Mocked up comparison of big rockets on pad LC-39A

[ecarfan]

Someone mocked up this image to show various rockets in comparison; existing and future rockets. Found the image here No Labels - Create, Discover and Share GIFs on Gfycat . Pretty cool looking.

Left to right: Saturn V (Apollo), SLS (being built by ULA for NASA, in development, won’t fly until 2019 at the earliest), Falcon Heavy in the center, BFR (first flight 2022 if we are lucky), and Falcon 9 with Crew Dragon capsule on far right.

The SLS is huge but likely will not be able to send as large a payload to Mars (I searched but can’t find a specific figure for SLS payload to the surface of Mars) as the BFR which Elon stated will be 100 metric tons. And the SLS will cost about $1 billion dollars per launch and is not reusable. The BFR cost per launch will be a small fraction of that price and it will be fully reusable. The SLS is nuts and US taxpayers are paying for it. SLS first planned flight to Mars is 2033. BFR first planned flight to Mars is 2022. Both will likely slip, but no question in my mind that SpaceX will be first to Mars by about a decade.

 

[ecarfan]

For SLS payload mass to Mars I looked here Space Launch System - Wikipedia In the “Payload mass to various orbits” section and can’t find it.

That table does show a row for SLS Block 2 LEO 130 metric tons “Preparation for mission to Mars”. I don’t understand why it shows that as “LEO”. Maybe the plan is to life that payload to LEO and then the 3rd stage ignites and sends a fraction of that payload amount to Mars?

 

[scaesare]

Someone mocked up this image to show various rockets in comparison; existing and future rockets. Found the image here No Labels - Create, Discover and Share GIFs on Gfycat . Pretty cool looking.

Left to right: Saturn V (Apollo), SLS (being built by ULA for NASA, in development, won’t fly until 2019 at the earliest), Falcon Heavy in the center, BFR (first flight 2022 if we are lucky), and Falcon 9 with Crew Dragon capsule on far right.

The SLS is huge but likely will not be able to send as large a payload to Mars (I searched but can’t find a specific figure for SLS payload to the surface of Mars) as the BFR which Elon stated will be 100 metric tons. And the SLS will cost about $1 billion dollars per launch and is not reusable. The BFR cost per launch will be a small fraction of that price and it will be fully reusable. The SLS is nuts and US taxpayers are paying for it. SLS first planned flight to Mars is 2033. BFR first planned flight to Mars is 2022. Both will likely slip, but no question in my mind that SpaceX will be first to Mars by about a decade.

View attachment 271203

"One of these things is not like the other..."

(well, two, actually...)

 

[Electroman]

Someone mocked up this image to show various rockets in comparison; existing and future rockets. Found the image here No Labels - Create, Discover and Share GIFs on Gfycat . Pretty cool looking.

Left to right: Saturn V (Apollo), SLS (being built by ULA for NASA, in development, won’t fly until 2019 at the earliest), Falcon Heavy in the center, BFR (first flight 2022 if we are lucky), and Falcon 9 with Crew Dragon capsule on far right.

The SLS is huge but likely will not be able to send as large a payload to Mars (I searched but can’t find a specific figure for SLS payload to the surface of Mars) as the BFR which Elon stated will be 100 metric tons. And the SLS will cost about $1 billion dollars per launch and is not reusable. The BFR cost per launch will be a small fraction of that price and it will be fully reusable. The SLS is nuts and US taxpayers are paying for it. SLS first planned flight to Mars is 2033. BFR first planned flight to Mars is 2022. Both will likely slip, but no question in my mind that SpaceX will be first to Mars by about a decade.

View attachment 271203

Not to be out done..

 

[Grendal]

For SLS payload mass to Mars I looked here Space Launch System - Wikipedia In the “Payload mass to various orbits” section and can’t find it.

That table does show a row for SLS Block 2 LEO 130 metric tons “Preparation for mission to Mars”. I don’t understand why it shows that as “LEO”. Maybe the plan is to life that payload to LEO and then the 3rd stage ignites and sends a fraction of that payload amount to Mars?

This table has the numbers for Trans Lunar Injection and Trans Mars Injection:

Comparison of orbital launch systems - Wikipedia

Falcon Heavy is roughly 17,000 kg to TMI. Maybe more with Block 5.

 

[ecarfan]

Thanks for the link to that table. It shows that the SLS Block 2 (most powerful version planned, I believe) can put 45 metric tons to TMI (Trans Mars Injection orbit).

The table shows BFR as being 150 metric tons to TMI with in-orbit refuelling.

So BFR will be able to put over triple the amount of payload on Mars at a much lower cost than SLS can.

And of course the SLS gets thrown away ever time it flies. What a waste. As Elon said, “This is madness”.

 

[jkn]

Someone mocked up this image to show various rockets in comparison; existing and future rockets. Found the image here No Labels - Create, Discover and Share GIFs on Gfycat . Pretty cool looking.

Left to right: Saturn V (Apollo), SLS (being built by ULA for NASA, in development, won’t fly until 2019 at the earliest), Falcon Heavy in the center, BFR (first flight 2022 if we are lucky), and Falcon 9 with Crew Dragon capsule on far right.

The SLS is huge but likely will not be able to send as large a payload to Mars (I searched but can’t find a specific figure for SLS payload to the surface of Mars) as the BFR which Elon stated will be 100 metric tons. And the SLS will cost about $1 billion dollars per launch and is not reusable. The BFR cost per launch will be a small fraction of that price and it will be fully reusable. The SLS is nuts and US taxpayers are paying for it. SLS first planned flight to Mars is 2033. BFR first planned flight to Mars is 2022. Both will likely slip, but no question in my mind that SpaceX will be first to Mars by about a decade.

View attachment 271203

Nice picture, but Soyuz (rocket family) - Wikipedia and Ariane 5 - Wikipedia are missing. In future rockets will not grow taller, only wider (common problem). Heavier rocket needs more or larger engines. To fit those under the rocket it must be wider.

LH2 burning rockets can be taller, because LH2 is light.

 

[ecarfan]

Nice picture, but Soyuz (rocket family) - Wikipedia and Ariane 5 - Wikipedia are missing.

Obviously many other rockets are missing from that image. But it still provides a useful comparison.

 

[e-FTW]

Someone mocked up this image to show various rockets in comparison; existing and future rockets. Found the image here No Labels - Create, Discover and Share GIFs on Gfycat . Pretty cool looking.

Left to right: Saturn V (Apollo), SLS (being built by ULA for NASA, in development, won’t fly until 2019 at the earliest), Falcon Heavy in the center, BFR (first flight 2022 if we are lucky), and Falcon 9 with Crew Dragon capsule on far right.

The SLS is huge but likely will not be able to send as large a payload to Mars (I searched but can’t find a specific figure for SLS payload to the surface of Mars) as the BFR which Elon stated will be 100 metric tons. And the SLS will cost about $1 billion dollars per launch and is not reusable. The BFR cost per launch will be a small fraction of that price and it will be fully reusable. The SLS is nuts and US taxpayers are paying for it. SLS first planned flight to Mars is 2033. BFR first planned flight to Mars is 2022. Both will likely slip, but no question in my mind that SpaceX will be first to Mars by about a decade.

View attachment 271203

That image reminds me that: man was Saturn V nuts!

 

[ecarfan]

That image reminds me that: man was Saturn V nuts!

It was and remains a very impressive piece of engineering.

The BFR will significantly out perform it using roughly the same volume of vehicle. That will be an extremely impressive piece of engineering.

 

[Nikxice]

Guessing it's all men here (including yours truly) fascinated by the length and girth of these rockets. Not sure if any female forum members would think this topic is of much importance.
I hope we can all agree, the only rocket that matters tonight is Zuma-size!

 

[jkn]

Guessing it's all men here (including yours truly) fascinated by the length and girth of these rockets. Not sure if any female forum members would think this topic is of much importance.
I hope we can all agree, the only rocket that matters tonight is Zuma-size!

 

[e-FTW]

Vintage space? That channel sounds awesome. I may not achieve much this week.