Structural Sizing of a Lunar Mission Module
- Paper number
IAC-05-C2.3.11
- Author
Mr. Glenn A. Hrinda, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), United States
- Year
2005
- Abstract
Nasa's new space initiative has humans returning to the lunar surface by 2020 to establish an extended human presence for research and prepare for future human exploration. To meet this goal, a concept of modular components for human travel to the moon was studied. A major piece of the architecture was a Mission Module (MM) that would attach to the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). The MM would provide extra living, work and storage volume for a crew's journey to the lunar surface and return. Once at the moon, the MM detaches from the CEV and docks with a lunar Lander for lunar surface exploration. The MM design mass for this study was accomplished with a structural sizing tool called "HyperSizer". The software provided composite aerospace materials and shapes to be quickly analyzed and sized to arrive at an optimal structure for the MM and provide a reliable mass estimate for launch vehicle payload requirements. The software's use during the system studied allowed the structure of the MM to be modified and design variables quickly changed which reduced analysis time and increased the credibility of the system architecture.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-05-C2.3.11.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.