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"Without a boost, the thrusterless telescope is expected to re-enter and burn up around 2037" If the government pays for this, hopefully they wait for the cost

"Without a boost, the thrusterless telescope is expected to re-enter and burn up around 2037" If the government pays for this, hopefully they wait for the cost to orbit to fall after Starship is operational. Seemingly there's no hurry.

toomuchtodo 4y ago
It’s only $67M for a Falcon 9 launch. NASA’s 2022 budget is $24B. Boost while you’ve got the political will, don’t pinch pennies and possibly miss the window to do so. Future expected ongoing science value is likely higher than the F9-Starship cost delta.
- bpodgursky 4y ago
  It's about opportunity cost though. Is there another $67M mission we're losing?
  - kranke155 4y ago
    I think OP is saying (and I agree) opportunity cost in space budgeting is more political and not economical.
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
- nordsieck 4y ago
  > It’s only $67M for a Falcon 9 launch. You're under costing it. A Crew Dragon mission is ~$287 million. That number is probably high because government orgs tend to have additional costs associated with launching for them above and beyond a typical commercial mission. But certainly much higher than $67 million. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-awards-spacex-more-crew-flights-to-space-station https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-awards-spacex-more-crew-fl...
  - toomuchtodo 4y ago
    What is a reasonable adder to enable the ability to automatically dock and boost Hubble with a second stage using a stock first stage F9?
    - nordsieck 4y ago
      > What is a reasonable adder to enable the ability to automatically dock and boost Hubble with a second stage using a stock first stage F9? Not really sure. But honestly, it needs a crewed mission. There's not much point to raising Hubble's orbit without replacing the reaction control wheels. And that'd basically require an EVA.
Laremere 4y ago
The whole idea of this is that the government won't pay for it. Jared Isaacman has already done one space tourism trip on the dragon capsule, and has ordered 2 more dragon missions, and one starship mission. It seems he wants to be more than a Billionaire flying in space, and have a real impact. The next dragon flight is planning on being the first civilian spacewalk, the Hubble mission would be a successor with a likely spacewalk doing repairs/part replacement. The extent to which this will have funding from NASA is likely to be limited to time spent by NASA personnel required to support the mission, whatever replacement hardware is installed, and a good chance of having a NASA astronaut along on the mission.
- pkaye 4y ago
  The unfunded part is the study. The actual mission would need to be bid out. Other companies could do their own study and make a bid. But I'm sure Jared Isaacman is eager to get the deal and will absorb some of the cost.

toomuchtodo 4y ago

It’s only $67M for a Falcon 9 launch. NASA’s 2022 budget is $24B. Boost while you’ve got the political will, don’t pinch pennies and possibly miss the window to do so. Future expected ongoing science value is likely higher than the F9-Starship cost delta.

bpodgursky 4y ago
It's about opportunity cost though. Is there another $67M mission we're losing?
- kranke155 4y ago
  I think OP is saying (and I agree) opportunity cost in space budgeting is more political and not economical.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
nordsieck 4y ago
> It’s only $67M for a Falcon 9 launch. You're under costing it. A Crew Dragon mission is ~$287 million. That number is probably high because government orgs tend to have additional costs associated with launching for them above and beyond a typical commercial mission. But certainly much higher than $67 million. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-awards-spacex-more-crew-flights-to-space-station https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-awards-spacex-more-crew-fl...
- toomuchtodo 4y ago
  What is a reasonable adder to enable the ability to automatically dock and boost Hubble with a second stage using a stock first stage F9?
  - nordsieck 4y ago
    > What is a reasonable adder to enable the ability to automatically dock and boost Hubble with a second stage using a stock first stage F9? Not really sure. But honestly, it needs a crewed mission. There's not much point to raising Hubble's orbit without replacing the reaction control wheels. And that'd basically require an EVA.

Laremere 4y ago

The whole idea of this is that the government won't pay for it. Jared Isaacman has already done one space tourism trip on the dragon capsule, and has ordered 2 more dragon missions, and one starship mission. It seems he wants to be more than a Billionaire flying in space, and have a real impact. The next dragon flight is planning on being the first civilian spacewalk, the Hubble mission would be a successor with a likely spacewalk doing repairs/part replacement. The extent to which this will have funding from NASA is likely to be limited to time spent by NASA personnel required to support the mission, whatever replacement hardware is installed, and a good chance of having a NASA astronaut along on the mission.

pkaye 4y ago
The unfunded part is the study. The actual mission would need to be bid out. Other companies could do their own study and make a bid. But I'm sure Jared Isaacman is eager to get the deal and will absorb some of the cost.