> The new American spacecraft are more than double the weight of a Soyuz while offering only one additional seat.
Is this true? The launch mass of a Soyuz capsule is about 7000kg and the SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-1 launch mass was about 12000kg so not "more than double" however Demo-1 didn't include astronauts. The Crew Dragon can theoretically carry several tonnes of cargo to the ISS in addition to 4 astronauts.
I don't know if that is true, but why does the weight of the rocket matter? A reusable rocket will be heavier as it has to be built to carry extra fuel for re-entry. I would still want a reusable Space X rocket even if it is heavier
The idea here, I think, is that Dragon requires a heavier rocket - Falcon-9 - that the Soyuz does. Soyuz flies on a rocket with payload around 7500 kg, while Dragon flies on a rocket with payload, according to Wikipedia, "15600 kg when landing". So it's either a heavier spacecraft or an under-use of a rocket.
Not that such use would be particularly bad - from a point of view of standartization of launchers, for example, or taking into account that F-9 has a reuseable first stage, it makes more sense. However by payload mass the Soyuz looks more optimal.
SpaceX is still advertising a seven-seat capacity on their web site. The "crew dragon interior" video seems to be the NASA-endorsed four-seat configuration, but makes it pretty clear there's a whole lot of room under those four. https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/dragon/
Is this true? The launch mass of a Soyuz capsule is about 7000kg and the SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-1 launch mass was about 12000kg so not "more than double" however Demo-1 didn't include astronauts. The Crew Dragon can theoretically carry several tonnes of cargo to the ISS in addition to 4 astronauts.