He said Dragon could carry astronauts on the next flight at shuttle-level safety, but developing and qualifying a launch escape system would take about two years, at most three.
"it'll take us about 2 years um maybe at the outside three to develop and qualify uh the launch escape system"
After the Soyuz failure, he said the Dragon launch to the space station would likely move to around January, contingent on the Russian schedule.
"things will be more like January um for for the launch to the space station"
If the demo flight succeeds, he expected a steady stream of cargo flights to the space station under the CRS contract, with cargo flights building knowledge for crewed flight.
"assuming this is successful then we look forward to a steady stream of cargo flights to to the space station under our CRS contract"
In a perfect world, he said Dragon carrying astronauts was probably about three years away, maybe a little less.
"perfect world well it's probably like three years it may be a little less than three years"
He said the flight is explicitly a test, and if it doesn't reach the station that should not be taken as a verdict on commercial crew transport.
"I don't think that if this mission just doesn't get all the way there that it should be taken as a verdict on Commercial Crew transport"
He expected the next two cargo flights probably in the summer and at the end of 2012, with timing to be worked out with NASA.
"I think it's probably be one in the summer and one at the end of the year"
He said Dragon 2 would be able to land anywhere on Earth with the accuracy of a helicopter.
"So you'll be able to land anywhere on Earth with the accuracy of a helicopter"
He said it would carry seven astronauts for several days.
"And it'll be capable of carrying seven people, so seven astronauts for several days."
He said in about two years SpaceX would be transporting NASA astronauts to the space station.
"Well, in approximately two years, we'll be transporting NASA astronauts to the space station."
He called it hopefully the first step toward a civilization on Mars.
"this is hopefully the first step on a journey towards a civilization on Mars."
Last updated: 2020-05 (newest answer).
