An Innovative Earth-Moon Transportation System
- Paper number
IAC-05-D2.3.06
- Author
Mr. Walter Kistler, Lunar Transportation Systems, United States
- Year
2005
- Abstract
An Innovative Earth-Moon Transportation System Abstract Lunar Transportation Systems, Inc. (LTS), a commercial space company headquartered in Seattle, WA, is developing an innovative solution to establish a sustainable infrastructure to support Lunar exploration and a permanent Lunar base. The implementation of this system is based on a partnership between a commercial venture that draws on existing government infrastructure and the aerospace industry to transport cargo and personnel to and from the Moon. The Founders of Lunar Transportation Systems, Inc. are also the founders of two successful commercial space companies, SPACEHAB, Inc. and Kistler Aerospace Corporation. LTS provides an important mission safety feature for manned space exploration. A significant element of the LTS mission architecture is the provision for mission crew abort rescue. Relatively inexpensive, fuelled, non-crewed DOV (Ascent/Decent) vehicles can be placed on the Lunar surface, in Lunar orbit, LEO and/or L1 as backup rescue vehicles for the crew in case crew rescue is needed during a specific Lunar mission. These vehicles would be placed at appropriate location in the Earth-Moon architecture prior to the commitment of crews from the Earth to the Moon, greatly enhancing crew safety. System description: This paper describes the proposed transportation system which consists of a fleet of four new types of vehicles that operate only in space. The vehicles are configured to be placed in LEO using existing EELVs which preclude the development of a fleet of new heavy lift boosters. The fully reusable DOV vehicles can bring small payloads to the Lunar surface directly from LEO. They are also capable of carrying payloads of up to 20 tons (including the yet to be developed CEVs) to and from the Moon with refueling in Lunar orbit and/or at L1. The four major elements of this Earth-moon infrastructure are: 1) a small fleet of reusable trans-Lunar and Lunar landing vehicles, 2) a new earth orbit and Lunar orbit autonomous rendezvous and docking system, 3) a new earth orbit and Lunar orbit cryogenic propellant tank transfer system, and 4) new, flexible architectures that can support a number of different types of Lunar missions. This transportation system is made possible by the DOV concept, a new autonomous rendezvous and docking system, modular propellant tanker vehicles called dispensers, systems enabling the autonomous exchange of modular cryogenic propellant tanks in space, and innovative operating approaches. These systems permit the DOV to be refueled in Earth orbit for trans-Lunar and small payload missions, at L1 for heavy Lunar payload missions, and in Lunar orbit for Lunar descent, ascent and crew return missions. This unique system is based upon concepts that reduce Lunar mission life cycle costs and technical risks, accelerate crewed Lunar landing mission schedules, improve reliability and crew safety, and allow for the routine use of an Earth-Moon highway between low Earth orbit and the Lunar surface.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-05-D2.3.06.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.