(ed kyle) wrote in message . com...
Brian Thorn wrote in message . ..
On 27 Feb 2004 18:07:03 -0800, (ed kyle) wrote:

See:

"http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20040227-105754-2873r"

Analysis: NASA studies new booster
By Frank Sietzen

It says that some version of EOR
is likely for Project Constellation, with manned capsules
carried by EELV rockets, but cargo lofted by something an
order of magnitude more powerful.

Um, wouldn't that mean a booster capable of something like 500,000
lbs. to LEO? Yikes.


Only if CEV weighs 50,000 pounds. It should weigh much less
than that.


After all, 3-man Soyuz TM weighs only 7.15 metric tons
(15,766 pounds). Shenzhou is believed to weigh about 7.8 tons.
A straight Delta IV-Medium (no strap-on boosters even) can put
at least 10.5 metric tons into LEO (the most recent such rocket
put 10.56 tons into a 186x401km parking orbit, not counting the
dry mass of the second stage).

- Ed Kyle