Shuttle to the moon?

[shuttle2moon]

I wonder if this has been asked before? Can we take the shuttle to the moon? It was suggested in a recent book by Hickman that it could.<br /><br />I know the engines only last one flight before needing rebuilding, along with the fact we would need much more delta V than the shuttle itself can provide..but could we send up spare engines in a progress module and just switch them out in orbit? Perhaps we might have to increase the power of SSME's somehow, but is concept, is something like this possible?<br /><br />It would sure be sexy to have the orbiter ORBITING THE MOON! <br /><br />Just found this thread.<br />http://uplink.space.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=missions&Number=135927&page=2&view=collapsed&sb=7&o=0&fpart=<br /><br />But still...an engine swap, a refuel of the orbiter...it looks like it could be done<br />

 

[spacefire]

I think the orbiter can be modified to reach the moon with a crew, but it will require more consumables and the payload will probably be significantly reduced. <br />Realistically, you will want to keep it in space forever, so you wamt to chop off the wings and the tail, remove the thermal protection-this will reduce weight.<br />Then you nstall SSMES rated for long-term operation, extra LOHLOX tanks-probably attached to the stumps of the wings, a permanent hab module in the cargo bay...in the end yes, you might as well build a new orbiter. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[gunsandrockets]

"Can we take the shuttle to the moon?"<br /><br />You could, but it wouldn't be worth the trouble.<br /><br />An empty shuttle is about 80 tonnes of mass. Let's assume a simple circumlunar flyby mission just like Apollo 8 with no braking into lunar orbit. Assuming you are going to reuse the Shuttles engines by refuelling in Earth orbit, the required mass of fuel to get to the moon is enormous, about 150 tonnes. That is nearly six times the cargo of a single shuttle.<br /><br />So even were you to try just this simple stunt of flying around the moon, it would take a minimum of six shuttle flights to accomplish. Then there is the headache of keeping the cryogenic fuel from boiling off into space during the time needed to assemble the complete mission load of fuel in low-Earth-orbit.<br /><br /> Then there is one final problem. I don't think the Shuttle thermal protection system is able to cope with the high reentry speeds that occur with a return trip from the moon. All the possible solutions just add more headaches. You could try modifying the Shuttle thermal protection system, maybe with additional ablative overlaid on the ceramic tiles. Or you could try a complicated atmosphere skipping reentry profile.<br /><br />All in all you should forget it. The Shuttle was never designed or intended to go anywhere else than low Earth orbit. To force it into a lunar mission makes about as much sense as converting a car into a submarine.

 

[drwayne]

"I wonder if this has been asked before?"<br /><br />When this question pops into your mind, you might want to do a search on the forum before you ask.<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[john_316]

If you take the shuttle to the moon will you please take the ISS with you as well.......<br /><br />So I can build my Death Star X-ray Lasers to take over the world....<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Come on you know you love this post.............<br /><br />

 

[najab]

><i>It was suggested in a recent book by Hickman that it could.</i><p><i>Back to the Moon</i> isn't recent, it's like 6 years old.</p>

 

[shuttle2moon]

The book is recent...in geological terms..<br /><br />Anyway, thanks for the input--I'll make sure I search the forums FIRST. I did post the the link to the thread (Showing that I can eat my share of crow) though..