Using SpaceX Hardware for a Moon Lander in 2019
- Paper number
IAC-17,B3,2,4,x41010
- Year
2017
- Abstract
SpaceX's successful demonstration of landing Falcon 9 1st Stages raises the possibility of using a modified Falcon 9 2nd Stage for landing on the Moon of a manned Dragon 2 module and returning it to Earth. An architecture is outlined, using demonstrated or soon to be demonstrated SpaceX components to produce a near-term Moon lander - essentially a Dragon 2 space vehicle mounted on a landing capable 2nd stage. Such a mission is a natural follow-on to the recently proposed 1st private free-return flight around the Moon by a SpaceX vehicle in late 2018.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)