ISS in Moon/Mars

[davebowman]

Hi, I was just wondering if there's been any thought to further development of the ISS to fit in in to the Moon/Mars program. After the Columbia disaster I sort of hoped the ISS would be abandoned in favor of Moon/Mars, but if we're going to pour the money and resources into completing it, might as well use it. I know it's in LEO, but would it be feasable to turn it into a spaceport where Moon and Mars spacecraft could be serviced, launched, or even built? I've heard no talk about this at all, and it sounds like the ISS is going to continue to be a haphazard and useless drain on our space resources. <br /><br />Collin R. Skocik

 

[skyone]

The ISS is in a pretty useless orbit as far as launching and servicing moon and Mars spacecrafts is concerned. Its inclination to the equator is 51.6 degrees, optimal for launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome, and acceptable from Kennedy Space Center (whose optimal inclination is 28 degrees). Russian vehicles, soyuz, progress and proton pay big performance penalties for launches to non-optimal orbit inclinations, so the Space Shuttle must adapt accordingly (which it does comparatively well). This however, costs the Space Shuttle a significant fraction of its payload capacity, making assembly and rendezvous at the ISS for lunar/Mars missions unrealistic.

 

[krrr]

<font color="yellow">This however, costs the Space Shuttle a significant fraction of its payload capacity, making assembly and rendezvous at the ISS for lunar/Mars missions unrealistic.</font><br /><br />Well the Shuttle will soon be history. For "normal" ways of delivery (payload under a lightweigth shroud), the performance penalty for a 51.6 degrees inclination is only a few percent compared to 28 degrees when launched from KSC.<br />

 

[davebowman]

I agree, but my point was that since we're committed to finishing it, we might as well turn it into something more than just a hiccup, if possible, without of course turning it into an even bigger financial disaster than it already is. My vision of a space station is something in a higher orbit with a greater carrying capacity and which serves as a sort of midway point for longer missions -- actually a sort of stepping stone between rocketry and a space elevator. (I've annoyed more than one person with my obsessive advocacy of a space elevator.)<br /><br />Collin R. Skocik

 

[subzero788]

Look orrery we know you hate the ISS and you are entitled to your opinion but you can't say that it is finished. And the US must meet its obligations to its international partners, not just to maintain its global prestige but to ensure international participation in future projects on the moon and mars, which will no doubt be critical unless NASA has a very large increase in its budget.

 

[lampblack]

The heck with ISS. If NASA needs a space station for moon-Mars work, it oughtta just invest in a couple of those handy-dandy Bigelow modules.<br /><br />Put those bad boys in equatorial orbit with the appropriate solar power wings -- and we'd be in business.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>

 

[davebowman]

In spirit I agree with orrery21, but subzero certainly has a point. There are certain political realities we have to deal with. I'd rather scrap the ISS and focus on Mars, and if it were simply a matter of science and goals, we would, but it's also a matter of appeasing our partners and not going it alone in space. Cooperation will be vital in any long-term space endeavor.<br /><br />Collin R. Skocik

 

[mattblack]

The ISS is one of the most complex engineering projects in history, rivalling the pyramids in it's achievement!!<br /><br />No, really; it IS. <br /><br />It's only real crime is bad luck, under-quoting of costs and underestimation of difficulty, and a design that is too reliant on the Shuttle for construction. And probably, not an ideal orbital inclination.<br /><br />Learn about ISS, read about it: DON'T criticize from a position of ignorance, as too many do:<br /><br /> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1854104365/qid=1135057867/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-5193860-6855301?s=books&v=glance&n=283155<br /><br />http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/listmania/fullview/2XO7NLFGTE30C/102-5193860-6855301?%5Fencoding=UTF8<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p>One Percent of Federal Funding For Space: America <strong><em><u>CAN</u></em></strong> Afford it!!  LEO is a <strong><em>Prison</em></strong> -- It's time for a <em><strong>JAILBREAK</strong></em>!!</p> </div>

 

[dobbins]

Reminder,<br /><br />Don't feed the trolls.<br />

 

[subzero788]

Orrery you seem to think NASA's international partners are worthless. May I remind you that without the Russian Space Agency and Soyuz + Progress the ISS would have been doomed after the Columbia disaster. NASA did not launch an astronaut for 2.5 years and after the shuttle is retired nasa will have another 2-4 year gap where the Soyuz and Shenzhou will be the only operating vechicles capable of manned space missions. Yes, the US has the most accomplished and best funded space agency in the world but that doesn't mean that it can afford to go it alone.<br /><br />I'm not trying to rat on NASA--i have the greatest respect for its achievements and the US should be very proud of their global leadership in space exporation--but meerly to point out that space exporation is best done with international help and will make difficult challenges such as a manned mars missions a great deal easier.

 

[mattblack]

Yeah, if not for Russia and Soyuz, ISS would have been the most expensive unmanned satellite ever for the last three years! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p>One Percent of Federal Funding For Space: America <strong><em><u>CAN</u></em></strong> Afford it!!  LEO is a <strong><em>Prison</em></strong> -- It's time for a <em><strong>JAILBREAK</strong></em>!!</p> </div>

 

[mattblack]

I think you are missing the point a bit... Or then again, maybe you aren't and just don't care! Typical modern N.I.H. cynic...<br /><br />Hey look: Mattblack on the "ISS": <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p>One Percent of Federal Funding For Space: America <strong><em><u>CAN</u></em></strong> Afford it!!  LEO is a <strong><em>Prison</em></strong> -- It's time for a <em><strong>JAILBREAK</strong></em>!!</p> </div>

 

[nacnud]

Or Europe, who built the MPLMs, Node 2, Columbus, Cupola etc and a substaintial chunk of the X-38 and look at what we have for our effort so far.<br /><br />The delays with the ISS are more to do with the STS than anything else.