Portree's report on initial Moon architecture proposal
this report by David Portree is over at Friends and Patners in Space:
On this 36th anniversary of Apollo 11's return to Earth, here's my third-hand
info from the NASA employee briefing held Friday.
1) launch unpiloted LSAM and EDS on inline SDLV (ET + 5-segment SRBs + 2nd
stage - 120-tons to LEO)
2) launch piloted CEV on 4-segment SRB + second stage
3) dock CEV with LSAM + EDS
4) use EDS for TLI
5) use EDS for LOI? (not clear on this point)
6) entire crew lands on moon in LSAM, leaving CEV unpiloted in lunar orbit
7) LSAM lifts off, docks with CEV in lunar orbit
8) LSAM discarded
9) CEV performs TEI
10) CEV performs direct entry and landing
David