Author Topic: What would you launch with 53mt to LEO ? (Read 139424 times)

ugordan · « **Reply #20 on:** 04/08/2011 03:23 pm »

I wouldn't launch anything of the 50 ton sort to LEO. In some parallel universe where FH is flying and is certified for nuclear payloads, I'd use all its throw mass to launch a Jupiter Europa mission already.

mrhuggy · « **Reply #21 on:** 04/08/2011 03:39 pm »

I would be in favour of a science experiment. The idea would be to launch a huge bit of Granite in a highly elliptical orbit. It would go out and come back in enter the atmosphere and target a area of Earth for impact.

This would allow a rear occurrence to be observed and asteroid impact on Earth.

Nomadd · « **Reply #22 on:** 04/08/2011 05:29 pm »

Launch a fuel depot.

jimgagnon · « **Reply #23 on:** 04/08/2011 05:30 pm »

Dragon with Falcon 9 upper stage injected into lunar orbit, let it linger there for a while, and then fire for a ballistic reentry back to California. Demonstrating a lunar trip with launch and return to the same site would be a historic first, the sort of PR that SpaceX (and its investors) loves.

JohnFornaro · « **Reply #24 on:** 04/08/2011 07:16 pm »

Quote from: tigerade on 04/08/2011 06:26 am

53mt worth of cheese?

I'm pretty sure this isn't a good idea, but I've been wrong about these sort of things before, so I won't insist upon it.

Quote from: hyper_snyper on 04/08/2011 12:31 pm

Find the most un-recyclable trash on Earth...

I thought that the current practice of cleaning up after your dog with a tissue and a baggie was a good technique, but perhaps I am wrong about that one too.

Quote from: gospacex on 04/08/2011 12:48 pm

The absolutely hugest possible inflatable ball with SpaceX log on it.

True, they could do that, maybe even call the device "Echo", but I don't know about the SpaceX log. What about the SpaceX twig, or the SpaceX branch instead?

Quote from: Bubbinski on 04/08/2011 01:37 pm

Maybe an enormous earth observation satellite controlled entirely by the public, with dozens of cameras that provide a 24/7 live stream.

I ran this one by a divorce lawyer in the area, and he gave it the thumbs up. As to "test fuel", that appears to be a lesser grade than, uh, "hi-test fuel", and might not be considered worthwhile.

Quote from: notherspacexfan on 04/08/2011 01:48 pm

How about a few million postcards?

On the face of it, a useful suggestion, although stationkeeping would be problematic.

Quote from: ugordan on 04/08/2011 03:23 pm

In some parallel universe ...

Comments about parallel universii probably ought to be carried on in a parallel thread.

Just tryin' to be helpful. I gotta go now.

kch · « **Reply #25 on:** 04/08/2011 07:27 pm »

Quote from: JohnFornaro on 04/08/2011 07:16 pm

Quote from: tigerade on 04/08/2011 06:26 am
53mt worth of cheese?

I'm pretty sure this isn't a good idea, but I've been wrong about these sort of things before, so I won't insist upon it.

Should be just about enough to restock this place:

edkyle99 · « **Reply #26 on:** 04/08/2011 08:32 pm »

Quote from: savuporo on 04/08/2011 05:07 am

Suppose the first Falcon Heavy flight was completely free, not booked.

What would you put on it, as a payload ? Assume it would actually be configured for their claimed 53mt to LEO capability.

LEO, Shmeo!

I would attach a small instrument package to the upper stage and have it the stage restart from LEO for a lunar flyby en route to solar orbit. If someone wanted to spend some bucks, the instrument package could be outfitted with propulsion and used to steer itself or the upper stage to lunar impact or lunar orbit.

Alternatively, I would minimize payload and burn the upper stage to depletion, to see how fast she would go, and aim her in the general direction of Jupiter or some-such.

Or, finally, I would turn the flight into a straight up-ish suborbital flight, to see how high she would go. Good for tracking coverage!

There's always Triana...

Of course the important task is to demonstrate ascent to low earth parking orbit, so that's probably what will really happen. Boooor-innnng!

- Ed Kyle

Mark S · « **Reply #27 on:** 04/08/2011 08:49 pm »

Shouldn't the title of this thread be something like:

Will there by any payloads for FH? Huh, will there? Come on, I dare you! Double-dog dare!

That's about the tone we get with SLS-related "payload" threads.

Edit: Just kidding around on Friday afternoon, not meant in a mean way.

Patchouli · « **Reply #28 on:** 04/08/2011 09:42 pm »

For a test payload I'd be tempted to do beyond LEO as was done on the first Delta-IV heavy mission.

I think a good payload could be a Dragon capsule plus several Google lunar x prize landers.

Dragon could be placed on lunar free return while the F9 US does a few correction burns to impact the moon.

Or the whole mess be injected to a direct lunar trajectory and Dragon uses it's own engines to change it's course to a lunar free return.

gospacex · « **Reply #29 on:** 04/08/2011 09:52 pm »

Quote from: savuporo on 04/08/2011 05:07 am

Suppose the first Falcon Heavy flight was completely free, not booked.

What would you put on it, as a payload ? Assume it would actually be configured for their claimed 53mt to LEO capability.

Another idea: big dumb interplanetary stage.

"Big dumb" in a sense that it isn't designed to be alive for long, and doesn't aim to fly by any particular planet - that'd be an expensive undertaking, and I assume SpaceX doesn't want to spend much money on the payload which has high-ish chances to be lost in this test launch.

So, a spin-stabilized 50 mt LOX/RP-1 stage with single Merlin Vacuum (possibly refurbished one after development firings), one long firing at perigee, and let it go as fast and as far as it can!

Ronsmytheiii · « **Reply #30 on:** 04/08/2011 10:17 pm »

Or 53 mT of concrete ballast since this will be a pretty risky first flight and if I had a payload I wouldn't want it to be on the first flight.

There might be some microsats, but more than likely there will only be a mass simulator.

jhoblik · « **Reply #31 on:** 04/08/2011 10:51 pm »

I will launch 50t Water "canister". It has to be pushed to high orbit tp stay their for 10-30 years, for future Mars mission.

savuporo · « **Reply #32 on:** 04/08/2011 11:30 pm »

I just got a one word suggestion of "congress" in a private message, which i think is a marvellous idea as well.

Gregori · « **Reply #33 on:** 04/09/2011 12:16 am »

Scaled up Bigelow Modules bigger than the BA330 for a Commercial Space Station.

A large version of Dragon or Dreamchaser that can take 50+ people to LEO.

Solar electric tugs, that can efficiently preposition hypergolic landers and return craft in lunar orbit without need for cryogenic propellant depots.

Huge chunk of lead

A_M_Swallow · « **Reply #34 on:** 04/09/2011 12:51 am »

I suspect that the first FH can only lift about 35 metric tons.

Lift a container of low cost supplies such as water and tea shirts. Put docking ports on both ends of the container so a tug can push the container to a space station. By 2014 there will hopefully be a choice of two spacestations to supply.

Patchouli · « **Reply #35 on:** 04/09/2011 12:52 am »

Quote from: Ronsmytheiii on 04/08/2011 10:17 pm

Or 53 mT of concrete ballast since this will be a pretty risky first flight and if I had a payload I wouldn't want it to be on the first flight.

There might be some microsats, but more than likely there will only be a mass simulator.

Doesn't seem Spacex's style they only did a mass simulator after 3 failures.

If they do fly a mass simulator it'll probably look like something and even be instrumented see F9 flight one.

Personally due to the high performance of Falcon heavy I'd try to crash the upper stage and mass simulator into the moon.

Maybe even include a lander built by Armadillo.

tnphysics · « **Reply #36 on:** 04/09/2011 03:08 am »

A science probe-probably to Europa-or a telescope.

IF this was after the FH was proven, it would be...a mission to place a person on Mars, and return her/him safely to the Earth. Richard P. Speck says it could be done with an F9 regular, so there is a lot of margin here.

Patchouli · « **Reply #37 on:** 04/09/2011 03:25 am »

Quote from: tnphysics on 04/09/2011 03:08 am

A science probe-probably to Europa-or a telescope.

IF this was after the FH was proven, it would be...a mission to place a person on Mars, and return her/him safely to the Earth. Richard P. Speck says it could be done with an F9 regular, so there is a lot of margin here.

Use two FH's to land some people on the moon and bring them back it would be easier then Mars.

Though doing serious BEO work with FH means getting a high energy upper stage either Raptor or somehow get Spacex to use a third party stage.

joek · « **Reply #38 on:** 04/09/2011 04:39 am »

Something to make the worst Luddites, joe sixpack, and the rest of the world go out and look up--and maybe rekindle some of the awe, wonder and hope many seem to have forgotten or lost...

53mt of glitter or crystals or something dispensed so as to produce a large rainbow effect very visible for 48-72hrs. Obviously don't want to contribute to orbital debris and be eco-freindly; I would hope and expect it could be done in a responsible manner.* What would it take?

Spacex said they're embarking on a PR campaign... OK Mr. Musk, here's a chance to take it up a notch. Reach out and touch virtually all of humanity with something that takes their breath away. You won't get close to that no matter how many press conferences, glossies, adverts and youtube videos you produce.

* Astronomers will undoubtedly hate it (and I empathize), but they may benefit if it produces renewed interest.

Bubbinski · « **Reply #39 on:** 04/09/2011 06:21 am »

OK...I have a better idea for a payload for the first test flight in polar orbit. I had earlier mentioned an enormous earth observation satellite. Instead of that - how about 53 mt (or whatever payload capacity is) worth of microsats, perhaps mass produced customizable "personal satellites" built around a digital camera, a gyroscope, a small control unit, communication device, and solar panels. I'm sure a lot of people would jump at the chance to have their own "Sputnik", and they could watch the earth or space through the camera.

Of course, to reduce the risk of space debris, these microsats would need to be in a low orbit that decays after 6 - 12 months or so. Their orbital insertion would also need to be carefully controlled to prevent collisions with each other and with other satellites.