Quote from: Brovane on 09/23/2015 12:34 amQuote from: TomH on 09/22/2015 08:30 pm2. Since most launches are cargo anyway, and Orion is only going to HLO, would it make sense to transfer Orion to FH, make SLS cargo only, and delete EDS on SLS? Perhaps Dragon V2 on FH should replace Orion altogether; my WAG is FH could place manned Dragon in this orbit.The FH doesn't have the performance to send the Orion Capsule with SM to a HLO.I'm wondering how close a disposable FH with super-cyro prop and cross-feed could come to putting a DragonV2 in that orbit.
Quote from: TomH on 09/22/2015 08:30 pm2. Since most launches are cargo anyway, and Orion is only going to HLO, would it make sense to transfer Orion to FH, make SLS cargo only, and delete EDS on SLS? Perhaps Dragon V2 on FH should replace Orion altogether; my WAG is FH could place manned Dragon in this orbit.The FH doesn't have the performance to send the Orion Capsule with SM to a HLO.
2. Since most launches are cargo anyway, and Orion is only going to HLO, would it make sense to transfer Orion to FH, make SLS cargo only, and delete EDS on SLS? Perhaps Dragon V2 on FH should replace Orion altogether; my WAG is FH could place manned Dragon in this orbit.
I think that is what a lot of people (myself included) is hoping for once the current administration leaves office.
Quote from: TomH on 09/23/2015 01:37 amAnyway, Musk will have astronauts on Mars long before NASA even flies by an asteroid.You seem to be assuming that Musk is going to pay for his own astronauts to Mars. He has never indicated that. And in fact if you look at what he has said, he has always indicated an intent to provide capability that somebody else is going to pay at least part of the cost. The most he's talked about is partnerships. NASA would have to be a major partner in that.So abandon the idea that Elon Musk is funding his own human mission to Mars and will save us all.
Anyway, Musk will have astronauts on Mars long before NASA even flies by an asteroid.
NASA have proposed ISRU for Mars surface missions but there is nothing about ISRU in Phobo missions.Being able to extract oxygen from Phobos especially for rocket fuel would dramatically reduce mission costs.
{snip}Point being, until something lands on either moon, "eats" the dirt to "taste" what they're made of, there's no way to plan what kind of ISRU to use.The only thing that might change things to warrant ISRU would be a dedicated probe visiting Phobos/Deimos, and on top of that we'd further assume it finds something easy to process rich in water or hydrogen.
Quote from: redliox on 09/27/2015 10:02 pm{snip}Point being, until something lands on either moon, "eats" the dirt to "taste" what they're made of, there's no way to plan what kind of ISRU to use.The only thing that might change things to warrant ISRU would be a dedicated probe visiting Phobos/Deimos, and on top of that we'd further assume it finds something easy to process rich in water or hydrogen.If we are making propellent then an oxygen compound will do. One of the solar thermal processors being investigated for the Moon could be adapted for Phobos. The solar collectors would have to be about twice the size.http://www.solarthermalworld.org/sites/gstec/files/story/2015-05-24/vg09-268.pdfCarbon compounds on Phobos could be converted to something flammable like methane.