Discussion Japanese *concepts* for manned lunar missions

[Pipcard]

About 10 years ago, the Japanese space agency JAXA announced that they would be sending astronauts to the Moon in the 2020s, with a base to be completed by 2030. Sadly, this program never got past the powerpoint stage, probably because of Japan's current economic issues.

But what would it have looked like? I saw this article on NASAspaceflight.com a while back and tried to look for the source of some of the images there. I eventually found this .pdf as well as this one.

A few robotic missions would have preceded a series of manned sorties and the construction of a lunar base.

Several candidate landing sites were chosen:

A human-rated launcher and HTV-derived manned spacecraft would have been developed.

Cryogenic stages would have sent the spacecraft to the Moon.

Robotic landers under the SELENE/Kaguya program would have led to a manned lunar lander.

The lunar base would have been constructed in cooperation with NASA (using technologies such as ATHLETE).

JAXA's contributions to the base would have included a lunar rover and a cargo lander...

as well as solar arrays and robotic systems.

Here is a diagram, showing how the HTV derivative would rendezvous with a lander pre-placed in lunar orbit.

Also, a Japanese astronaut could have gone to the Moon in the Constellation program (His name? Hibito Nanba). But NASA doesn't "feel so moon" anymore.

 

[PhantomCruiser]

I like the pressurised rover (a lunar snowcat?) and cargo lander.
That lander looks like something I might be able to make.

 

[K_Jameson]

The pressurized rover is a concept that we have pursued at FOI during the Arcturus lander development (sadly in indefinite hold now).

 

[Andy44]

I like the pressurised rover (a lunar snowcat?) and cargo lander.
That lander looks like something I might be able to make.

Looks like something I did make, sort of. It has engines and cargo in the same configuration anyway:

 

[Donamy]

Here'sss my rover !!

 

[TachyonDriver]

But NASA doesn't "feel so moon" anymore.

Wait until the current President is out of office :thumbup:

 

[Urwumpe]

Wait until the current President is out of office :thumbup:

I hope the next president gets a briefing at the appropriate intelligence level.

I suspect "The pointy end has to point up" will be too much for the GOP candidates. But for Hillary, we would have to explain her that "periapsis and apoapsis are not the same, regardless how cool those words sound in a speech. And the pointy end still has to point up."

 

[Donamy]

I see an abort to the basement, coming with this thread. :facepalm:

 

[Pipcard]

Ideas for lunar bases (mostly from NASDA)

(source)

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Modules covered by regolith - I don't think that process can be simulated in Orbiter, so all you can do is a base .cfg.

(source)

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(this one's more recent)

 

[ISProgram]

That lunar lander cabin layout in that last image is actually very interesting. :hmm:

 

[Andy44]

That thing that looks like an Apollo LM with a giant container on it looks like part of the extended Apollo program plans that got canceled when Apollo got the ax in the 70s.

 

[Pipcard]

I found this thread on the NASAspaceflight forum, which led to this paper by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries from 2008:

The manned mission would have involved six launches of a three-core H-X launch vehicle, successor to the H-IIA/B:
- 1 lunar lander module + 2 earth departure stages
- 1 manned transfer vehicle + 2 earth departure stages

With six launches, over 30 tonnes could be put in low lunar orbit.

Several types of equipment: lunar descent stages (for crew and cargo), unmanned and manned rovers, robots, and powered space suits.

Space based solar power and far-side radio observatory:

---------- Post added 11-06-15 at 01:30 PM ---------- Previous post was 11-05-15 at 01:57 PM ----------

A clearer view of the lunar lander, designed for 2 crewmembers and a 7-day stay:

 

[Pipcard]

Here is my recreation of the mission profile in Kerbal Space Program (with the Real Solar System and Realism Overhaul mods).