nacnud - 23/6/2007 11:25 AMI'm having trouble visualizing how this works. I think that the vehicle docks with the ISS via a CBM and the pressurized cargo is removed from the 10' domed section, and the unpressurised cargo on the 13-21 frames (what are these, something already in use on the shuttle?) is removed via the SSRMS. For entry the vehicle splits into three, the front shell (unpressurised cargo) the back shell (solar panels, propellant bottles etc) and the pressurised section which is fitted with TPS and and chutes. Only the pressurised section survives entry for recovery.Is this right?It seems like a nice design to my ill informed eyes. Are there any obvious problems with this?PS N2H4 thrusters are mono-propellant, correct?PPS And why on earth have they got a separation plane between the thrusters and prop tanks? I imagine it's due to CoM issues but that's a lot of extra things to cut.
Kayla - 23/6/2007 7:57 AMActually, every element shown in the picture is currently flying or about to fly on various vehicles today: Avionics, power, thrusters, N2H4 & He bottles, valves, regulators, primary structure and most of the software. This winds up primarily being an integration effort.
simonbp - 23/6/2007 7:58 PMSo, SpaceHab got a Space Act agreement for kludging together some Atlas/Centaur bits and pieces, together with a completely unproven recovery system?
nacnud - 23/6/2007 10:25 AMI'm having trouble visualizing how this works. I think that the vehicle docks with the ISS via a CBM and the pressurized cargo is removed from the 10' domed section, and the unpressurised cargo on the 13-21 frames (what are these, something already in use on the shuttle?) is removed via the SSRMS. For entry the vehicle splits into three, the front shell (unpressurised cargo) the back shell (solar panels, propellant bottles etc) and the pressurised section which is fitted with TPS and and chutes. Only the pressurised section survives entry for recovery.Is this right?
yinzer - 24/6/2007 9:08 AMI'd also imagine that ARCTUS will do the HTV-style close-and-hold-station-then-let-the-SSRMS-grab-and-berth thing.
Marsman - 24/6/2007 3:38 PMPerhaps a variant of the Centaur is used for two or three orbital maneuvers to get it close to the ISS? Direct insertion with Centaur?