The Cold Equations Of Spaceflight

Space Daily.com ^ | 9/9/05 | Jeffrey F. Bell

[nuke rocketeer]

In the past month, we have been blessed with numerous leaks from NASA of various study documents relating to the new boosters that will be needed to carry out the new manned moon program. I've been monitoring the large volume of Web chatter about these plans, and have noticed a disturbing theme therein. Many Space Cadets are expressing dissatisfaction with these leaked NASA plans. They say that the Shuttle-derived boosters are too primitive, too expensive to develop, too expensive to operate, and not inspiring enough. They can't understand why we will be returning to the Moon with rockets and space capsules that look like minor variations of those used in the Apollo program 40 years ago.

[nuke rocketeer]

The best explanation of why the DC-X, NASP, and VentureStar died and why we are going back to the future.

[OldMagazine]

Has anyone figured out how they are going to get through the Van Allen Radiation belt alive?

[RoadTest]

Let private enterprise do it. They're already doing brilliantly in near space.

[manwiththehands]

We can't even keep the insulating foam from coming off of the shuttle's external fuel tank. Space technology will advance ONLY when it become profitable and private industry starts paying more of the bills.

[Dark Skies]

bttt

[Red Badger]

Can't find enough dilithium crystals?...........or melange......

[The Red Zone]

So the problem seems to be that of being able to carry enough fuel. Which has to be of the conventional kind.

I can't imagine nuclear power driving a space ship and especially a manned one. The mass of fat-nucleus atoms needed to shield it would render it literally impossible.

[HarleyD]

You mean I'm stuck here???

[Yo-Yo]

The best explanation of why the DC-X, NASP, and VentureStar died and why we are going back to the future.

I fully agree, but try telling some other Freepers that Burt Rutan does not have the ability to reach orbit, and given his budget never will, and you will need asbestos underwear.

[SampleMan]

The approach that seems to make the most sense to me is using a progressive rail gun built into an equatorial mountain slope, to shoot a vehicle into space. Thus allowing a theoretical 0% usage of on board fuel to attain orbit.
Entering the atmosphere already above 10,000 (half of the mass of the atmosphere) would decrease structural loading. A high energy laser could also super heat the flight path just before to lesson resistance (like lightning splitting the air). Additionally, a sabot shell could be used.
The progressive capability of a very long rail gun, could achieve required speeds without exceeding survivable G loads.
Reentry vehicles could then be made much more robust.

[nuke rocketeer]

An Orion could, but the Atmospheric test ban Treaty puts a legal bar to this vehicle, and the fact that it puts all kids of fallout in the atmosphere puts an ethical and environmental bar in front of it.

[nuke rocketeer]

The Apollo astronauts got through it alive. The key for that is to go through it quickly.

[r9etb]

You mean I'm stuck here???

Predestination is an ugly thing, Harley.... ;-)

[beef]

Like Gen Honore said, if it were easy, we would have already done it. We're not stuck on stupid.

[r9etb]

Let private enterprise do it. They're already doing brilliantly in near space.

Is private enterprise somehow immune to the Cold Equations of Space? They're not.

And they're also not immune to the Cold Equations of Return on Investment. Aside from the fabulously profitable comsat market, private enterprise hasn't got much incentive to go into space right now.

[nuke rocketeer]

Yep. Anything we do in space is going to be hard AND expensive. TANSTAAFL. I would like to see us substitute a modernized Dyna-Soar for the modernized Apollo in the new launch vehicle.

[Junior]

Ah... dreams dashed on the hard rocks of reality.

Oh well, back to Traveller.

[The Red Zone]

Basically an atom bomb with wings??

[The Red Zone]

Would there be some way to get around this by keeping some of the propulsion system earthbound? Like a humongous slingshot or catapult?

[SampleMan]

Yes. See my post #10.