Jamie Young - 23/1/2006 9:06 PMI can't find one image showing a translunar libration point, L2 orbit. Can anyone help explain what this is for those of us that don't know what this is all about?
CuddlyRocket - 24/1/2006 7:16 AMAlternatives are always worth considering. However, the advantage of the lunar orbit approach is that we know we can do it because we've already done it. Once we have the infrastructure in place and demonstrated the capability, then thoughts can turn to possible alternatives.
vanilla - 24/1/2006 1:23 PMWe've done it for near-side, near-equatorial landing sites.
CuddlyRocket - 24/1/2006 7:30 AMQuotevanilla - 24/1/2006 1:23 PMWe've done it for near-side, near-equatorial landing sites.Which is what we'll be doing initially, and probably for a number of years. Once we develop from that to "global-access", alternatives like these may well be worth considering, whether for the reasons you give or otherwise. Whereas, we have to decide on LOX/Methane or not (hypergols aren't the only alternative) now.
dmc6960 - 24/1/2006 12:16 PMCurious, why does an object in low orbit around the moon seem to decay so quickly? It seems that since there is no faint atmosphere to contend with that LEO objects are slowed down by, a lunar orbit would last for much longer. My only guess is the orbit becoming warped by Earth's gravitational forces enough to eventually cause impact on the lunar surface. Am I correct or completely off?
braddock - 27/1/2006 9:10 PMIs a stable L2 halo orbit wide enough to avoid any occlusion by the moon so as to keep constant line-of-sight communications directly to the Earth?