Reusable Capsule?

[soccerguy789]

I want the CXV to happen. It would make life so much easier for private industry. Biglow and t/space together can make LEO atainable, and "LEO is halfway to anywhere". I'm backing them 110%, but anyway. <br /><br />Has anyone heard if the proposed CEV capsule is going to be reusable? Someone said it before, and I was hopping someone had a link.

 

[soccerguy789]

It is supposed to have a disposable heat shield, and the rest can be used up to 10 times.

 

[soccerguy789]

all the better

 

[josh_simonson]

A parafoil basically is 'wings', just they're rolled up and use minimal space. Using the parafoil to steer a bit, you can easilly land exactly where you want to. <br /><br />The last parafoil we used resulted in a crater though...

 

[soccerguy789]

Is there a parafoil in the requirements list. they seem eisier to stear, but that kind of presicion seems kind of wasted on a capsule that has to hit a desert miles across.

 

[lampblack]

I remember as a kid watching the Apollo landings -- and being amazed that they'd plunk that capsule in the water within a stone's throw of the aircraft carrier every time.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>

 

[soccerguy789]

I like the fact that they intend to land it on land as opposed to a splashdown. One thing I'm surious about right now would be the Service module. <br /><br />I am think that a larger service module should be used on lunar missions, about the size of the one in the pictures. On the other hand, I think that a smaller service module would work well for ISS resupply. I beleive all life support and such should be built into the capsule, and the servic mosule would just be engines and manuvering thrusters. a small one, about 1 meter long or so, was shown on previous Beoing pics of what thier ISS resupply vehicle would look like. I think that it's a good idea to take advantage of the modularity of a capsule system, and only launch what you need.

 

[rsp1202]

Lampblack,<br />I remember the water landings, too, and wanted the astronauts to plop the capsule on the carrier deck (I think some of the Navy astros joked about that). A lot of the landings were very close indeed . . . but it helped to have a moving target.

 

[soccerguy789]

If you think about it, a parafoil could give the CEV the same landing accuracy as a vehicle like the klipper. After they get good with it, they could probably land on a pad of some kind, or an aircraft carrier if they were off. now wouldn't that be impressive! but seriously, I'm glad to see nasa intends the capsule to be reusable, but whats all going to be in the capsule. Life suport? who knows?

 

[soccerguy789]

True. Also, anyone notice in the NASA CEV video that the CEV appears to land on a huge concrete pad. It looks like it has numbers marked on it? Was that suposeda real idea or just a video effect? I think it would be very cool if they could acctually be accurite enough to land in a space ...well, lets just guess 1km square. that would be really cool.

 

[darkenfast]

I believe that is an actual site: the dry lake bed at Edwards AFB.<br />

 

[nacnud]

Yep, here's a link to the Compass wheel at Edwards AFB.

 

[holmec]

I wonder how the CEV will take cargo to the ISS. Also new modules. Will the CEV be used to guide in a new ISS module? I guess concievably the heavy launch rocket and launch the module, and then the CEV can dock to it and place it on ISS. Any thoughts?? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[holmec]

maybe a redesign of the triple chutes could provide steering and forward motion. The idea is that more forward motion, the less verticle. Maybe future ones could have a propeller on the rear for more control, and landing grear.....lol.... <br /><br />On a serious note, I think a little control on the landing will go a long way for the astonauts. Thinking about wind gusts. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[holmec]

I agree. I think a variety of service module can be created. How about a service module powerful enough to be a space tug. That is reposition the ISS like the shuttle orbiter did, and position ISS modules?? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[soccerguy789]

I was thinking about a modular service module. Tiny one for ISS resupply, mid sized one for origonal moon missions (its mainly used to leave lunar orbit) and a double sized one for recrew and resupply once ISRU makes the LSAMS into frerries from the surface to lunar orbit. I think that that would save a lot of money. You could launch an entire lunar base recrew of 6 people on an upgraded single stick SRB booster. Now we're talking !

 

[holmec]

>I want the CXV to happen. It would make life so much easier for private industry. Biglow and t/space together can make LEO atainable, and "LEO is halfway to anywhere". I'm backing them 110%, but anyway.<<br /><br />I agree. I am hoping that the CXV will be on the ISS and also be available to future commercial manned stations as an affordable life boat. Maybe even a way to get to a commercial station. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[holmec]

Here is another question. How can you do an EVA with the new CEV? does it have an air-lock? or will it vent all its oxygen and then represurize after the EVA, kinda like Gemini? Or will it have an air-lock module? And what about the jetpacs? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[soccerguy789]

I know they can do EVA. I think it would be nice to have an airlock in the docking port. (im pretty sure this is the exit for EVA too) I hope they do. that would be a nice safety procedure during docking. and it would do double duty for EVA's. <br /><br />Also, I'ts come to my attention that The CEV may not be reusable, depending on how the development works out. I want to know what you guys think about the reusabilty, and how it should be done!

 

[holmec]

>I was thinking about a modular service module. Tiny one for ISS resupply, mid sized one for origonal moon missions (its mainly used to leave lunar orbit) and a double sized one for recrew and resupply once ISRU makes the LSAMS into frerries from the surface to lunar orbit. I think that that would save a lot of money. You could launch an entire lunar base recrew of 6 people on an upgraded single stick SRB booster. Now we're talking !<<br /><br />I was thinking along the same lines. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[holmec]

>Also, I'ts come to my attention that The CEV may not be reusable, depending on how the development works out. I want to know what you guys think about the reusabilty, and how it should be done!<<br /><br />With variants of the CEV I'm sure the reusability will be a variable. But the variant to ferry to the ISS should be reusable for keeping costs down. Lunar missions would be less frequent and reusablility may boil down to stripping the capsule down and refurbishing the frame and double checking the skin for integrety as well as checking all systems. I can see "reusability" to mean more than one thing depending on how they design it.<br /><br />I say keep it simple, keep it modular. Parts is parts. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[soccerguy789]

I really liked the disposable heat shield they proposed. IThe CEV is then reusable, but noone has to deal with critical heat shield issues.

 

[soccerguy789]

While I would have liked a modular system better, a mass produced SM will also work equally well.

 

[soccerguy789]

Does anyone know if the CEV will be reusable or not? they origonal said it would, but now they say maybe. how big a priority is reusability? and to what extent will it be reusable? what is considered reuse and what is considered recycling components?

 

[nacnud]

If its cheaper to reuse the capsules then they will be reused, if not they won't. I susspect the decision depends on the vendor as much as NASA. <br /><br />There are going to be bugs with the CEV, there always is. I think it will be best for the first few to be expendable as if is much easier to modify plans rather than already built vechiles. However, in the long term I thing reusablity will happen with the CEV.