Remember: Low Earth Orbit is a PRISON -- It's WAY past time for a JAILBREAK... Sigh
With the new "flexible path" now on the agenda I am wondering what missions to the lunar surface could emerge should Congress push the issue....Thoughts?
Quote from: Nathan on 02/07/2010 01:43 amWith the new "flexible path" now on the agenda I am wondering what missions to the lunar surface could emerge should Congress push the issue....Thoughts?Before answering out how to put men on the Moon, tell me what's on the Moon worth sending astronauts? Same thing goes for NEOs and Martian moons.
One thing I like about this - it seems it could be done without developing loads of new technologies. Each mission would be about the same duration as a Shuttle mission, for instance.With a decent budget, it also looks like it would allow a scatter-gun approach to sampling multiple places around the Moon. Just see what serendipity turns up.If it could be done in parallel to game-changing research, would give much more info about where to send the longer missions later on. Maybe even were we'd want to setup a base.Martin
Quote from: tamarack on 02/07/2010 03:23 pmBefore answering out how to put men on the Moon, tell me what's on the Moon worth sending astronauts? Same thing goes for NEOs and Martian moons.titanium, gold, platinum, iron, nickel....the average worth of a single NEO nickel-iron asteroid is more than most countries total value.
Before answering out how to put men on the Moon, tell me what's on the Moon worth sending astronauts? Same thing goes for NEOs and Martian moons.
Quote from: Downix on 02/07/2010 03:30 pmQuote from: tamarack on 02/07/2010 03:23 pmBefore answering out how to put men on the Moon, tell me what's on the Moon worth sending astronauts? Same thing goes for NEOs and Martian moons.titanium, gold, platinum, iron, nickel....the average worth of a single NEO nickel-iron asteroid is more than most countries total value.Lunar exploration cannot be justified in such a way.It's still only speculation those elements exists and in what quantities on NEOs. They are likely absent on Mars' moons and you failed to consider the cost of transit in your business case.
Quote from: MP99 on 02/07/2010 11:23 amOne thing I like about this - it seems it could be done without developing loads of new technologies. Each mission would be about the same duration as a Shuttle mission, for instance.With a decent budget, it also looks like it would allow a scatter-gun approach to sampling multiple places around the Moon. Just see what serendipity turns up.If it could be done in parallel to game-changing research, would give much more info about where to send the longer missions later on. Maybe even were we'd want to setup a base.MartinMost of this could be done with big rovers FAR more cost and mass efficiently. The time limitations alone on such a short mission means there won't be much scientific return. This is grasping at straws.
With the new "flexible path" now on the agenda I am wondering what missions to the lunar surface could emerge should Congress push the issue.One option is a Rapid Lunar Sortie.
Quote from: MATTBLAK on 02/07/2010 10:14 amRemember: Low Earth Orbit is a PRISON -- It's WAY past time for a JAILBREAK... Sigh I used to love your tag line ... now it is just soulfully sad an ironic.Almost like we have been put in triple lockdown without a parole hearing for 20 years or something ...
Quote from: tamarack on 02/07/2010 03:23 pmBefore answering out how to put men on the Moon, tell me what's on the Moon worth sending astronauts? Same thing goes for NEOs and Martian moons.A valid question but incomplete list. Same thing goes for NEOS, Martian moons and Mars.
Quote from: Hop_David on 02/07/2010 05:43 pmQuote from: tamarack on 02/07/2010 03:23 pmBefore answering out how to put men on the Moon, tell me what's on the Moon worth sending astronauts? Same thing goes for NEOs and Martian moons.A valid question but incomplete list. Same thing goes for NEOS, Martian moons and Mars.OT: Mars is a much more complex destination and is ill-served by the 'scratch and sniff' robotic exploration to date. It requires human visits.
Hardly worth doing, then: this is exactly the type of thing Apollo was (often wrongly) criticised for -- flags and footprints, not much science for a lot of risk and a mission that achieves not much beyond the accomplishment of the landing itself.
What about using a small lander like this as a taxi to the surface? We are talking about sorties but if there was a small base module on the surface the mission could be weeks instead of hours. Also if there is a habitat already there on the surface there is no need to build one in to the lander. Keeps the lander light with no pressure hull. It would be sort of like how a Soyuz on its own isn't very capable but when used with the ISS an impressive program was created. The astronauts land and walk off their unpressurized lander over to the airlock on the habitat.The habitat wouldn't have to be big and it might be an advantage to keep it small. If it was small and cheep enough many could be placed in different locations. Logistics could be simplified if there was no need to resupply. Put all the supplies on the habitat for a few weeks and launch it. When it runs out launch another one somewhere else. Get done with one area leave and move on. There are probably a million problems with this idea though.
But the mission wouldn't be flags and footprints. It would be sample collection by a trained geologist and a specific site for a specific scientific purpose. Leave the flags at home and get on with the mission! Besides - I'm not sure how much more Altair would have given us.