Will CEV be faster than Apollo?

[grooble]

If there was a race, would it beat Apollo to the moon?

 

[najab]

Well, now, that all depends on the launch vehicle - doesn't it. The vehicle with the largest amount of prop available for TLI wins, surely?

 

[nacnud]

I wouldn't think so, there is the CEV LSAM docking to slow the CEV down when getting ready to leave Earth orbit.

 

[lampblack]

I guess the answer would lie in how many days are envisioned for launch, docking of the two ships, and the actual trip.<br /><br />I wonder if anyone recalls seeing an actual proposed timeline that we could, perhaps, compare to Apollo?<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>

 

[gunsandrockets]

"If there was a race, would it [CEV] beat Apollo to the moon? "<br /><br />Short answer, no.<br /><br />But the CEV (under the current ESAS plan) really isn't the central element of the moon mission, unlike the earlier Apollo. In the case of the CEV, it's just along for the ride and the truly central element is the LSAM. <br /><br />In fact depending on ISRU the CEV might be either replaced or fully integrated into the LSAM for direct launch to the moon and direct return to Earth. In that case the Apollo would be slower than the LSAM.

 

[liquidspace2k]

actually if we plan to send the CEV as part of the Mars mission, i believe that is what the future plan is or something on that order, then shouldn't the CEV have to travel faster to get to Mars the it needs to get to the Moon.

 

[gunsandrockets]

"actually if we plan to send the CEV as part of the Mars mission, ..."<br /><br />Now that's the question. At this point the answer seems to be no, that the CEV will only be used as an Earth orbital ferry for the Mars ship.

 

[nacnud]

<font color="yellow">The prelimnary plan is that the CEV does not go to MARS. They return to L1 ot LEO to mate with a CEV to return to Earth.<br /><br /><font color="white">That means the Mars ship will have to stop at EML1 and has the possiblity of being serviced and reused, interesting.</font></font>

 

[darkenfast]

After two-and-a-half years of flight, refurbishing a deep-space craft in orbit is probably not going to be worth the huge amount of money it would cost.<br />

 

[henryhallam]

Is the mass of propellant / engines necessary to stop at EML1 or LEO really less than the mass cost carrying a reentry vehicle to Mars and back? I'm struggling to see the rationale behind anything other than direct entry.

 

[nacnud]

Me too, hence the refurbish idea. Instant EML1 space station though.

 

[rybanis]

Coming to rest would require massive amounts of fuel though! I wonder what your velocity would be for coming back from Mars? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>