Idea Mars Expeditionary Craft (MEC) based on Russian designs

[SiberianTiger]

After a little pondering over where to post this to, I've decided that the best use of this material would be to post it into the Addon Requests section. I think this should be alluring to design and fun to play.

You might get the idea what's this about by watching the youtube movie:

To download the video in high res,

1. Go by this link http://narod.ru/disk/4102320000/Mars_exp.avi.html

2. At this page, type the numbers you see into this field:

3. Then click this button:

4. You'll proceed to the next page. Make sure this check box is cleared:

5. Then click this link to begin downloading the movie:

Thanks for your patience.

Some screen shots of the mission:

The proposed MEC design is loosely based on RKK Energia solar-powered interplanetary reusable ship and exploits mostly the present days technologies. The mission goals are to deliver 6 people to Mars, Phobos and Deimos and return them safely to Earth.

 

[RichWall]

I look forward to it!! Looks great.

Monster Truck Soyuz

 

[Missioncmdr]

I remember seeing those screenshots somewhere before. Do you know what website it came off of?

 

[SiberianTiger]

I remember seeing those screenshots somewhere before. Do you know what website it came off of?

That was a now closed site of the infamously known firm called "Airspace Systems" who claimed to perform the mission depicted in the movie in, if I remember right, 2010 (also making similar empty claims about solar sail crafts etc.) . Whatever their reasons for producing the vid were, I still believe that the concept itself was beautifully crazy.

 

[Missioncmdr]

Yeah. I did find the link while I was searching through M6. It was defunct. It would be fun to fly in Orbiter, but extremely impractical in real life.

 

[SiberianTiger]

Yeah. I did find the link while I was searching through M6. It was defunct. It would be fun to fly in Orbiter, but extremely impractical in real life.

I counted: 17 Proton launches and 4 Soyuz rocket launches would be required to build and man the thingy. Also, the entire flight would take 21 docking operations... Something that leads to thoughts about necessity of the super heavy rockets (above 100 tons) for a serious space business.

 

[tblaxland]

I counted: 17 Proton launches and 4 Soyuz rocket launches would be required to build and man the thingy. Also, the entire flight would take 21 docking operations... Something that leads to thoughts about necessity of the super heavy rockets (above 100 tons) for a serious space business.

I guess it depends on how quickly you want to leave for Mars. For example, I find 44 manned missions and 34 unmanned missions to the ISS, so at least 77 docking operations excluding transfers between docking ports. Would the ISS have been any cheaper if it (or its equivalent in terms of capabilities) was launched on 100MT launchers, including LV development?

 

[Mister Kite]

I think we need some kind of "brachistochrone"course plotting MFD to fly designs like that in Orbiter.

 

[Graham2001]

I look forward to it!! Looks great.

Monster Truck Soyuz

Reminds me of the 'UFO' episode where a couple of drunken Russians try to drive an LRV right through the SHADO moonbase.

Also, rapidshare download link is no longer working. Any chance of making the video available somewhere else.

 

[SiberianTiger]

I guess it depends on how quickly you want to leave for Mars. For example, I find 44 manned missions and 34 unmanned missions to the ISS, so at least 77 docking operations excluding transfers between docking ports. Would the ISS have been any cheaper if it (or its equivalent in terms of capabilities) was launched on 100MT launchers, including LV development?

Would certainly be cheaper, if the LV existed (A Saturn-V, N1 or Energia class) and was in service and the entire station was built of 3 or 4 large blocks (Skylab-sized). The entire ISS design is a child of many compromises anyway, and a little bit too oversized and oversophisticated for the projected term of its life.


-----Post Added-----

Also, rapidshare download link is no longer working. Any chance of making the video available somewhere else.

I have updated the link in the original post, the new one shouldn't have a download number limit (just the time limit of 3 month of hosting).

 

[RichWall]

Would certainly be cheaper, if the LV existed (A Saturn-V, N1 or Energia class) and was in service and the entire station was built of 3 or 4 large blocks (Skylab-sized). The entire ISS design is a child of many compromises anyway, and a little bit too oversized and oversophisticated for the projected term of its life.

Who would have ever guessed?

 

[SiberianTiger]

Who would have ever guessed?

Mass = 19300 kg? :hmm:Isn't that too little?

 

[RichWall]

Mass = 19300 kg? :hmm:Isn't that too little?

Kind of you to ask.

The focus of the screenshot is on the smaller docked vessel which at this point was an Apollo CM on top of a Lunar Module Decent stage.

Each Skylab is set at 76000 Kg and the Central Spoke Component is set at 40000 Kg.

 

[SiberianTiger]

Each Skylab is set at 76000 Kg and the Central Spoke Component is set at 40000 Kg.

Is your configuration supposed to create artificial gravity or the cross shape is there just for modularity? I would suggest making the solar arrays a different way, or they might cast shadows on each other in many possible attitudes wrt Sun.

 

[RichWall]

Is your configuration supposed to create artificial gravity or the cross shape is there just for modularity?

Mainly for artificial gravity when assembled. The modularity is secondary but still necessary do to the fact it would have to be assembled after multiple launches.

I would suggest making the solar arrays a different way, or they might cast shadows on each other in many possible attitudes wrt Sun.

The intent of the design of the solar panels was;

1) Symmetry for a rotating configuration.

2) Protection of the crew and supplies from solar and gamma radiation.

3) Electrical generation.

The idea is to keep one side facing the sun for maximum effect of 2 & 3 above.

I do not wish to hijack your thread. The project you propose is very interesting and supports the idea that " We can get there now".

I just wanted to reinforce your comment on 3-4 large, Skylab sized components launched on HLVs.

 

[Graham2001]

For a better resolution video, please follow this link (153 Mb, 15 minutes to watch):
http://narod.ru/disk/4102320000/Mars_exp.avi.html
(Sorry for using a Russian file hosting, but the RapidShare is a pain in the a...) To download, type the numbers you see in the bottom of the page in the input field below them and click on the green button whose title reads like "Cka4atb" (meaning Download).

I did that and then it asked me to install a toolbar into firefox rather than downloading the file. Is that supposed to happen?

 

[SiberianTiger]

I did that and then it asked me to install a toolbar into firefox rather than downloading the file. Is that supposed to happen?

Darn... I'm sorry for not tracing the process further. Please follow the updated instruction (highlighted by a big font)