First step! Is this better than the Orion or Boing capsules? Well besides the obvious things like powered landing.

@ Ryan Gibbons It costs a lot less.

It certainly looks like a massive improvement. If they can accomplish the stated goals when Dragonv2 meets the real world testing then it will without a doubt leave the vast majority of NASA, and its cost plus partners, launch capabilities looking like ancient history.

Musk is on it !!!

While I like the looks of a shuttle craft, the Dragon v2 may be a necessary step to getting back into space. NASA's shuttles were very old when the program ended, and there was no plan to replace the aging fleet (or what was left of it). Had they looked long term (and perhaps looked at smaller versions designed only for crew and small amounts of cargo) they may have been able to continue launching crew to the Space Station.

" business-class comfort" - but I don't see no cup holders! Seriously, one of the reasons it's so cheap is that they don't outsource production and development: No middlemen, more direct feedback and correctives in house.
What needs explanation, though, is the claim about the "SuperDraco engines, which are 200 times more powerful". That makes it sound it's only a step away from Warp drive :) Did the first unit have fewer engines? Does it use a higher octane fuel? Vastly bigger tanks? 200 times more powerful? Really?

Nice to see a billionaire actually doing something to help good science instead of impoverishing the world for profit.

If Dragon would have Focus Fusion engines with specific impulse around 1 000 000 - it could go to Mars without Falcon . So let's help it happen https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/focus-fusion-empowertheworld--3/x/7399178?show_todos=true

Elon Musk is the Howard Hughes of the 21st Century! The only thing left for him to do next is to start making hit movies and movie starlets. Afterall, Hawthorne is close to Hollywood.

For the time being lets skip the automated powered soft landing and get this thing tested for crew transport. The sooner we can flip off the Russians the better for everyone. This includes the Chinese and actually, the Russians as well. Eventually Putin will leave the scene and progressive democratic forces in Russia will get back on track. In the meantime we need to get back to having an independent path to space and the ISS.