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If Firefly can get their weight down by use of better materials and a more efficient engine then they could get a significantly lower cost to orbit. That's a b
by seanflyon 12y ago
If Firefly can get their weight down by use of better materials and a more efficient engine then they could get a significantly lower cost to orbit. That's a big if, but I say it's worth the attempt.
- twic 12y agoTheir own press release [1] says that "this efficient, brand new vehicle is capable of carrying 400kg into low earth orbit [...] for [...] around $8 or 9 million". Wikipedia [2] says that the PSLV can lift 3250 kg into low earth orbit, for $15 million. The Firefly Alpha costs 20,000 USD/kg. The PSLV costs 4615 USD/kg. It's four times more expensive. How much would they have to bring the weight down to be as cheap as the PSLV? [1] http://www.fireflyspace.com/news/*/categories/firefly%20alpha http://www.fireflyspace.com/news/*/categories/firefly%20alph... [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_Satellite_Launch_Vehicle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_Satellite_Launch_Vehicle
- seanflyon 12y agoAssuming 3% of mass is payload (wild guess) then a 9% drop in weight would quadruple payload matching the price of the PSLV.