News NASA's Nautilus-X

[Turbinator]

I don't see any mention of NASA's new Nautilus-X anywhere on the forum.

It is NASA's plan for future manned exploration of our solar system. It is a
multi-use multi-purpose ship. And it makes a lot of sense, build it once and
ride it around, instead of build, launch, build, launch, build, launch, build
launch...

The propulsion system is completely modular, and can be swapped out
depending on where Nautilus-X is headed. It can dock with the ISS. It’s
estimated that construction would take at five years and require two to
three rocket launches and cost a modest $3.7 billion, by using existing
technologies.

Where was this before?

 

[Urwumpe]

Must be made by NASA, it has Solar arrays and nuclear reactor.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Here's the original presentation on this vehicle (PPT, 6.12 MB).

It looks cool, and the prospect of testing the centrifuge on the ISS is interesting.

However, I think the closest it will ever get to space is by putting the above PPT on a memory stick, and hurling it into the sky.

 

[ZombiezuRFER]

Odd... I recently made a thread on this... where'd that go?

 

[Ark]

However, I think the closest it will ever get to space is by putting the above PPT on a memory stick, and hurling it into the sky.

Agreed. And if it were ever built, it would take closer to ten years and $50 billion.

 

[Turbinator]

 

[Ark]

Don't hate me because NASA has massively exceeded timeframe and budget on every project they've ever attempted. We all know that 5 years/$3.7b is wildly optimistic.

 

[T.Neo]

Ok... I am not even sure about 50 billion... Maybe it will cost 100 billion, if the ISS is anything to go by.

This thing will require two to three rocket launches? What in Earth Orbit are they launching it on? Sea Dragon?

 

[Urwumpe]

Don't hate me, because this design still contains more handwavium than a typical Orbiter add-on.

I would also say, including all needed test flights, this is closer to 200 billion USD. The centrifuge can be tested on the ISS, if you want to ruin the last remaining bit of scientific value of it...

 

[Keatah]

This is a good idea, unfortunately the cost of propellant would kill it. Otherwise everything looks great!

I say we begin by raiding the ISS for parts. And if that is not doable, then just do some practice flights - send the iss to lunar orbit or something like that.

was this post worth the time?? uhm?

---------- Post added at 02:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:56 PM ----------

And they think they can put this up there with 3 rocket launches?? Maybe with SuperLift Saturn 8's ..

 

[T.Neo]

The centrifuge can be tested on the ISS, if you want to ruin the last remaining bit of scientific value of it...

There is scientific value of testing a centrifuge...

I'm really disappointed the CAM was cancelled... it is really difficult to study partial-G on Earth, at least the CAM on the ISS would have provided a limited ability for partial gravity study.

I say we begin by raiding the ISS for parts. And if that is not doable, then just do some practice flights - send the iss to lunar orbit or something like that.

That is not doable. Primarily because the ISS is a complete spacecraft, breaking it apart to form an entirely different, new spacecraft, doesn't make much sense.

Also primarily because the ISS is designed for the thermal conditions of LEO, not cislunar or interplanetary space- i.e. going behind the Earth once every orbit, etc.

It is not suited to such a concept, best keep the ISS in LEO- that is what it is designed to do, and spend the money elsewhere on a more surefire, more sensible program which would launch new hardware- hardware designed for the job.

Don't hate me, because this design still contains more handwavium than a typical Orbiter add-on.

I sense this, but: where exactly is the handwavium?

 

[Turbinator]

Here is are pics for scale:

It is of a very manageable size.

 

[Keatah]

Ohh, this is yet another power-point-pet-project.

---------- Post added at 03:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:05 PM ----------

I always will say that till we can build spacecraft like the Starship Enterprise, then people should stay on Earth. Till then, build the best and most sophisticated probes and rovers we can. And eventually we'll be able to carry around all the excess plumbing and energy it takes to make it all work. Afterall, a silicon machine of glass and metal is much more adapted to the space environment than a bag of water.

 

[T.Neo]

It is of a very manageable size.

What is a "manageable" size? That centrifuge alone will already take up the launch of an existing heavy lift vehicle.

Smaller might not be good, either- especially for the centrifuge. A larger centrifuge means a lower angular velocity, and a lower gravity gradient- in other words, a small centrifuge has to spin faster to get the same amount of acceleration, which can make the inhabitants nauseous, and the smaller the centrifuge, the greater the gradient between the acceleration at their feet, and at their heads.

This centrifuge already looks only barely large enough to stand up in... maybe it is intended only for having the astronauts sleep in.

I always will say that till we can build spacecraft like the Starship Enterprise, then people should stay on Earth. Till then, build the best and most sophisticated probes and rovers we can. And eventually we'll be able to carry around all the excess plumbing and energy it takes to make it all work.

Sorry to break this to you but... Vostok was already better than Enterprise. Why? Because Enterprise contains a grand total of 1.4% science. The rest is plot device and art department.

The "excess plumbing and energy" is not the problem. The problem is putting the package together effectively, safely, and cheaply.

And of course: Getting interest for actual exploration. Which is exceedingly difficult, apparently. :dry:

 

[Urwumpe]

Here is are pics for scale:

It is of a very manageable size.

It thus is too small for long term habitability - you would need to high rotation speeds even for small g numbers. Around twice as large and you could stay inside it at 0.3g without feeling nauseated.

 

[Keatah]

Some of the science on Star Trek has yet to be made real. We've only done a few things like the cell phone and padd devices. AND our present versions are pretty pathetic, but they are improving. Currently, cell phones have a range of about 2 or 3 miles and they require a huge infrastructure. The communicators on Star Trek need no infrastructure.

Now, the PADD devices are more true to form and practical. What was portrayed in The Next Generation series in the 80's and 90's is pretty need, regarding the PADDs. They were designed to work with the infrastructure and network aboard the ship. First now we're seeing a lot of functionality packed into a tiny device. One with a large screen and usable information. And now, GM has an iphone application that let's you access diagnostics and settings an actually control some stuff. Good idea. Pilots are using iphones and ipads to hold their scheduling and map/route info. And they interface with the aircraft as well.

The bad thing about this "padd" network is the horrendously slow data network. 4g isn't all that spectacular. Neither is 5g.

But, anyways, StarTrek stuff aside. I hate all these pet projects, nothing ever comes of them. AND they only serve as distractions and make-work drains on funding.

 

[Urwumpe]

I would say, what we have today as smartphones and tablet PCs, is way more cool and useful, than any Star Trek authors wet dreams.

But it also took a lot more money than many people can imagine - just sum up the R&D expenses of the biggest mobile phone companies since 1970. Or the computer industry...

You can't just design the big super spacecraft and then expect it can also be build. You need people who also work out the fine details. And you keep track with technology as well, for knowing when your knowledge that you used for designing the spacecraft was not as good as reality.