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http://transformspace.com/Background.htm]tSpace has some exciting ideas about creating a sustainable means of returning to the moon to stay.
Check out their website; they have a good presentation to show off. I like the "flotilla" idea; von Braun had a similar concept for his Mars mission. I also like the tankers, as they create the infrastructure for greater reusaility and in-situ resource utilization.
My biggest complaint is the sheer number of launches needed per mission. Sixteen S1 tankers will have to be launched for each S2 tanker. And each mission requires two S2 tankers, two S2 CEV's, and multiple C1 CXV's. So there will be a lot of launches.
The tSpace philiosophy is that an air-launch system (using a carrier airplane and an expenable rocket) or the Kistler K1 will be able to fly so many times that the number of launches will be moot; I am very skeptical. I much prefer using fewer launches of a Shuttle/Atlas/Delta-derived rocket.
Who needs Michael Griffin when you can have Peter Griffin? Catch "Family Guy" Sunday nights on FOX.
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Ah again, the billion-thimble-full strategy, continuing in the fine tradition of progressively lowering the bar so the AltSpace folks can get into the game... Kind of sad really.
[i]"The power of accurate observation is often called cynicism by those that do not have it." - George Bernard Shaw[/i]
[i]The glass is at 50% of capacity[/i]
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Return to the moon to stay? Why would anyone want to?
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Ah again, the billion-thimble-full strategy, continuing in the fine tradition of progressively lowering the bar so the AltSpace folks can get into the game... Kind of sad really.
SDV tankers (shuttle C) would seem to work just fine. :;):
Launch 70,000-80,000 kg of fuel with a cluster of RL-10s or RL-60s stuck on the bottom.
Mate with whatever and go wherever you want. . .
Give someone a sufficient [b][i]why[/i][/b] and they can endure just about any [b][i]how[/i][/b]
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Return to the moon to stay? Why would anyone want to?
To mine the moon, exploit its precious metals, set up a base for thrill-seekers, and collect solar power for the earth--that's why we need to stay on the moon.
Who needs Michael Griffin when you can have Peter Griffin? Catch "Family Guy" Sunday nights on FOX.
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Tspace should be lobbying congress for funds to build the much needed ships whether nasa has a hand in them or not with regards to launching them.
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Return to the moon to stay? Why would anyone want to?
Why not? We're leaving the cradle here, right?
It's a start.
A mind is like a parachute- it works best when open.
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Return to the moon to stay? Why would anyone want to?
It is a natural step, in my opinion at least.
Check out their website; they have a good presentation to show off
But they have a badly designed website which never helps any presentation.
Graeme
There was a young lady named Bright.
Whose speed was far faster than light;
She set out one day
in a relative way
And returned on the previous night.
--Arthur Buller--
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The key point is that the individual launches will be much less expensive, with small and simple craft being launched instead of large and elaborate ones. Smaller and simpler craft also allow for much more rapid design iterations. Even though many more launches would be involved, I expect that the t/Space approach would be considerably less expensive than the sorts of things Boeing and Lockheed Martin are proposing.
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"allow for much more rapid design iterations"
Except the big one: rocket fuel. The fuel is still the big problem, that it isn't going to get any better then the cryogenic liquids, light hydrocarbons, hypergolics, or peroxides.
I doubt very much their strategy would cheaper, the efficency of launching so many small tanks is pitiful, especially if you are using Hydrogen/Oxygen rockets. The additional tankage mass would be a killer.
Then you have to worry about docking all those fuel tanks.
And assembling any payload to go anywhere with launches smaller then 20MT is just stupid too... If tSpace does get a contract, they better hang on to the profits, so they can mount legal defense when they get sued for failing to live up to the contract.
[i]"The power of accurate observation is often called cynicism by those that do not have it." - George Bernard Shaw[/i]
[i]The glass is at 50% of capacity[/i]
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Well tspace is working hard on the vision with or without large Nasa contracts.
t/Space Demonstrates New Air-Launch Technology
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Dropping a dummy rocket booster... wa-hoo. And they botherd to issue a press statement?
[i]"The power of accurate observation is often called cynicism by those that do not have it." - George Bernard Shaw[/i]
[i]The glass is at 50% of capacity[/i]
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Well you missed the point of it being the only such drop test to release the payload horizontally and to have it drop such as to right itself into a vertical launch position. On others attempt to do so.
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DoD should like it. That 23% dummy could be an ASAT easily enough.
Give someone a sufficient [b][i]why[/i][/b] and they can endure just about any [b][i]how[/i][/b]
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I liked the fact that they used money NASA intended only for paper studies and were able to produce a real-world test. Shows a level of effiency and can-do attitutude that is usually missing in the bigger aerospace corps.
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Uh Bill... the thing was a mockup. A steel barrel with a dummy fiberglass nozzle, and not anything the least bit like a real rocket other then its shape.
They "can do" absolutely nothing
[i]"The power of accurate observation is often called cynicism by those that do not have it." - George Bernard Shaw[/i]
[i]The glass is at 50% of capacity[/i]
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DoD is giving them a chance.
Give someone a sufficient [b][i]why[/i][/b] and they can endure just about any [b][i]how[/i][/b]
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Because you say so?
Like Falcon? Like the sub-orbital industry not being able to lead to an orbital industry?
What it is made of is meaningless, it was a test to determine if the process was sound. And the test was successful in that regard. Sure, they need to take this further, but it is a good first step.
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Could be more difficult to do this with a liquid fueled rocket, because of the fuel swapping in the tanks. But should work fine with solid boosters.
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That would be worst if the tanks are partially filled and not under pressure.
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Dropping a dummy rocket booster... wa-hoo. And they botherd to issue a press statement?
GasCore...
Remember the first droptests of the crv's (R.I.P.)
lots of pressreleases, even video's online.
And it was just a mockup on a chute, too...
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http://www.transformspace.com/document_ … df]T/Space test program paper
Give someone a sufficient [b][i]why[/i][/b] and they can endure just about any [b][i]how[/i][/b]
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The physical sensation of a t/Space launch may well be unique.
Imagine free fall after release from the carrier plane, essentially zero-gee, followed nearly instantly by a multi-gee kick in the back.
I wonder if 1 gee to 4 gees "feels different" for a human body than "0 gee to 3 gees"
Give someone a sufficient [b][i]why[/i][/b] and they can endure just about any [b][i]how[/i][/b]
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I wonder if 1 gee to 4 gees "feels different" for a human body than "0 gee to 3 gees"
Ask any astronaut returning from orbit I'd guess...
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I wonder if 1 gee to 4 gees "feels different" for a human body than "0 gee to 3 gees"
Ask any astronaut returning from orbit I'd guess...
True.
I should read whether re-entry gees develop "slowly" or wham just hit all at once.
Give someone a sufficient [b][i]why[/i][/b] and they can endure just about any [b][i]how[/i][/b]
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