Spaceship Discovery -Vehicle Architecture for Human Exploration of Moon, Mars, and Beyond

摘要: With the recently revived interest in space exploration, this design study was undertaken by author an attempt to a vehicle architecture that could achieve national vision of human travel "to Moon, Mars, and beyond" progressively more ambitious steps. This paper presents conceptual for interplanetary not-to-distant future. The main flight resembles spaceship Discovery depicted novel film "2001 - A Space Odyssey." Like its namesake, one day transport expedition explore moons Jupiter. is real engineering be implemented using technologies are currently near state-of-the-art, including advanced, bi-modal nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) engines propulsion electrical power. Spaceship modular design: Requirements, features, mass properties, configuration layouts presented each module. Four types lander designs presented, requirements, mission profiles, performance data, layouts: (1) reentry module return crew Earth at conclusion or after aborts, (2) exploration Earth's Moon Callisto utilizes only vacuum propulsive braking, (3 4) two Mars landers utilize both aerodynamic braking. Design Reference Missions (DRMs) were used develop requirements: high-energy (2 3) low- missions (4) Jupiter's moon Callisto. includes dual, strap-on boosters enable Jupiter DRMs. Mission DRM, then compared side-to-side. Launch launch configurations presented. offers many advantages Solar System: Nuclear enables capture escape maneuvers target planets, eliminating need risky aero-capture maneuvers. Strap-on NTR provide robust energy, enabling beyond with short transit times free-return aborts. (3) backup abort system aborts multiple points mission. Clustered "engine out" redundancy. (5) provides efficient implementation omnidirectional GCR shielding propellant LH2. (6) artificial gravity mitigate physiological problems on long-duration missions. (7) can launched proposed upgrades EELVs Shuttle-derived vehicles. (8) High value parts reusable Lunar (9) flexible, inherent growth capability, will in-family progression beyond."