/sci/ - Science & Math

SpaceX’s most powerful rocket will send NASA cargo to the moon’s orbit to supply astronauts
>SpaceX will use a new variation of its cargo spacecraft, called Dragon XL, to carry supplies to astronauts on NASA’s lunar Gateway spaceship.
>The company will lift the Dragon XL using its Falcon Heavy rocket, the most powerful rocket in the world.
>“Returning to the Moon and supporting future space exploration requires affordable delivery of significant amounts of cargo,” SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell said.
>SpaceX said it will use a new variation of its cargo spacecraft, called Dragon XL, to carry “more than 5 metric tons of cargo to Gateway in lunar orbit.” The company will lift the spacecraft using its Falcon Heavy rocket, the most powerful rocket in the world.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/27/nasa-picks-spacex-for-lunar-orbit-missions-with-dragon-xl-falocn-heavy.html
Falcon Heavy will have a long and illustrious life, opening the Moon`s colonization.

>>12413027
>not having the controllers be in LLO so latency is lower
The Dragon 2 with Falcon Heavy can make that happen.

>>12328091
Thank God for SpaceX

>>12279396
Considering how heavy and expensive Orion is, it might be easier and cheaper to use an uprated Dragon 2.

Could a theoretical Falcon Heavy Centaur send a manned sample return mission to a near Earth asteroid more cheaply and quickly than a probe of equivalent sample capacity?

>Orion? nah, here's your lunar capsule bro

>>12016949
Yes, and?

>>11878385
>If I was Trump, I'd want a trip around the moon by christmas on a crew dragon.
That would be neat to see. Imagine the quality views of the live-stream cultivating a renewed interest in going back to the moon.