Author Topic: LAS for non human payloads.  (Read 7768 times)

Offline Jim

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Re: LAS for non human payloads.
« Reply #20 on: 03/14/2014 01:52 am »
uote]

But what about on a 787  ;D

From what I can tell the reasons not to offer it are.
A. the fering is not water tight/structurally able to withstand splashdown
B. the g-load requirements are too high for current payloads

Both of these are serious problems but I don't think they are insurmountable. 
 

787 is designed to be pressurized, a fairing is not and in fact does its best to prevent a pressure differential during ascent.  They are insurmountable in that they would leave no performance for a reasonable payload

Offline Adaptation

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Re: LAS for non human payloads.
« Reply #21 on: 03/14/2014 02:04 am »
>1.  your 3.6% increase is unfounded.

I thought you provided the 3.6% figure.

>2.  You are forgetting all the money to refurb the spacecraft. 

Your right, it will at least need to be re-qualified.

>3.  The payload mass is going to be greater than 15%

Yes... I don't get what you are saying.  Did you mean to assert that the mass penalty of adding las will be grater than 15%?

>4. You are forgetting the redesign of the spacecraft to allow for the loads and retrieval and the functionally lose from the mass increase of payload

That is a point I already conceded.  And its not a redesign if its a new satellite built to spec. 

>6.  The mods costs are going to be as much as the rocket development cost.

I'm sure the mods will be much more because the super dracos are already developed paid for by dragon so that work is free.  So is most of the hardware for controlling the rockets.  They would have to be re-positioned and software tweaked a bit.  A modified dragon trunk and faring would have to be designed and verified so there is some development needed.  But compared to some of the stuff SpaceX does these days this doesn't seem so hard.   Hell Musk would probably swing it as dual purpose, cargo LAS // unpressurized lunar decent vehicle.
« Last Edit: 03/14/2014 02:08 am by Adaptation »

Offline Adaptation

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Re: LAS for non human payloads.
« Reply #22 on: 03/14/2014 02:06 am »
787 is designed to be pressurized, a fairing is not and in fact does its best to prevent a pressure differential during ascent.  They are insurmountable in that they would leave no performance for a reasonable payload

The joke was a parachute on a 747 wont work but would it work on a 787.
« Last Edit: 03/14/2014 02:07 am by Adaptation »

Offline meekGee

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Re: LAS for non human payloads.
« Reply #23 on: 03/14/2014 02:12 am »
The design of a standard fairing is incompatible with LAS.  Fairings were not built with LAS in mind.

But the question was about LAS for cargo in general.  And with cargo, some cargo may be irreplaceable, so the motivation goes beyond insurance rates.

A cargo carrier (e.g. Cargo Dragon) can definitely have LAS, and what more, it can also trade the parachute for extra propellant for a softer post-abort landing.

You can also imagine a cargo carrier that's designed for satellites.  Not your standard fairing, but something that is designed from the start to be reusable, and LAS compatible.  It will weigh more, but that's just a trade off.
ABCD - Always Be Counting Down

Offline Jim

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Re: LAS for non human payloads.
« Reply #24 on: 03/14/2014 02:19 am »
The design of a standard fairing is incompatible with LAS.  Fairings were not built with LAS in mind.


Nor were spacecraft

Offline Andy USA

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Re: LAS for non human payloads.
« Reply #25 on: 03/14/2014 02:25 am »
Locked as a previously discussed item.

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