it's time to go space trucking

[jtkirk1701]

if going to the moon you need reliable resupply. if someone gets in trouble you need to rescue, if someone wants to knock out your satilites you must stop them. it is time to build a ship for space that stays in space. you can shoot loads up on any old rocket to get to low earth orbit.<br />

 

[spacester]

We have the perfect opportunity to build a space truck, a true space ship for the space transportation infrastructure we need to become space faring.<br /><br />The new NASA rockets need new second stages; that's where most of the development dollars will be going.<br /><br />These new stages should be designed for orbital operations, whether pursuing the "wet lab" concept or the "space tug" concept.<br /><br />This is an opportunity that should not be missed, yet so far no one seems to want to talk about it. I don't know why not, lots of great things can be done with a space truck. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[spaceinator]

I think that would be a much better way to get to the moon...<br />Use some light-payload ship/rocket to get to the ISS, then use the "space truck" to get to a station orbiting the moon, then use some sort of luner moduel type vehical or space elivator to get to the surface. (either that or have a small vehical made specifically for landing on the moon/mars stored inside the "truck" which would eliminate the need to build additional space stations around moon/mars just yet) <br /><br />The main reason for this is that the ship would not have to be built to withstand gravity, re-entery, etc., and could afford to be bigger, more "livable" and less like a tin can. <br />This type of setup would be much better for the longer missions... ex. trip to mars

 

[tap_sa]

grooble, how's the moon taxi doing? <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

[grooble]

Ah just trying to get initial funding ya know <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" />.<br /><br />But it'd definatly be painted yellow and have "The Spirit of New York" written somewhere on it.<br /><br />

 

[nexium]

Why can't the ISS find storage space for ten years of essential supplies? We need to start practicing with long term emergency supplies in space. Neil

 

[jmilsom]

I share everyone's sentiments here. Why is the only serious talk about such concepts still only the preserve fo SciFi writers. Is it that difficult? Perhaps we should petition NASA. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[jtkirk1701]

if we need something with some teeth, what could be fabracated here and assembled there. hey i got a crazy idea. take a navel vessel in moth balls. cut it into sections and re assemble it in space...with of course a few modifactions.

 

[grooble]

Well build all the systems on earth but build the frame and hull of the vessel at a moon base. No heat sheilds or wings or any of that, space only, it will never enter an atmosphere. People can get to the ship with a CEV / CXV which will auto dock.<br /><br />

 

[jtkirk1701]

building on the moon would push the project back by decades.<br />all you need is the 2 construction booms. that were going to be on space station freedom. before we let the world join in.

 

[jmilsom]

I always liked the concept in Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy of utilising cast off stages of rockets for the construction of larger ships - instead of just adding more dangerous space junk to monitor forever more. <br /><br />Is this feasible in principle? Also when is the first planned trial of an inflatable module? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[chonner]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p> Also when is the first planned trial of an inflatable module?<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Bigelow is suppose to be launching Genesis Pathfinder (a 1/3 scale test of his big Nautilis module - sp about 110m3 of usable space) "early next year" on a Dnepr booster. Its going to test out all the subsytems and the inflation process. It was originally going to be a launched on a Falcon V, but the switched to the Dnepr becasue Bigelow as ahead of scheduel and SpaxeX where behind schenduel.<br /><br />Bigelow Aerospace<br /><br />Chonner

 

[j05h]

it's nice to read "ahead of schedule" for any aerospace project, especially an entreprenurial effort! Go for it Bigelow!<br /><br />On "space trucking" - what's needed is a second or third stage that also functions just fine as a refuelable tug for general use. I've written in another thread that there will be a near-term market for an American version of the FGB. The Bigelow Nautilus units are not, as far as I know, going to have their own RCS or rockets. Control and a multi purpose command, airlock, node and docking adapter module will still be necessary. I wouldn't be surprised if Bigelow uses a new Energia product (maybe "FGB2"/Enterprise), but there should be a use for an American version.<br /><br />Now, you have the Bigelow Nautilus, an FGB and two of the craft that wins the America's Space Prize. Add several refueled "tugstages" and you can travel anywhere in the Inner Solarsystem. <br /><br />Josh <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[le3119]

"We need a first generation of pioneers" - Nice quote!<br /><br />

 

[soccerguy789]

Both Beoing and Lockheed (but more seriusly on the part of Beoing) have stated in thier proposals that they are considering use of Solar electric propulsion units, to which CEV's could be docked, for use in mars missions. they are reusable and just sip fuel. I believ that with 2 or more of these, not only could they be used on mars missions, but as the suggested "space truck" it's fuel could be produced on the lunar surface and shipped up to it on a lunar accent vehicle, and it would generally just be used for general utility. just letting the word out that they are might be planning one for a ways into the future.

 

[jtkirk1701]

maylasiais going to the moon? everybody is going, china, russia, e.u., we may need to start planning for more than a space truck???

 

[tap_sa]

<font color="yellow">"we may need to start planning for more than a space truck???"</font><br /><br />Traffic lights at LEO, EML1 and LLO <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />