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SLS / Orion / Beyond-LEO HSF - Constellation => Orion and Exploration Vehicles => Topic started by: Chris Bergin on 05/31/2006 01:03 am

Title: NASA weighs up CEV air bags versus retro rockets
Post by: Chris Bergin on 05/31/2006 01:03 am

http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2006/05/30/Navigation/177/206905/NASA+weighs+up+CEV+air+bags+versus+retro+rockets.html

Title: Re: NASA weighs up CEV air bags versus retro rockets
Post by: MKremer on 05/31/2006 01:31 am

Landing retros might save some mass and volume over an airbag system, but the extra flotation 'stuff' needed for an emergency water landing (as opposed to an 'all-in-one' airbag landing design) might just eat up any weight and volume savings.

Title: Re: NASA weighs up CEV air bags versus retro rockets
Post by: Tap-Sa on 05/31/2006 08:30 am

How about not ejecting the heat shield but design crumble zone into it to cushion landing? Or the good old Mercury style of dropping the heat shield to hang from one meter long flexible tube and let it form the bottom of landing airbag?

Title: RE: NASA weighs up CEV air bags versus retro rockets
Post by: Chris Bergin on 06/13/2006 02:20 pm

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/money/homepage/article_1178610.php

Title: RE: NASA weighs up CEV air bags versus retro rockets
Post by: bad_astra on 06/14/2006 01:20 am

I'm glad they are sticking with the airbags. There is a lot less to go wrong.