Multi-Ship Expeditions, Starboat & Starship, Other.

Void · Yesterday 09:05:49

As always, I have the potential to be wrong.

I have been thinking about an "Upstairs Starship". This would be a Starship which typically does not land on the Earth but maybe at times might land on the Moon.

I am thinking that it would be made of "Ferroaluminum": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferroaluminum

The Melting point would be 1250 C, I think, which is lower than Stainless Steel. But it is corrosion resistant.

It would have less weight and less inertia. So aerobraking to aerocapture might be possible. Of course, it would have to be refilled by a "Standard Starship".

The objective would normally be to not dive too deep into the atmosphere before skipping off, to keep peak heating down.

But it would not be forbidden to have supplemental protections such as tiles and active cooling. It might be possible to have ports in the belly what would allow fluids to be injected under the belly. Ideally this cooling method could also be used in navigation though the atmosphere.

The purpose of a machine like this would be to take possession of a package from a "Standard Starship" and bring it to a higher orbit.

This would probably be for freight.

It is possible that it could be in association with a Electric Rocket System.

This then would be a intermediary between a "Standard Starship", and an Electric Rocket System.

So, the "Standard Starship" might refill it with Methane and Oxygen but also perhaps an Argon/Xenon mix. The Electric Rocket System with large solar panels staying out of the atmosphere even at very high altitude would provide shade and cooling power to keep the boil-off problem under control.

Perhaps the Electric Rocket System, would not go as low as the ISS is to reduce drag. (Perhaps).

The "Upstairs Starship", then being linked to the Electric Rocket System could as a hybrid travel to an orbit of the Moon. To come back, the combination might separate at some point so that the "Upstairs Starship" could use air braking to get it down to take payload from a "Standard Starship".

And of course I am hoping that eventually the Electric Rocket System could be switched to a metal propellant such as Neumann Drive or Magdrive might allow.

In that case, refilling could be done at the Moon orbit. Both Metals propellants, and Oxygen.

Ending Pending

Last edited by Void (Yesterday 09:22:19)

Void · Yesterday 10:31:02

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/r … &FORM=VIRE Quote:

SpaceX Revealed Starship-Dragon Combination Plan to Reach the Moon Faster than China & BO…
YouTube
GREAT SPACEX
44 views

I think it makes sense to separate the Lunar Space Station effort from the Moon Landing Effort.

Perhaps later then the two could be joined in some way.

In reference to my just prior post here, I am thinking that in the deep future, a "Upstairs Starship" might have its engines in its belly. This would allow it to fire its engines during aerobraking to protect it's belly from excess heat. The engines should be desired to be allowed to fire a reduced temperature mix, such as 90% Methane/10% Oxygen.

But when properly used, it may not be a problem to use the engines to travel towards the Moon, when in a vacuum.

Engines being in the belly, then they would also be suitable for landing on the Moon.

To get this thing to orbit it may need raptors in its tail, but upon reaching orbit those could be removed partially or entirely.

My notion is that this ship would not land on Earth ever again but might do repeated skips on the Earth's atmosphere. As this would take time, so a capsule return of crew would be appropriate.

Having a Starship escort a capsule both to and from the Moon, would give the capsule additional protections such as radiation protection in many cases.

Ending Pending

Last edited by Void (Yesterday 10:38:41)

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Re: Multi-Ship Expeditions, Starboat & Starship, Other.

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Re: Multi-Ship Expeditions, Starboat & Starship, Other.

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