On Wed, 28 Dec 2005 20:04:56 GMT, (Henry Spencer)
wrote:

Note, in particular, that in the proposed Mars-mission profile, the
capsule has to go up to meet the MTV (Mars Transfer Vehicle) "in a
circular orbit of 800- to 1200-km altitude". Why so high?!? There's only
one reasonable answer: the MTV uses nuclear propulsion, and must start in
a "nuclear-safe" orbit, high enough that orbital life in the event of a
failure exceeds 10kyr.

....Henry, I've got an alternative theory: Wouldn't a gravity-assist
TMI trajectory designed to reduce transit time drastically begin from
such an altitude?

OM
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