Red Dragon Discussion Thread (1)

[Kaputnik]

If Red Dragon is depressurized, the vessel structure could have holes for the drill bits to pass through.

We don't know if the require the pressurization for structural purposes.

Surely Dragon has to be capable of surviving depressurisation for safety reasons? Especially considering it has no airlock.

[Robotbeat]

If Red Dragon is depressurized, the vessel structure could have holes for the drill bits to pass through.

We don't know if the require the pressurization for structural purposes.

Surely Dragon has to be capable of surviving depressurisation for safety reasons? Especially considering it has no airlock.

And of course, on the ground and early in the flight, the pressure difference between the inside and the outside is negligible.

[majormajor42]

I wish i could have been at the moment when someone was like, here is an idea, why don't we just drill through the hull. 

this thread has been here since last summer and I remember folks discussing how to get the drill out the hatch. I'm a little disappionted that none of us were able to think it up (unless I missed a post).

[Comga]

The landing legs are already going to protrude though the heat shield, would a drill be any harder? They could locate the drill near one of the legs and share the opening.

Sure!

If the hull is pierced, then it will depressurize.  It it is going to depressurize, why not pre-drill the hole, perhaps covering it with a cap?  When the legs extend, and the cap comes off, there would be no need to drill through anything.

Or they could put conical tapered plugs in the hardmount points.  Pull a pin and they drop away, leaving a tunnel for the drill bit.

There are so many potential solutions.  I don't see why they would talk about drilling through the unmodified bottom of the spacecraft.

[deltaV]

The heat shield isn't there just for show. They could perhaps leave a small hole in the PICA-X and fill it with gap fillers, but that would force the drill to be carefully aligned and doesn't obviously help any.

[Kaputnik]

What happens to the debris/swarf from the cut? You don't want that flying around inside the cabin!

[RocketmanUS]

Why can't the probe just go out the side hatch?

[Chris-A]

Why can't the probe just go out the side hatch?

The geometry of the vessel, side hatch, and the ground don't really work.

[RocketmanUS]

What is the max mass that Red Dragon is expected to bring to the Mars surface ( not counting it's own mass and left over fuel )?

[Dalhousie]

What is the max mass that Red Dragon is expected to bring to the Mars surface ( not counting it's own mass and left over fuel )?

At least a tonne.

[Jim]

What is the max mass that Red Dragon is expected to bring to the Mars surface ( not counting it's own mass and left over fuel )?

At least a tonne.

way too high

[Dalhousie]

.
way too high

Why?

[Jim]

.
way too high

Why?

because it is.  Show that data.

[Dalhousie]

.
way too high

Why?

because it is.  Show that data.

"Becuse it is" is not good enough. 

The presentation by John Karcs linked to earlier clearly says more than a tonne.

Where is your data? 

[RocketmanUS]

From this thread I found a link to this PDF pages 12 and 13 say grater that 1 tonne payload to Mars surface.
http://digitalvideo.8m.net/SpaceX/RedDragon/karcz-red_dragon-nac-2011-10-29-1.pdf

[Chris-A]

Obsolete report, or Jim knows something.

[ugordan]

Obsolete report, or Jim knows something.

The only two possibilities?

[docmordrid]

Obsolete report, or Jim knows something.

That report is dated Oct. 31, 2011 so it's 5 months old.

[QuantumG]

Is there more data or not?

Set your egos aside and stick to the facts.

[tigerade]

I didn't realize that Red Dragon was a serious proposal.  (Is it?)

Would this be a SpaceX-led mission?  Would would produce the said drills and other scientific equipment?