– Why is the current SpaceX challenge different than their solution going to the space station?

Question

I understand that SpaceX is able to deliver material goods and personal to the international space station.

I don’t understand why the design to take people to the moon is substantially different, and why it’s failing while getting to low earth orbit.

In: Engineering

Answer 1

The aim is to be able to land like a 100 tons of cargo on the moon, 400000 km away. That requires a much bigger rocket than delivering 8 tons to the ISS, only 400km away.