Location
Howard Johnson Plaza-Hotel, Columbia/Enterprise Rooms
Start Date
23-4-1992 1:00 PM
Description
Mars transfer vehicles (MTV's) using nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) to reduce transit time introduce a new dimension in the design for in-space operations. The objective of the paper is to define practical concepts based on a set of design-for-operation strategies. An artificial-g MTV using NTP is characterized in this study. Manifests of MTV elements for the heavy lift launch vehicles (HLLV's) are shown to affect in-space assembly and maintenance requirements. A main goal is to minimize EVA operations during the assembly of a MTV in Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO). Self-build, self-build/ depot hybrid, free-flyer robotic spacecrafts, build-up by lunar vehicles, and construction platform are concepts investigated. Maintainability analysis indicates that the self-build/ depot hybrid concept is optimum over the self- build and platform concept.
Paper Session III-B - In-Space Operations Driven Mars Transfer Vehicle System
Howard Johnson Plaza-Hotel, Columbia/Enterprise Rooms
Mars transfer vehicles (MTV's) using nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) to reduce transit time introduce a new dimension in the design for in-space operations. The objective of the paper is to define practical concepts based on a set of design-for-operation strategies. An artificial-g MTV using NTP is characterized in this study. Manifests of MTV elements for the heavy lift launch vehicles (HLLV's) are shown to affect in-space assembly and maintenance requirements. A main goal is to minimize EVA operations during the assembly of a MTV in Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO). Self-build, self-build/ depot hybrid, free-flyer robotic spacecrafts, build-up by lunar vehicles, and construction platform are concepts investigated. Maintainability analysis indicates that the self-build/ depot hybrid concept is optimum over the self- build and platform concept.
