Author Topic: Cygnus Cislunar Space Habitation  (Read 4708 times)

Offline Chris Bergin

Cygnus Cislunar Space Habitation
« on: 09/26/2016 05:04 pm »
Just released:



Edit/Lar: Fix thread title
« Last Edit: 09/27/2016 10:28 pm by Lar »
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Offline Khadgars

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Re: Cygnus Cislunar Space Habitation
« Reply #1 on: 09/26/2016 05:17 pm »
I don't hate it  ;D
Evil triumphs when good men do nothing - Thomas Jefferson

Offline Chalmer

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Re: Cygnus Cislunar Space Habitation
« Reply #2 on: 09/26/2016 05:22 pm »
Nice video!

Looks awesome, but also expensive. Close to best case for SLS based architecture I think.



Offline Space Ghost 1962

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Re: Cygnus Cislunar Space Habitation
« Reply #3 on: 09/26/2016 05:59 pm »
Best media OA has yet produced. They are on the BO/SX level of ambition. Their use of SLS/OA components is a hundred times more believable as a mission plan/architecture than the anemic EM1/2 plan of Congress, and better than the asteroid mission in terms of vision. Assuming that the mythical propulsion system shown at the end could be brought off - seems too small, unless they'd preposition a return propulsion module at Mars ahead of MOI. (add: likely placed there by PV Ion propulsion module on the "slow path" with OI burns for entry/exit - like to see that added).

You'd need 4-5x existing SLS budget for lunar then Mars for this. And a reliable long lived cryo propulsion in space stage, landers, significant mission support for sorties.

Can't wait to compare this with SX's soon to be released story of Mars. Please Jeff Bezos, do one as well. Then Boeing and LM will have to up their game as well. China too? Doubt Russia/India will dare.

Let's have everyone who can ... give us there vision as to going to Mars. Then Bob Zubrin can contrast them all ...
« Last Edit: 09/26/2016 06:03 pm by Space Ghost 1962 »

Offline rayleighscatter

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Re: Cygnus Cislunar Space Habitation
« Reply #4 on: 09/27/2016 01:36 am »
Hatches on both ends of the Cygnus (presumably through the deletion of the propulsion system?). So a short Cygnus could also serve as a nearly ready made airlock for use with Orion or a station.

Online Welsh Dragon

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Re: Cygnus Cislunar Space Habitation
« Reply #5 on: 09/27/2016 06:57 am »
How long is the max free flying time of Cynus now? On the order of weeks? What modifications will be required fro long-term free flying with periodic visits? ECLSS? MMOD?
« Last Edit: 09/27/2016 10:29 pm by Lar »

Offline Calphor

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Re: Cygnus Cislunar Space Habitation
« Reply #6 on: 09/27/2016 04:36 pm »
(CisULnar in the title, don't think it has anything to do with your arms.....)

How long is the max free flying time of Cynus now? On the order of weeks? What modifications will be required fro long-term free flying with periodic visits? ECLSS? MMOD?

The Cygnus was originally designed to enable up to 1 year of free flight time, assuming that is the only mission. The primary limitation is prop load, since the solar panels are fixed and attitude control is performed by ACS thrusters. Future upgrades may add reaction wheels and/or movable solar arrays.

As for the second question, the NextStep out brief suggest that solar arrays and ECLSS would be the primary upgrades needs for hab use. The MMOD protection is actually already quite robust.


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Offline okan170

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Re: Cygnus Cislunar Space Habitation
« Reply #7 on: 09/28/2016 05:36 pm »
It'd probably be really prohibitive to do, but it really would be nice if there was a Cygnus variant (especially for this sort of application) that was the size of a full diameter ISS module.  We've seen a longer Cygnus... can they get fatter?

Offline baldusi

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Re: Cygnus Cislunar Space Habitation
« Reply #8 on: 09/28/2016 06:34 pm »
It'd probably be really prohibitive to do, but it really would be nice if there was a Cygnus variant (especially for this sort of application) that was the size of a full diameter ISS module.  We've seen a longer Cygnus... can they get fatter?
I don't think it would be particularly difficult, since Thales Alenia makes the PCM section from a reduced version of the original ISS pressurized sections. They might need to redo a bit the thrusters positioning, but nothing more serious than that.
The Cygnus is 3m because the Antares fairing is relatively small and its performance limited. If they had had a 15tonne launcher it would probably be 4m and have 8tonned of cargo capability.
The real question is if volume and mass would be at a premium. Current con ops show them flying along the Orion, and thus I would guess that they would be seriously mass limited. Now, if they have a dedicated launch, they could probably do a whole module. But then you should wonder how much of Cygnus would really be reused.

Offline sdsds

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Re: Cygnus Cislunar Space Habitation
« Reply #9 on: 09/29/2016 05:08 am »
I'd be interested in seeing a side by side comparison of this and the Boeing "path to Mars" Exploration Habitat. (PDF from http://beyondearth.com/path-to-mars/)

Are they essentially the same in:
- number of SLS launches?
- habitable volume?
- photo-voltaic power level?
- robotic arms, airlocks, etc?
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Offline jtrame

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Re: Cygnus Cislunar Space Habitation
« Reply #10 on: 09/29/2016 10:49 am »
It'd probably be really prohibitive to do, but it really would be nice if there was a Cygnus variant (especially for this sort of application) that was the size of a full diameter ISS module.  We've seen a longer Cygnus... can they get fatter?

Exactly.  By the time you put equipment racks in a standard diameter Cygnus, there is very little volume left for people.  It's a supply closet.

I can see it as a cargo ship supplying the DSH and docking at the node.  I don't see it as the solution for a DSH.  Co-manifesting is the problem here.  Co-manifest Orion and a cargo pod, fine.  Co-manifest Orion and a node, good.  But launch a sizeable DSH on a cargo SLS with the EUS and get something workable.

The requirement to do it all on one flight will only leave you with a minimal habitat.  You'll be spending more time in Orion just to stretch out.

Offline Oli

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Re: Cygnus Cislunar Space Habitation
« Reply #11 on: 09/29/2016 11:13 am »
The max. co-manifested payload on SLS 1B is ~10t. That's plenty.

The ISS' destiny module is 14.5t.

Not sure why the DSH modules are so small to be honest.
« Last Edit: 09/29/2016 11:45 am by Oli »

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