[AR] Re: 500,000 tons per year to GEO (off topic)

  • From: Bill Claybaugh <wclaybaugh2@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2014 12:53:45 -0700

Please.

Landing the first stage downrange uses 15% of the payload; flying it back up 
range cost 30% of payload.  Even if refurbishing and relaunch were free, 
propulsive fly back will take four launches just to cost the same as expending. 
Since they are not free, it is more likely to take something between 12-24 
launches for this system to cost exactly the same as the expendable version.

This also means that production rates will drop and so those cost will go up.

And then there's the customers who want to know why they should fly on a used 
rocket....

$100 per pound is not achievable with this system.

Bill   

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 2, 2014, at 10:49, marsbeyond@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Kieth,
> 
> When is Skylon supposed to fly? In less than two years, SpaceX will be using 
> propulsive recovery to re-use the first stage, second stage, and capsule, and 
> their cost to LEO will drop to $100 a pound!
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Apr 2, 2014, at 9:27 AM, Keith Henson <hkeithhenson@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
>> http://theenergycollective.com/keith-henson/362181/dollar-gallon-gasoline
>> 
>> $350 million committed so far to the Skylon engines.
>> 
>> Keith
>> 
>

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