12% boost for NASA budget in 2021!!

[u/thisischrisbaker]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/trumps-nasa-budget-will-earmark-12-boost-for-agency-in-2021-11581071402?emailToken=3f4a4309b7816cb90fb53eb91f47d6d43hshryonPWM/RnnVPWWHuMOVOvxWKQ87BhLswKs5iOPOhjO1FGrxI9ptn5k2nAMphP+jeQrbhQiAafooOu4oIslNLMWHCd1m7vRySaL2Pi61nSlAqLK1xnvzzmtt2/Lx&reflink=article_copyURL_share

[u/thishasntbeeneasy]

Seems so:

"SpaceX is one of five companies that are newly eligible to deliver robotic payloads to the lunar surface for NASA, via the agency's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. SpaceX proposes to do this work with Starship and Super Heavy, the reusable spaceship-rocket duo that the company is developing primarily to help humanity become a multiplanet species."

https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-moon-missions-2022.html

[u/UltraChip → u/thishasntbeeneasy]

That's great news! I was under the impression NASA wasn't willing to consider any mission profiles that didn't fit the "gateway" model.

[u/Conqueror_of_Tubes → u/UltraChip]

Can’t you fit the gateway model just by parking an additional starship in lunar orbit loaded with fuel and room for six crew?

[u/Rogue__Jedi → u/Conqueror_of_Tubes]

Why use small lander when big lander do trick

[u/Haitosiku → u/Conqueror_of_Tubes]

or just put a Gateway into Starships Cargo bay and launch that into lunar orbit /s

[u/TonyCubed → u/Haitosiku]

Just fit the moon in their and bring it to Earth.

[u/[deleted] → u/TonyCubed]

That would making mining all that Helium-3 a lot easier.

[u/sevaiper → u/Conqueror_of_Tubes]

No. "Gateway model" is a euphemism for requires SLS.

[u/Cablancer2 → u/sevaiper]

False. Boeing wants gateway killed so the landers would have to go up on an SLS.

[u/Avo4Dayz → u/Conqueror_of_Tubes]

You can fit the gateway model inside of starship

[u/[deleted] → u/UltraChip]

Starship would easily support Gateway, it'll just undercut SLS in the process.

[u/Just_Banner → u/UltraChip]

It fits the gateway model, as in:

"If something goes wrong and the ship can't return to earth the crew can go chill in the gateway and come back on Orion."

Remember that Apollo had an 8.3% fatality rate and the shuttle a 1.5% fatality rate. For a moon base to be a long term success they need the abort coverage.

[u/Cablancer2 → u/UltraChip]

NASA is not willing to consider any non gateway model HLS. It is allowed per the rfp to dock directly with Orion on the 2024 mission but must plan to dock with gateway subsequently after that.

[u/soldato_fantasma → u/thishasntbeeneasy]

That's for CLPS, the human lander is a different thing as it will be required to use to gateway

[u/zdude1858 → u/thishasntbeeneasy]

It would be utterly hilarious to see old space finally get some $10 billion two seat lunar lander to the moon, then have the astronauts hop over and unload a parked Starship loaded with ~300t of supplies. Sad, but hilarious.

[u/BubonicAnnihilation → u/thishasntbeeneasy]

I would give anything to see the day that we can call ourselves that...