Long-term Space Propellant Depot
- Paper number
IAC-17,D2,8-A5.4,4,x36595
- Author
Mr. Wang Xiaowei, China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, China
- Year
2017
- Abstract
Facing future large-scale and routine human or robotic space exploration missions, the space exploration architecture supported by space propellant depots is a promising way, and has advantages of increasing space transportation capability and decreasing the mission cost. A new space exploration concept supported by propellant depots is proposed in this paper. At first, the space exploration mission which can be supported by depots are given based on analyzing the benefit and study background of depots. Then, the space exploration transportation system infrastructures supported by space propellant depots for many different missions, including the GEO mission, human lunar mission, human asteroid mission and human Mars mission, are analyzed and described in detail. The specific propellant refueling mass and space transportation system scale analysis are carried out for different missions. The result indicates that the refueling scales and space transportation system scales are limited and practicable. The required key technologies and the implementation roadmap for this future space transportation concept are analyzed and given in this study.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-17,D2,8-A5.4,4,x36595.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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