Orbital transportation system featuring a Lunar Expeditionary Complex to be assembled in low Earth orbit by using heavy-lift launch vehicles
Authors: Bychkov A.D., Filin V.M.
Published in issue: #9(69)/2017
DOI: 10.18698/2308-6033-2017-9-1676
Category: Power, Metallurgic and Chemical Engineering | Chapter: Hydraulic Machines and Hydropneumatic units
The article presents a design-stage ballistics analysis of an orbital transportation system featuring a Lunar Expeditionary Complex to be assembled in low Earth orbit. The Lunar Expeditionary Complex includes a manned transportation vehicle, a reusable lunar lander, a space tug running on oxygen and kerosene, and an integrated upper stage booster system using oxygen and hydrogen, equipped with extra oxygen tanks. We consider a method of long-term liquid oxygen storage making use of a cryogenic gas liquefier. Since there is no need to store liquid hydrogen for a prolonged period of time, a passive liquid hydrogen storage system may be set up. The mission profile should require fve unmanned launches of the Angara A5V vehicle and one manned launch of either Angara A5P or Soyuz 5 systems. The interval between launches would be approximately a month. There is no loss of previously launched elements even in the case of a postponed launch or if losing any other element of the Expeditionary Complex. It is possible to gradually transition to employing super heavy-lift launch vehicles.
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