Iron Hill Project Thread

[Felipi1205]

Sorry, I couldn't do it today, but tomorrow it WILL be there! ;D

 

[Felipi1205]

I hope that's what you had in mind. The last light is next to the base, so you can use it... The base is looking good! :thumbup:

 

[TMac3000]

Hmmm...that arrangement isn't quite what I had in mind, but it works
I have only one minor complaint: it looks like you forgot to update the clock before starting...or did you do this Saturday night?

---------- Post added at 06:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:07 PM ----------

With that done, the next item will be another drive to Scopas to set up the drill and the power relay. I doubt RickD would want to stay up until 5 AM Local to do this, so Felipi will be driving

We'll make the trip on Friday. When we get there, post the scenario, and I'll set up the equipment

 

[sorindafabico]

I had an idea.

The second (or third) trip to Mercury could be done with the Interplanetary Modular Spacecraft. We could project a ship optimized for a Mercury trip and assemble it in LEO with the XR5. The Arrow(s) could serve as lifeboat or spare ship(s). As the IHP runs in realtime, it would be a good chance to experiment something like VASIMR.

The Arrow is a great spacecraft, but I think IMS would add a bit more realism to the IHP.

 

[TMac3000]

That's a fantastic idea, and I'm happy to give it a go!:thumbup:

Now, here's the thing. Discovery is slated to make the trip to Mercury in December, and although we have plenty of time to get her ready, we don't have nearly enough time to design and build a new ship.

The way I see it, we have two choices with the IMS route:
1) With the current schedule, the soonest we could send an IMS ship anywhere would be a departure for Mercury in August 2013, with arrival in November. I would be willing to do this, and it shouldn't be a problem

2) I've been kicking around a really crazy idea for the virtual space agency I will announce in February: a mission to Europa. This will stretch the idea of interrupted real time missions to its farthest limits, and would be a terrific way to test a VASIMR. The next window for a Jupiter launch is estimated September 12, 2013.

I'm interested to hear your input on this

 

[sorindafabico]

I think we can do the ship's project in a few weeks, but i'm not sure if we can build the whole spacecraft until december - depends on its size, number of modules and when the project is finished. As the XR5 has a lot of cargo room, we can send several modules per launch, which is a good thing - and maybe we can do it before the trip.

The trip to Europa is a great idea, and we can do it - reaching Jupiter in just some months - even if we use the IMS in the IHP too (a Jovian craft would be very different of a Hermian craft).

Another thing we must (but can) resolve: the today's development stage of IMS does not support landing and cargo, but I have the dll of a simple airless lander half done here, and I could use it if somebody can do the meshes. Then we project the ship to transport the lander and UCGO payload modules docked (and maybe an UCGO lander too).

 

[TMac3000]

I can make meshes in Blender, if you can export them to Orbiter format.

Jupiter in a matter of months...woah. WOAH:blink::blink: VASIMR is that powerful?

Just let me know when you want to start, but don't forget we have the Chronus test flight in a couple of weeks (I'm still waiting to hear from Mattyv on that one.) I'd at least wait to start the design process until we get that done

 

[sorindafabico]

From Wikipedia:

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said that VASIMR technology could be the breakthrough technology that would reduce the travel time on a Mars mission from 2.5 years to 5 months.[23]

Jupiter in one year, maybe. I must do the math before =p It's not exactly powerful, but has a very high ISP.

Friday is a national holiday in Brazil and I won't be at home, but we can start the project(s) next week.

 

[TMac3000]

So we need to reschedule the test flight then?

 

[sorindafabico]

No, this friday is holiday (7), I'm in for next friday (14).

 

[Felipi1205]

That's a fantastic idea, and I'm happy to give it a go!:thumbup:

Now, here's the thing. Discovery is slated to make the trip to Mercury in December, and although we have plenty of time to get her ready, we don't have nearly enough time to design and build a new ship.

The way I see it, we have two choices with the IMS route:
1) With the current schedule, the soonest we could send an IMS ship anywhere would be a departure for Mercury in August 2013, with arrival in November. I would be willing to do this, and it shouldn't be a problem

2) I've been kicking around a really crazy idea for the virtual space agency I will announce in February: a mission to Europa. This will stretch the idea of interrupted real time missions to its farthest limits, and would be a terrific way to test a VASIMR. The next window for a Jupiter launch is estimated September 12, 2013.

I'm interested to hear your input on this

First - Yes, I forgot to update the clock, just a small thing. I was going to do it, but I was in the outside of the base with my UMmu, so if I did it, I would die! But when I saved the game, I forgot it...

I will LOVE the Europa's mission!!!!!!!!! It's a very interesting mission, and the VASIMR would be the best way to guide the crew to Europa...

 

[TMac3000]

First - Yes, I forgot to update the clock, just a small thing. I was going to do it, but I was in the outside of the base with my UMmu, so if I did it, I would die! But when I saved the game, I forgot it...

I will LOVE the Europa's mission!!!!!!!!! It's a very interesting mission, and the VASIMR would be the best way to guide the crew to Europa...

Seems I have two potential hires for the company already

The Europa thing is going to be a big deal, but we will have a LOT of other missions to do first. Europa (I'm codenaming the mission the Deep Six Project) will be late next year at the earliest, and possibly mid-2014.

So, are you ready for the drive tomorrow?

 

[sorindafabico]

There's only one problem with VASIMR-like engines: as they don't use ordinary Hohmann transfers, I have no idea on how to navigate with them :rofl:

 

[TMac3000]

Probably best to stick with something more conventional then
Here are a few of the challenges of this mission:
For the roughly 280 days of the Iron Hill Project, we needed 20 tons of consumables (air, water, food, etc). For the roughly 2,000 days of Deep Six, that figure will be more like 120 tons. The entire cargo space on the Arrow (if we use one) will taken up by consumables alone. That means we will have to carry Chronus with us to Jupiter, which will add another 200 tons of payload (I think)

Also, we can't land while docked, which means when we reach Jupiter, Chronus will have to undock and land first, followed quickly by the mothership with our supplies. And we get ready to go home, the mothership will have to launch first, then Chronus would launch and dock with her.

The most obvious goal of the trip would be to use a giant laser to drill through the ice and search for life, but I don't know how we would accomplish that in Orbiter. Any alternative ideas for an itinerary?

This is going to be one challenging mission:thumbup:

 

[sorindafabico]

I suggest a modular spacecraft designed for the mission (we can learn how to navigate with low thrust engines OR use other very powerful chemical options of IMS) with a XR2 or even a XR1 docked. Supplies would go in landable cargo modules docked with the mothership (we have plenty of time to design them).

The mission will be next year, the IMS team has plans to include touchdown points in IMS. This would dispense the need of a special lander, but we can't count on this for while.

I think it's a good idea learn how to handle VASIMR-like engines because they can reduce the travel time.

 

[Mattyv]

I might be interested in designing a Jupiter craft.

 

[sorindafabico]

An advantage of an IMS: it has a module that allows self sustainable resources. The only problem it's this resources aren't UCGO, but the landable cargo modules solve this problem.

 

[TMac3000]

I suggest a modular spacecraft designed for the mission (we can learn how to navigate with low thrust engines OR use other very powerful chemical options of IMS) with a XR2 or even a XR1 docked. Supplies would go in landable cargo modules docked with the mothership (we have plenty of time to design them).

The mission will be next year, the IMS team has plans to include touchdown points in IMS. This would dispense the need of a special lander, but we can't count on this for while.

I think it's a good idea learn how to handle VASIMR-like engines because they can reduce the travel time.

Sounds great:thumbup:
I'll spend the next few days looking up non-Hohmann transfer procedures. This means we'll have to use TransX, since IMFD is not equipped for other types of launches.

---------- Post added at 09:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:50 PM ----------

I might be interested in designing a Jupiter craft.

Go for it:thumbup:
BTW, you're ready for the Chronus test flight on the 14th, right?

 

[Felipi1205]

Seems I have two potential hires for the company already

The Europa thing is going to be a big deal, but we will have a LOT of other missions to do first. Europa (I'm codenaming the mission the Deep Six Project) will be late next year at the earliest, and possibly mid-2014.

So, are you ready for the drive tomorrow?

I can't say it today, I need to see if I can do it...

 

[RickD]

Seems I have two potential hires for the company already

The Europa thing is going to be a big deal, but we will have a LOT of other missions to do first. Europa (I'm codenaming the mission the Deep Six Project) will be late next year at the earliest, and possibly mid-2014.

So, are you ready for the drive tomorrow?

Oh, put my name on the list. I'm sure you'll have lots of tables to arrange and spaces to walk out there on Europa. :tiphat:

Who knows, I may even figure out how to work one of these spacey-craft by then :beathead:

Rick