Manned Landing On Titan, Issues & Answers? |
Manned Landing On Titan, Issues & Answers? |
Oct 19 2006, 09:08 PM
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Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8784 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
Just got to thinking about some of the problems that may have to be addressed if & when we ever try to visit Titan in person.
The first thing that comes to mind is what might happen if some Titanian air gets inside an oxygen-rich manned spacecraft, say from minor airlock residue. I imagine that the explosive potential of some of the trace gasses is pretty high, and there's probably also a significant risk of poisonous compounds as well. So, here are some tenative requirements: 1. REALLY efficient air-scavenging airlocks. 2. Surface suits that can't trap external gasses in creases, folds, etc. 3. Spark-proof electrical/electronic everything. 4. Smoking is strictly forbidden (with apologies to the entire 1950s SF movie genre!) Gotta be more...any ideas? -------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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Dec 1 2007, 03:45 PM
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Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8784 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
Well, assuming for the moment that we're not likely to hop across the surface from multiple "land-mine" encounters, how would a large manned vehicle (LM-class or better) execute EDL? Seems easier at first glance than landing on Mars because of the thicker atmosphere & lower gravity (and lower initial orbital velocity to shed).
Side note- "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate"...comedian Steven Wright, no? That guy is absolutely brilliant. -------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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Dec 2 2007, 02:36 AM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 809 Joined: 11-March 04 Member No.: 56 |
Well, assuming for the moment that we're not likely to hop across the surface from multiple "land-mine" encounters, how would a large manned vehicle (LM-class or better) execute EDL? Seems easier at first glance than landing on Mars because of the thicker atmosphere & lower gravity (and lower initial orbital velocity to shed). There's always the possibility of splashdown! |
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Dec 2 2007, 05:57 AM
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Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8784 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
There's always the possibility of splashdown! True, given accurate targeting...but then what? I'd hate to have to design an auxiliary propulsion system to get the damn thing near the shore (remember, we're talking a manned vehicle here), to say nothing of disembarcation...lots of complexities here. -------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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