LRO development |
LRO development |
May 2 2005, 01:31 AM
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Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 2262 Joined: 9-February 04 From: Melbourne - Oz Member No.: 16 |
Just read this interesting article about LRO
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/28apr_lro.htm QUOTE "This is the first in a string of missions," says Gordon Chin, project scientist for LRO at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "More robots will follow, about one per year, leading up to manned flight" no later than 2020." One per Year? Is this just wishful thinking or have any tentitve plans been mentioned for follow up missions after LRO? If the next one is going to be 2009/10 then I guess some desisions about it will have to be made fairly soon. James -------------------- |
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May 31 2006, 02:04 AM
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 172 Joined: 17-March 06 Member No.: 709 |
As for RLEP-2, I don't know enough to judge whether small or large is preferred for this lunar lander. Let me be a devil's advocate and ask why is the concept for a Gargantuan RLEP-2 a bad idea? Is it strictly cost? To me, using the RLEP-2 (or perhaps, it will now be called LPRP-2) as an unmanned testbed for the LSAM might be a good path to pursue. This would allow the evaluation of the RL-10 rocket engine and perhaps reduce the risk and cost of the LSAM. In addition, having a Gargantuan RLEP-2 unmanned lander would allow the landing of a large scientific payload on the Moon. I imagine that once such an unmanned lunar lander is developed, it could be used not only as a cargo carrier for manned missions, but also as a strictly scientific probe that could study regions of the Moon that won't be visited by people for some time. If NASA also develops a large unmanned Rover, based on Apollo's LRV, then the scientific utility of such an unmanned lander will be that much better. Another Phil |
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