Project Themis-A launch vehicle

[MaverickSawyer]

I'm not planning competition. Except for Themis-A there will be Poseidon (SRB derived LV) and HCLV (no name yet) for heavy lifting.

---------- Post added at 02:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:13 AM ----------

Is that a Themis-A derived core stage?

Also, how about Artemis as a name for that launcher?

 

[Loru]

Core stage is LH2/LOX powered by 2 RS-68 engines. Boosters are Themis-A derived sharing with it same engines and almost anything except outer cover and attachment mechanisms.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

OK, how do you uncover the optics and deploy the panels on the telescope?

 

[Loru]

Beta testing progresses good so far. We're removing smaller bugs and determining performance of the vehicle depending on configuration.

---------- Post added at 03:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:26 PM ----------

Also AP is much more precise now (I managed to achieve 0.1 Rinc to Mir from CSSC with carefull timing).

---------- Post added at 05:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:28 PM ----------

and normal maps for Rigel done:

 

[romanasul]

Looks really cool. Also, are the space telescope, lunar tug and rover going to be included in the package?

 

[Loru]

Looks really cool. Also, are the space telescope, lunar tug and rover going to be included in the package?

The telescope.

I've miscalculated this rocked badly and moon mission I've designed cannot be performed with this rocket (I was off by 7 tons).

Lunar tug however and rover will be recalculated (to drop some mass), rescaled and released as separate add-on so you'd be able to perform it using any rocket capable of delivering 20 tons into LEO.

 

[garyw]

Putting the themis on the shuttle crawler to roll it out to the launch site:

 

[Loru]

Dedicated crawler

---------- Post added at 07:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:31 PM ----------

Night on the island:

 

[Interceptor]

This,just keeps getting better,and,better.

 

[Pipcard]

What if there were a three-core "Themis-A Heavy"?

 

[Loru]

What if there were a three-core "Themis-A Heavy"?

1.) Rocket has already many possible configurations - adding more to dll code would create possible bugs, instabilities ETC.

2.) AP would have to be redifined as it's adjusted to current configurations.

3.) 3 core version would require bigger upperstages to actually make it efficent. Rockets are not easilly scalable.


I'm thinking of system that will double/triple Themis-A capacity to LEO (40-60 tons), but I'd go with probably different aproach. Either LH2/LOX core stage or maybe smaller version of HCLV (LH2/LOX core with one RS-68 engine + 2 Themis-A cores as boosters)? Nothing has been decided yet.

---------- Post added at 07:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:26 AM ----------

Some possible cofigurations:

---------- Post added at 07:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:24 PM ----------

And "Mobile" Launcher:

 

[Urwumpe]

And "Mobile" Launcher:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLeESPkHnCc

A tiny bit fast, don't you think? :rofl:

 

[Interceptor]

A tiny bit fast, don't you think? :rofl:

Yeah Loru,I think that crawler would qualfy for the Gran Prix.

 

[Pipcard]

3.) 3 core version would require bigger upperstages to actually make it efficent. Rockets are not easilly scalable.


I'm thinking of system that will double/triple Themis-A capacity to LEO (40-60 tons), but I'd go with probably different aproach. Either LH2/LOX core stage or maybe smaller version of HCLV (LH2/LOX core with one RS-68 engine + 2 Themis-A cores as boosters)? Nothing has been decided yet.

Using this (very good for estimating launcher capacity) and selecting the "User-defined" option, I inputted:

(I got the dry/propellant mass values from Scenario Editor and the specific impulses from Burn Time Calculator)

A three-core Themis-A with a Sirius upper stage could actually lift about 40 tons to LEO. 900 kN is a lot compared to the upper stages of launchers such as Atlas V, Delta IV, and Ariane 5.

 

[Loru]

With my dev queue a bit occupied by HCLV, XR3, SP-Rover, Posidon (SRB derived launcher) and Shuttle Mk2 (I'm not counting things like crawler for launchers) I doubt I could work on it anytime soon.

 

[Pipcard]

With my dev queue a bit occupied by HCLV, XR3, SP-Rover, Posidon (SRB derived launcher) and Shuttle Mk2 (I'm not counting things like crawler for launchers) I doubt I could work on it anytime soon.

Warning: You would also need to get rid of the fins on the first stage.

 

[Loru]

Warning: You would also need to get rid of the fins on the first stage.

Not nescessary:

Themis core with 2 HCLV boosters:

 

[Pipcard]

That looks like the "heavy-lift Zenit" that comes with Velcro Rockets.

 

[Loru]

That looks like the "heavy-lift Zenit" that comes with Velcro Rockets.

TBH it has similar engines and Themis-A Core is loosely based on Zenit booster.