Kistler OV to the moon.. in speculations

[no_way]

http://selenianboondocks.blogspot.com/2006/09/k-1-orbital-vehicle-as-ltv.html<br /><br />A scheme to do a lunar sortie with Kistler OV.<br />Fun for speculation, but not much else at this point. <br /><br />

 

[nyarlathotep]

They've got to build it first.

 

[no_way]

Obviously. So has LMT to build the CEV, SpaceX has to build the Dragon etc etc. Which has never prevented us from discussing pros and cons of all the different proposed approaches.

 

[nacnud]

Very interesting, the resulting missions look a lot like t/Spaces concepts...

 

[nyarlathotep]

>"Obviously. So has LMT to build the CEV,"<br /><br />Yes, but they have development funding.

 

[j05h]

> They've got to build it first.<br /><br />My understanding was that the tankage or structure, the engines (pre-existing) and some avionics existed for the K1 second stage? Since development has been on hold for so long, there may be some retrofitting involved as well. <br /><br />I read Jon's piece on sending a K1 to the Moon with awe for both his concept and the potential versatility of the K1. I hope he writes a book soon. <br /><br />Josh <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[no_way]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Yes, but they have development funding.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />Since when did having a development funding mean that the thing is going to get built ?<br />Besides, RpK was just awarded a big chunk of development money through COTS as well. ATM i'd give RpK slightly better odds of sucessfully completing their vehicle than the CEV program.

 

[publiusr]

They have a tough road ahead of them...

 

[qso1]

Thats for sure, and its not even Kistler making the proposal. Its just someone else who says NASA's plans are flawed and they decided they have a better idea.<br /><br />On Ad Astra magazine cover of a 1992 issue IIRC, Kistler was starting out as a reusable human spacecraft builder. But as almost always happens in these cases, the company encounters reality and whittles their proposal down to unmanned satellite launchers then go bankrupt. Some, like Roton, don't even get that far. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>