"Alex Terrell" wrote:

:
:Fred J. McCall wrote:
: Brian Thorn wrote:
:
: :On 23 Oct 2005 03:56:21 -0700, "Alex Terrell"
: :wrote:
: :
: :But how can you get a descent lunar lander, capable of landing ~10 tons
: :on the lunar surface, into the 5.2m dimater faring offered by SpaceX
: :(or Boeing, LM, or the Stick)?
: :
: :Can this be done without orbital assembley?
: :
: :Maybe, but the simplest solution would be to launch the lander without
: :any fuel tanks first, and then attach fuel tanks (launched seperately
: r uninstalled on the same launcher.) in orbit. That would take some
: :ISS-like assembly, though.
:
: And you're back to talking about assembly of pressure fittings in
: space. This is almost always a bad idea, particularly for relatively
: high pressure fittings like fuel feed lines.
:
: Space assembly is HARD, people. It's difficult and clumsy work.
:
:There's assembley and there's assembley. I was hoping to keep itdown to
:rendez-vous and attachment, as proposed by NASA. However, for this at
:least one of the modules needs thrust.

Yep. And it's not the 'attach fuel tanks in orbit' model anymore.

:As for high pressure feedlines, I assume they're only high pressure
:when the valve is turned on.

Correct, but is there a point there? You still have to get the joined
in such a way as to stand up to operating pressure.

:And even if their valveless, joiming high
ressure feed lines in space should be relatviely straight forward, as
:long as they align correctly.

Just a wave of the Technology Fairy's wand away....

--
"We come into the world and take our chances.
Fate is just the weight of circumstances.
That's the way that Lady Luck dances.
Roll the bones...."
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