RGClark
Mathematician
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2010
- Messages
- 1,635
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 36
- Location
- Philadelphia
- Website
- exoscientist.blogspot.com
The latest NASA budget suggests the Europa Clipper, an orbiter mission to the Jovian-system to study Europa, won’t fly on the SLS, but instead on commercial rockets:
https://mobile.twitter.com/SpcPlcyOnline/status/1105131948903747584
However, instead of just an orbiter mission, by using commercial rockets we can do it as an actual *lander* mission at a fraction of the cost of the SLS-based orbiter mission. In fact, it could be so low cost so as to be fully privately financed and at a *profit*.
http://exoscientist.blogspot.com/2015/02/low-cost-europa-lander-missions.html
This was written in 2015. Looking over it again, there is a point I’m unsure about, the delta-v to get to Jupiter. I cited it as 6.3 km/s for a Hohmann orbit to Jupiter. But does this number include the delta-v to escape Earth’s gravity?
The Falcon 9 payload numbers appear dated also. I gave it as 16.6 tons to LEO. With the stretched tanks and supercooled fuel, it’s now at 22.8 tons to LEO, a nearly 50% increase. This means larger lander and or upper stages we can use. So we can improve our spacecrafts capabilities or get to Europa sooner.
Bob Clark
https://mobile.twitter.com/SpcPlcyOnline/status/1105131948903747584
However, instead of just an orbiter mission, by using commercial rockets we can do it as an actual *lander* mission at a fraction of the cost of the SLS-based orbiter mission. In fact, it could be so low cost so as to be fully privately financed and at a *profit*.
http://exoscientist.blogspot.com/2015/02/low-cost-europa-lander-missions.html
This was written in 2015. Looking over it again, there is a point I’m unsure about, the delta-v to get to Jupiter. I cited it as 6.3 km/s for a Hohmann orbit to Jupiter. But does this number include the delta-v to escape Earth’s gravity?
The Falcon 9 payload numbers appear dated also. I gave it as 16.6 tons to LEO. With the stretched tanks and supercooled fuel, it’s now at 22.8 tons to LEO, a nearly 50% increase. This means larger lander and or upper stages we can use. So we can improve our spacecrafts capabilities or get to Europa sooner.
Bob Clark
