Got to snip some of this getting complex:)
"The Lunar delta V DOES directly add to costs. It's mass to LEO for propellant, etc. More launches."
Of course it adds directly to costs. But even though launch are expensive there are other factors to any mission which cost lots of money. Length of mission instance (see below).
"*** NEOs exist in low delta V reasonable trip time orbits. I do not have access to an orbital calculator. You're dodging the issue here. It's all about delta V which equals mass to LEO wich means cost, PLUS big R&D costs to build a unique new Lunar vehicle."
I'm not dodging anything. Is there a rock which has the delta-v which is only slightly more than required to escape from Earth/moon system? I'm pretty sure of it. In fact I suspect there is even a good possibly of small rocks in the Earth/Moon system- at Sun/Earth L4/5. There is certainly dust there and if small and dark enough a rock may be not visible from Earth. There is no doubt in mind of the potential value of NEOs.
Finding the right one is the problem, if you are suggesting we go to one in the near future, that's my point. Anyways-
Here's a couple links to orbits of NEOs:
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/orbits/
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/neofact.html
http://newton.dm.unipi.it/cgi-bin/neodys/neoibo?objects_list:0;main
Or about a specific NEO:
http://echo.jpl.nasa.gov/%7Eostro/KY26/index.html
"*** More delta V to go out of plane to reach the poles and get back home."
Not significant- less than 50 m/s.
"Bigger spacecraft. More LEO weight. Then you need fuel to fly to another polar region. Remember you eliminated the rover R&D."
That's fine, wouldn't want to have to take a rover for more than 50 miles on lunar surface anyhow.
Hey, I'll play your show me the NEO and launch window game...
"Show me an exact spot on the Lunar poles where 20 days of sunlight is found"
Look at dinky movie at this page:
http://www.sciam.com/explorations/1998/0309moon/
Space/Science » in reply to Re: Mars, moon or NEO?
Re: Mars, moon or NEO?
The whole thread (46 posts)
- April Popular Science
- Orlando Sentinal Poll: Majority think manned Mars mission a waste of money
- Of course, the majority of Americans also
- Re: Orlando Sentinal Poll: Majority think manned Mars mission a waste of money
- Re: Orlando Sentinal Poll: Majority think manned Mars mission a waste of money
- Re: Orlando Sentinal Poll: Majority think manned Mars mission a waste of money
- Re: Orlando Sentinal Poll: Majority think manned Mars mission a waste of money
- Orlando Sentinel poll results *ARE* online
- Good questions
- "If the dinosaurs had a space program, they'd still be here"
- Re: April Popular Science
- I agree with number four.
- Orlando Sentinal Poll: Majority think manned Mars mission a waste of money
