Mission Capture With A Multi-Role Capsule
- Paper number
IAC-05-D3.3.06
- Author
Mr. Mark Hempsell, University of Bristol, United Kingdom
- Year
2005
- Abstract
The development of crew space transportation systems will always be a high cost enterprise. The philosophy behind the multi-role capsule concept is to maximize the flexibility of the system that is produced, which in turn maximizes its utilisation and thus reduces the cost of individual missions. Past work has illustrated the concept with technical feasibility designs but has not demonstrated the viability of the approach with the corresponding mission designs. This study explores this subject by matching a multi-role capsule feasibility design, called Excalibur, with the missions outlined by the IAA study group report “Next Steps in Exploring Deep Space”. The “Next Steps” report highlighted Sun-Earth L2 Point, the Moon, Near-Earth Objects and Mars as objectives. Lunar and Mars missions where include in the Excalibur’s requirement capture process but Sun-Earth L2 Point and Near-Earth Objects were not and therefore the complete “Next Steps” mission set represents a good test of the multi-role concept to support a flexible infrastructure. Another consequence of a multi-role system that covers all these missions is that it needs to have a long operational life, and therefore will need to work with different partner infrastructure systems. This will range from expendable to reusable launch systems and from International Space Station as the only base to extensive range of orbital and surface bases. To explore this aspect for each “Next Steps” objective, several mission designs were produced varying the assumed launch and fixed infrastructure support. It was found that as the missions become more ambitious and move further from Lunar / Earth space so increasingly large add on modules are need. However these modules contain only lower cost elements like propellant tanks, increased pressurised space and supplies. It follows these extension modules represent relative low cost developments because the functions that that are expensive to development and incorporate have been covered by the original capsule. When it comes to Mars missions it was found new systems were required to act as the primary transportation system. But the Excalibur can still play a key role in support as the Mars lander and as the crew return system (prime or contingency). There have been a number of recent initiatives, such as the Bush 2004 Initiative in the USA and Aurora in Europe, which have ambitious medium and long term goals for human spaceflight. A complete “system of systems” infrastructure which can support all of the missions envisaged can only be afforded if the number of high cost systems required to be developed is minimised. The multi-role capsule illustrates this philosophy, with one high value flexible system complimented by several low cost mission specific add on modules almost all the crew transportation requirements of the complete infrastructure can be met.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-05-D3.3.06.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.