Request Orbital scooter - Page 2 - Orbiter-Forum

Andy44 · 11-20-2008, 01:41 AM

Scootie-Puff Jr LOL I love that show.

If you guys recall, another version of a non-landing personal transfer vehicle was shown in the movie Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Scottie uses one to take Kirk for a tour around the newly-refitted Enterprise before it left the drydock.

**willy88** · 11-20-2008, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biscuit

I'm really surprised nobody has yet suggested ... the 'Scootie-Puff Jr':

I was thinking more of a Scootie-Puff Sr.

JamesG · 11-20-2008, 04:57 AM

The MMU (Manned Maneuvering Unit) pack was pretty much this. Turns a space suit into a very small space craft.

Andy44 · 11-20-2008, 05:51 AM

Yeah, but the MMU didn't have very much delta-V. The smaller emergency jetpacks they wear outside the ISS have even less. And you can only stay in that suit for so long. For transfers to other vessels in diferent orbits you're going to need more delta-V, which means you want something with chemical reactant jets on it, probably hypergolic, as opposed to the very low Isp of the MMU's cold gas jets. That means a larger structure with bigger propellant tanks and some safe distance between the astronaut and the nearest thruster, at least a few feet. If he must ride inside his suit, then you should have a life support system on the vehicle that he can plug his suit umbilical into for air conditionaing and to preserve battery power. He also needs a way to control the vessel without removing his gloved hands or vision-restricting helmet. Anything else? Maybe a retractable sun shade made of mylar or something. Also you need to decide how many passengers this thing will carry and for how many hours. Decide how electrical power will be generated, probably solar, and determine how much area the panels require for your chosen solar cell technology, and put them somewhere, maybe on the dorsal side. These could serve as the sun shade perhaps.

Shouldn't be too hard to design a basic version once you settle on the requirements.

JamesG · 11-20-2008, 06:03 AM

I think the future of EVAs and outside work is going to be done by anthropomorphic robots controlled by high fidelity teleoperation. Space suits are just too dangerous, limiting, and time consuming to use if a remote controlled telebot will work just as well.

When that's the case, I don't think there will be much need for pressure suits in anything but emergency situations. So a "broomstick" vehicle won't be really practical. Probably a compact "shuttle pod" is what we will see to move people around.

**tblaxland** · 11-20-2008, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesG

When that's the case, I don't think there will be much need for pressure suits in anything but emergency situations. So a "broomstick" vehicle won't be really practical. Probably a compact "shuttle pod" is what we will see to move people around.

I agree, you can't even eat in a space suit and that pretty well puts an upper limit on how much time you can stay in it of, say, 8 hours. Yeah, I know, you can have nutrient fluids but would you really want to do that for as much as 24 hours?

Andy44 · 11-20-2008, 06:23 AM

If you have an operating environment where people stay suited up all the time like Heinlein envisioned, it may work. But I agree that a pressurized cabin is very nice to have, even if it adds some mass.

Most people working in space may still have to drag their own personal suit around with them as they transfer from vessel to vessel, though, even if they only wear it occasionally. I think it is analogous to having your own SCUBA gear, which if you've ever seen how people treat rental gear seems like a wise investment.

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11-20-2008, 01:41 AM	#16
Andy44 owner: Oil Creek Astronautix	Scootie-Puff Jr LOL I love that show. If you guys recall, another version of a non-landing personal transfer vehicle was shown in the movie Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Scottie uses one to take Kirk for a tour around the newly-refitted Enterprise before it left the drydock.

11-20-2008, 01:47 AM	#17
willy88 Procrastinator	Quote: Originally Posted by Biscuit I'm really surprised nobody has yet suggested ... the 'Scootie-Puff Jr': I was thinking more of a Scootie-Puff Sr.

11-20-2008, 04:57 AM	#18
JamesG Orbinaut	The MMU (Manned Maneuvering Unit) pack was pretty much this. Turns a space suit into a very small space craft.

11-20-2008, 05:51 AM	#19
Andy44 owner: Oil Creek Astronautix	Yeah, but the MMU didn't have very much delta-V. The smaller emergency jetpacks they wear outside the ISS have even less. And you can only stay in that suit for so long. For transfers to other vessels in diferent orbits you're going to need more delta-V, which means you want something with chemical reactant jets on it, probably hypergolic, as opposed to the very low Isp of the MMU's cold gas jets. That means a larger structure with bigger propellant tanks and some safe distance between the astronaut and the nearest thruster, at least a few feet. If he must ride inside his suit, then you should have a life support system on the vehicle that he can plug his suit umbilical into for air conditionaing and to preserve battery power. He also needs a way to control the vessel without removing his gloved hands or vision-restricting helmet. Anything else? Maybe a retractable sun shade made of mylar or something. Also you need to decide how many passengers this thing will carry and for how many hours. Decide how electrical power will be generated, probably solar, and determine how much area the panels require for your chosen solar cell technology, and put them somewhere, maybe on the dorsal side. These could serve as the sun shade perhaps. Shouldn't be too hard to design a basic version once you settle on the requirements.

11-20-2008, 06:03 AM	#20
JamesG Orbinaut	I think the future of EVAs and outside work is going to be done by anthropomorphic robots controlled by high fidelity teleoperation. Space suits are just too dangerous, limiting, and time consuming to use if a remote controlled telebot will work just as well. When that's the case, I don't think there will be much need for pressure suits in anything but emergency situations. So a "broomstick" vehicle won't be really practical. Probably a compact "shuttle pod" is what we will see to move people around.

11-20-2008, 06:14 AM	#21
tblaxland Webmaster	Quote: Originally Posted by JamesG When that's the case, I don't think there will be much need for pressure suits in anything but emergency situations. So a "broomstick" vehicle won't be really practical. Probably a compact "shuttle pod" is what we will see to move people around. I agree, you can't even eat in a space suit and that pretty well puts an upper limit on how much time you can stay in it of, say, 8 hours. Yeah, I know, you can have nutrient fluids but would you really want to do that for as much as 24 hours?

11-20-2008, 06:23 AM	#22
Andy44 owner: Oil Creek Astronautix	If you have an operating environment where people stay suited up all the time like Heinlein envisioned, it may work. But I agree that a pressurized cabin is very nice to have, even if it adds some mass. Most people working in space may still have to drag their own personal suit around with them as they transfer from vessel to vessel, though, even if they only wear it occasionally. I think it is analogous to having your own SCUBA gear, which if you've ever seen how people treat rental gear seems like a wise investment.