Could a cargo version of MCT haul large pieces of equipment like ground vehicles to the surface of Mars?
Huh? I never proposed that to be with a bottom heat shield. That's for a biconic aeroshell shape with the engines on the aft. So there is no need for consideration of engines going through a heat shield. Did you not see the various pictures I posted? Where did you get the idea I meant the engines would go through the heat shield?For the record, I feel [personally] about 90% sure a biconic aeroshell will be the same of MCT, not these various ovoid giant capsule shapes where there will be the engine/heatshield issue.Again....that's 90% is 100% my opinion. :-)
Quote from: sanman on 04/23/2015 01:57 amCould a cargo version of MCT haul large pieces of equipment like ground vehicles to the surface of Mars?Why would you bother to have a cargo MCT if it could not? Ground rovers/excavators/haulers would be the primary payloads for early missions.
To explore, you need a truck (battery powered) and a way to recharge (large deployable solar arrays). Way better than using a rocket.
I could see an earth grader to make a level building site or landing site, by pushing soil in a berm between the building site and the landing site. I could see a hauler or dump truck type vehicle to carry soil with ice frozen inside for water processing and fuel making.I could see a backhoe type vehicle for digging trenches for building semi-underground or underground.I could see all of these using the same type frame and electrical drive based on Tesla technology. I could also see them being coupled together like train engines to haul either ice or some type of Mars mineral like basalt, or other type of ore back to a processing center pulling connected cars. Mining companies use these type trackless trains in Australia carrying ore to coastal towns for shipments. If each vehicle weighs 2-3 tons that adds up to a lot of vehicles and weight on an MCT. I could see a small crane used to lift and load items onto trucks or even underground cylinder type units to be buried underground for shelters/homes. I could also see two of everything for the sake of if one is broken down, or while one is charging during the daylight, the other one is being used. Then the charged one is used the next day and rotated. I could also see the vehicles used as battery banks for night power after being charged during the day, especially during the 18 months that no shipments are sent to Mars.
Its not just about protecting the colony though, but also the spacecraft.
and making sure that you can set up more than one "camp" before you are building permanent berms, pads etc. to explore you need to land many places.
Quote from: Elmar Moelzer on 04/23/2015 12:04 amIts not just about protecting the colony though, but also the spacecraft.No it's MOSTLY about protecting the colony
Quote from: nadreck on 04/23/2015 12:30 amand making sure that you can set up more than one "camp" before you are building permanent berms, pads etc. to explore you need to land many places.You all know a "berm" is simply a built up dirt wall right? "Revetments" are usually faced with something and reinforced but berms can be loose soil covered by a tarp. All your looking for is something to absorb and/or deflect debris from a take-off or landing rocket blast.Randy
Quote from: Elmar Moelzer on 04/23/2015 12:04 amIts not just about protecting the colony though, but also the spacecraft.No it's MOSTLY about protecting the colony I've already mentioned already landed and not readying for take off vehicles would be "sheltered" in individual revetment/berm structures.I don't know if I mentioned it or not but the BEST practice is in fact to tow a launching MCT onto a launch pad surrounded by a berm to protect everything from debris of the blast off. You could do without the individual berms that way. You probably would need a large area that with a blocking berm for landing after which he MCT would be towed to the other side of the berm for unloading/loading and maintenance. Then its towed to the launch pad, fueled any crew passengers board and launch. Repeat with the next outgoing launch.Quote from: nadreck on 04/23/2015 12:30 amand making sure that you can set up more than one "camp" before you are building permanent berms, pads etc. to explore you need to land many places.You all know a "berm" is simply a built up dirt wall right? "Revetments" are usually faced with something and reinforced but berms can be loose soil covered by a tarp. All your looking for is something to absorb and/or deflect debris from a take-off or landing rocket blast.
I don't know if I mentioned it or not but the BEST practice is in fact to tow a launching MCT onto a launch pad surrounded by a berm to protect everything from debris of the blast off. You could do without the individual berms that way. You probably would need a large area that with a blocking berm for landing after which he MCT would be towed to the other side of the berm for unloading/loading and maintenance. Then its towed to the launch pad, fueled any crew passengers board and launch. Repeat with the next outgoing launch.
I have put some thought into this, and I do not think the MCT will be towable. The general consensus is the MCT will mass around 60-75MT. On Mars it will weigh 20-25MT empty. I find it hard to conceive of light weight landing pads or legs being able to stand up to the lateral loads that towing would put on them. And some type of wheels that could castor would also need be added. After landing and unloading, perhaps the MCT could be jacked up and wheels placed under the landing pad or legs.The tow truck would be light weight due to being transferred there by the MCT and would have very little traction. It could be ballasted by Mars dirt or all the iron meteorites laying around. It will definitely make the logistics easier if the MCT can be towed around and reduce the need for pin-point landing accuracy. This adds another difficult requirement to the design of the MCT.