Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to Delta 4 Heavy on hold for launch 4:31 EST today

I may sound like a broken record....
Jacob Samorodin — (archived)

...and some of you may yawn or get fed-up at my repeating a suggestion, posted several times before..

But here goes anyways...

The Delta-IV at present only has TWO strap-ons,
and yet is still able to loft upto 25 metric tons into orbit.

What if the Delta-IV core stage were stretched, say 50 percent?
And instead of two, have FOUR strap-ons?
I estimate that instead of 25 metric tons to LEO, you would
be able to park 40 metric tons there.
And you could combine a lunar CEV [15 tons] with a
stretched H202/LOX Centaur [25 tons].
Bingo! 40 tons.
40 tons - 22 tons(H2O2/LOX) = 18 tons (empty Centaur and CEV).
The mass-ratio is about right: 40/18 = 2.22
H202/LOX Isp(vac) = 440 seconds.
Delta V = 440 seconds (9.8m/s^2) Loge2.22 = 3200 meters per second.
From LEO, that Delta V will get you to the moon.

Now about a manned moon-lander? If you could keep it to no more
than 10 metric tons [plus a 5 ton propulsion-module to park it in lunar-orbit], it could be WAITING in lunar orbit for the arrival
of three-man lunar CEV in 29.5 days.
Again another stretched, beefed up Delta-IV could be used.

cheers.
Jacob

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