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SpaceX announces plans for flight to moon
SpaceX plans to launch two private citizens on a flight around the moon next year, a bold mission that will be the first to carry humans beyond low-Earth orbit since the Apollo moon program. (www.spacex.com) Plus d'info...
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So, if SpaceX uses ADS-B / 1090 MHz tracking, would FlightAware see it from Earth? If so, guess there might need to be some updated mapping in the yet to be released 3.4 version of FlightAware. :)
"They have already paid a significant deposit to do a moon mission." I'd love to know how big that deposit was! Also, I can imagine a conversation going something like "Sir, I need you to sign this waiver". Still, sounds like a neat 'bucket list' trip.
The moon is extremely far away. Like 238,900 miles from the surface of the earth.
For comparison the edge of space is about 150miles up.
The International space station is 250 miles up.
The Iridium/Aerion ADS-B tracking satellites are 484 miles up.
Geostationary satellite (used for TV satellites) are 26,000 miles up.
It get fairly hard to detect ADS-B transponders farther than 600-700 miles away. They will not be using ADS-B.
The rockets spacex are using now are called falcon rockets. To get to the moon they need more power and have plans to strap 3 falcon rockets together to make a falcon heavy rocket. With prices of a falcon rocket around $50-60 million I would expect a falcon heavy to be over $150 million. I am not sure how much of a discount is given for being guinea pigs.
For comparison the edge of space is about 150miles up.
The International space station is 250 miles up.
The Iridium/Aerion ADS-B tracking satellites are 484 miles up.
Geostationary satellite (used for TV satellites) are 26,000 miles up.
It get fairly hard to detect ADS-B transponders farther than 600-700 miles away. They will not be using ADS-B.
The rockets spacex are using now are called falcon rockets. To get to the moon they need more power and have plans to strap 3 falcon rockets together to make a falcon heavy rocket. With prices of a falcon rocket around $50-60 million I would expect a falcon heavy to be over $150 million. I am not sure how much of a discount is given for being guinea pigs.
Price of a ticket has to be $50 million then, to have any chance of covering costs... still, a pretty fun adventure.
