Apollo Vs CEV?

[Astrosag]

True.

 

[gunsandrockets]

"In the late eightys a larger Apollo (the 5% Apollo) capsule was under consideration for that era's return to the moon effort AWST ran series of articles on the effort."<br /><br />I'd be interested in knowing more about that. <br />

 

[gunsandrockets]

The Gemini is still my favorite LEO spacecraft. Small and compact with nothing to waste like a small sports car. Heh-heh open up the hatch and it's a convertible!<br /><br />here is a link on the Gemini ejection seats...<br /><br /> http://www.ejectionsite.com/gemini.htm

 

[gunsandrockets]

Here is some interesting news relevant to the question<br /><br />http://uplink.space.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=missions&Number=225846&fpart=1&PHPSESSID=<br /><br />http://uplink.space.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=missions&Number=224877&fpart=1&PHPSESSID=<br /><br />From what I have read, NASA Administrator Griffin is in a hurry, and he doesn't want anything fancy or brand new, just something simple that works. So we will see.<br /><br />I just would hate to see our new manned spacecraft suffer from rushed decision making or bad compromises that could come back to bite us in the future. Not getting it right from the start is how we ended up with the white elephant Space Shuttle.<br /><br />

 

[gunsandrockets]

"I mean we are just talking basic transportation here...so lets just build the thing and get on with it. We've got bigger fish to fry, namely the Moon and Mars. "<br /><br />You are right. All the back and forth over the CEV is small fry. In the larger scheme of things, it's just a re-entry vehicle.<br /><br />The real big issues and worthy of new threads, is the basic architecture used to get from the Earth to the Moon, Mars and beyond. NASA, Lockheed, Boeing, Grumman, t/Space all have very different ideas on the best ways to do that.

 

[got_mmh]

Hey guys good conversation.<br /><br />here is what I am hoping. I want the BEST vehicle designed around the mission and nothing else, with all contigencies considered. I don't care if it is pretty as long as it is robust. I personally like Lockheed Martin as it is modular and can grow/adapt for the mission.<br /><br />But don't knock capsule design, there is where robust comes in. Say what you want about Russia, their philosophy is:<br /><br />'better' is the enemy of 'good' <br /><br />We should make it in the spirit of southwest airlines that is it isn't time intensive to process (that means less people and money). If congress and the public feel they are getting bang for the buck then that assures a future for the mission. Whether it is to the ISS or to Mars, we want MARS!