100 million, all told.
    - biaachmonkie 5y ago
      I'd be shocked if SpaceX didn't treat this launch with all the care and preparation and expense of a manned NASA launch. Any issue with this launch would ground F9/Dragon and require full investigation the same as an issue with a NASA launch.
    - nickik 5y ago
      No. Falcon 9 never costs less then $50-60 million for costumers. $30 million is maybe internal cost for SpaceX (likely SpaceX is lower by now). The Dragon however is more expensive then the rocket itself. I would be shocked if it was less then $150M.
- dustintrex 5y ago
  Space Adventures is selling seats on their planned SpaceX mission next year for a cool $60M a pop. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Adventures_Crew_Dragon_mission https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Adventures_Crew_Dragon_m...
  - 5y ago