SpaceX has stopped production of the Crew Dragon. Made four capsules.
Four space capsules to transport people and no more. SpaceX Don’t plan to build other models of her car, let it be known Reuters On March 28, 2022 after speaking with a company executive. So the US company will rely on a relatively small fleet to provide the shuttle between Earth and the International Space Station.
The four capsules each have a small and very symbolic nickname: there is effort, flexibility, endurance and freedom (determination, flexibility, endurance, freedom in French). Three of them are already in operation (Endeavour and Resilience have already been used twice and Endurance once), while Freedom is being manufactured.
SpaceX revolves around the Starship
The end of production of the Crew Dragon capsule by SpaceX has not yet been announced, but this decision is not absurd given the company’s strategy, which is based on the reuse of materials. Like the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket, this spacecraft is designed to be used multiple times with minimal maintenance.
In principle, every Crew Dragon ship It must be usable at least five times, which means that the American company can guarantee at least twenty round-trip flights between Earth and the International Space Station. Obviously, this is the minimum that must be fulfilled during the design of the ship: but nothing says that the capsule cannot serve much more than that.
This reuse is a capability that, in fact, avoids SpaceX having to rebuild a vehicle with each crew turn. In doing so, the company can conserve resources to move forward on something else – for example Starshipwhich you should one day receive from the Falcon 9, but also … from the Crew Dragon capsule, With a brand new spaceship.
Moreover, assuming SpaceX loses a capsule, nothing will stop it from getting back in front of the workbench to build a sixth capsule to fill the vacancy. Obviously, this is a scenario we don’t want to see happen, as destroying the Crew Dragon capsule would likely mean losing the crew on board.
Depending on agreements with NASA and the needs of space conquest, SpaceX could produce others. But the present needs are clearly covered, moreover, Delivery of astronauts It could also be offered by the Russian side, with Soyuz, and soon with Boeing and the Starliner capsule.
Crew Dragon capsule is a different type of Dragon capsule, it is used to transport people. The American company also has two special versions of the machine, to serve as a supply cargo ship for the International Space Station. They are uninhabited and independent. A third version of the cargo ship is under construction.
