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publiusr

Banned

From: Alabama

Registered: 2005-02-24

Posts: 682

Re: Aldrin's Cyclers

Then its die then--because it won't happen. Killing Shuttle architecture kills the support you need for future HLLV's of any kind. That will be every bit the travesty as the loss of Saturn V.

Before long--we will still be stuck in LEO--but with capsules: we will have reduced budgets--but still have a lot of make-work to keep politico's happy--for they will not support any space venture if jobs are killed.

It all depends on what the next war will be.

Thankfully, a lot of people do not want the 39-pads dead.

You must be related to Proxmire somewhere down the road  :laugh:

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,425

Re: Aldrin's Cyclers

For SpaceNut repair request ..

The message by Hop at 2005-04-04 02:17:34 is not displaying properly.

Any chance you can tweak it?

It contains discussion of tethers for momentum transfer.

Thanks (th)

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: Aldrin's Cyclers

Well that should make that quite a bit better for reading now.

I was reminded by reading a bit of the comments that once the optimal window for launch is passed that no rescue or repairs can be had by those on the cycler in either directions that one might be launched from. Which is also true for the mars return wind as well.

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: Aldrin's Cyclers

Seems that we could turn the gateway into something more in that MORPH THE GATEWAY INTO AN EARTH-MARS CYCLER? TRAJECTORIES TO/FROM MARS

Calliban

Member

From: Northern England, UK

Registered: 2019-08-18

Posts: 3,795

Re: Aldrin's Cyclers

It would seem like the right time to resurrect this topic.  Cycler spacecraft would come into their own when traffic volumes between Earth and Mars reached thousands of people per year.  Once it is established on an orbit crossing the orbits of both Earth and Mars, Aldrin Cyclers would function as space stations, complete with closed life support systems, with on-board food production, oxygen and water recycling.  The stations would be shielded against solar flares and cosmic rays and could be provided with artificial gravity.  It is of interest to note that an Earth-Mars Aldrin Cycler would have apogee of about 2.2AU.  In addition to facilitating Mars colonisation, a cycler may also facilitate colonisation of the inner portions of the belt.

The principle advantage of a cycler is that it allows human beings to transit to Mars and other destinations without having to accelerate and decelerate a heavy ship at each end of the journey.  It is also unnecessary for each passenger to take with them victuals for the journey, as cyclers will be equipped with CELSS.  Instead, relatively small taxi craft would take passengers from Low Orbit to the cycler and back.  Total mass shipped per passenger travelling on an established cycler, may be as little as 100kg.  The taxi would be a lot more like an airliner, than a cruise ship.

The idea works best if most of the mass used to build the cycler can be sourced from Mars, with only complex systems being provided by Earth.  The flow of people to an from Mars would be staggered something like this:

1) Starship launches would operate more or less continuously between Earth surface and LEO.  People would wait on LEO space stations until a cycler came in range.

2) People would then be ferried in large batches to the cycler, using low mass and somewhat cramped taxi vehicles, a journey that would take no longer than a few days.

3) The journey on the cycler would take 4-8 months.  During this time, passengers would have shipboard duties maintaining the cycler internal systems.

4) At approach to Mars, taxi vehicles would dock at the cycler and carry passengers to a Phobos station.

5) Starship would operate continuously between Mars surface and Phobos, ferrying passengers to and fro.

Last edited by Calliban (2021-08-13 03:45:03)

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"Plan and prepare for every possibility, and you will never act. It is nobler to have courage as we stumble into half the things we fear than to analyse every possible obstacle and begin nothing. Great things are achieved by embracing great dangers."

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,425

Re: Aldrin's Cyclers

For Calliban re #30

Nice update for this topic!

SearchTerm:Phobos as Transit Station for Aldrin Cyclers
SearchTerm:Cycler Aldrin style or variations - Update by Calliban showing options available with Starship concept from SpaceX

Note need for specialized transport vehicles to catch cyclers as they pass Earth and Mars.

Impressive!

(th)