On Wednesday, November 20, 2013 4:14:08 PM UTC+13, William Mook wrote:
3D Printed Rocket
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFFeqmMprV4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uZHUkeIkpk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFXIN3ZvJYw
Sciaky Additive Manufacturing...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A10XEZvkgbY
19 ft long, 4 ft wide, 4 ft high... off the shelf,
38 ft long, 8 ft wide, 8 ft high... available through special order.
Trumpf Additive Manufacturing...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLndYWw5_y8
5-axis CNC machining center
http://www.paragondie.com/worlds_largest_fidia.shtml
60 ft long, 12 ft wide, 12 ft high... off the shelf (can be combined with Trumpf additive manufacturing system)
Multiple feeds through special order with increases in length to 120 ft.
A 120 ft long, 24 ft wide, 24 ft high... available through special order.
* * *
The space shuttle external tank was 153.8 ft long and 27.6 ft in diameter.. It carried 1.385 million pounds of LOX and 0.235 million pounds of LH2 and massed 1.672 million pounds at lift off.
A small version only 47.5% the mass and 78.0% the size of the larger tank would be 120 ft long and 21.6 ft in diameter. It would mass 0.794 million pounds at lift off and carry 0.658 million pounds of LOX and 0.112 million pounds of LH2.
With an array of small engines feeding an aerospike nozzle at the base of the vehicle it would be capable of 455 sec Isp from sea level to vacuum which translates to an exhaust speed of 14,650 ft/sec. The system produces 1..111 at million pounds of thrust at 111% rated value and may be throttled back to 1% full thrust. Thus it can produce up to 1.40 gees at lift off.
With a take-off weight of 0.794 million pounds and a combined propellant weight of 0.769 million pounds the self-propelled tank is capable of
14,650 * ln( 0.794 / (0.794 - 0.769) ) = 50,378 ft/sec = Vf
This is with zero payload. A speed of 34,380 mph. Greater than escape speed.
A payload of 86,851 pounds may be accelerated through a speed of 30,171 ft/sec. That's a speed of 20,571 mph. Sufficient to achieve the same orbits as the space shuttle! Gee forces at lift off is 1.26 gees. Similar again to the old space shuttle.
Three tanks operating in parallel, with the two outboard tanks equipped with cross-feeding, similar to the space shuttle external tank, to feed propellant to the central tank engine during lift off and first stage operation..
This creates in effect a two-stage system with the outboard tanks forming the first stage and the central tank forming the second stage.
Assuming the tanks are identical, we can know that take-off-weight is
3 * 0.794 million pounds
and that the propellant in the first stage is
2 * 0.769 million pounds
so we can calculate that the ideal delta vee of the first stage is;
14,650 * ln((3 * 0.794)/(3 * 0.794 - 2 * 0.769)) = 15,200 ft/sec
That's 10,363 mph - less air drag and gravity losses.
we can also calculate that the ideal delta vee of the second stage is the same as before namely 50,378 ft/sec or 34,380 mph.
Adding these two velocities together obtains 44,743 mph!!
This launcher is capable of carrying 302,500 lbs through a delta vee of 20,570 mph thus achieving the same orbits as the old space shuttle with this load. The first stage separates at 8,500 mph less air drag and gravity losses, and the second stage adds 12,070 mph less air drag and gravity losses..
A 55 ft long 21.6 ft diameter section is added above the aerospike nozzle and below the aft bulkhead on the tank. This payload bay lengthens the central tank from 120 ft to 175 ft. It carries a 302,500 lb 'interplanetary' stage. This stage consists of two parts. One that does trans-lunar injection adding 9,675 ft/sec to the orbiting mass. (6,600 mph). This takes both stages around the moon in a lunar free-return trajectory. When oriented toward interplanetary use, the stages have an apogee of 170,000 miles, and return to Earth.
On a lunar trip the booster stage loops around the Moon and returns to Earth, where it re-enters the atmosphere and is recovered near the launch centre.
The lunar stage executes a 7,480 ft/sec (5,100 mph) burn to come safely to rest on the lunar surface. It then executes another 7,480 ft/sec burn to travel from the Moon to the Earth. At Earth is re-enters the atmosphere and is recovered near the launch centre.
u = 1 - 1/exp(9,675/14,650) = 0.48336
and
0.48336 * 302,500 = 146,217 lbs.
Allowing 0.05000 for the structure fraction obtains
0.05000 * 302,500 = 15,125 lbs
for the inert weight of this stage.
Subtracting these figures from the total obtains a stage weight for the lunar lander stage of;
302,500 - 146,217 - 15,125 = 141,158 lbs
and for the lunar lander and return stage we have a propellant fraction of;
u = 1 - 1/exp(14,960/14,650) = 0.63983
so we have a propellant weight of;
0.63983 * 141,158 = 90,317 lbs
allowing the same 0.05000 for the structure fraction obtains this stage's inert weight budget;
0.05000 * 141,158 = 7,057 lbs
This leaves for the net payload on the moon (and back);
141,158 - 90,317 - 7,057 = 43,784 lbs
Allowing 350 lbs per person this is sufficient to carry 125 persons to the moon and back! With a crew of 5, 120 paying passengers may be carried to the moon and back aboard this ship.
With a diameter of 21.6 ft the stage and a 32 inch aisle down the center, seat width of 18 inches and seat pitch 36 inches this is sufficient for 74 seats and a central aisle
There are two rows of 7 seats on either side of the aisle, two rows of 6 seats on either side of the aisle, two rows of 4 seats on either side of the aisle and two rows of 3 seats at either end of the aisle.
This is economy seating.
First-class seating on the same plan provides 46 seats. Five crew members are located on the control deck and lounge, located between the economy and first class decks.
A total length of 22.5 ft for the cabins with a diameter of 21.6 ft as already stated.
There are up to 18 propellant tanks each 7.2 ft in diameter arrayed in three rings of 6 tanks each. 16 of these are typically used per mission. Two may be replaced with payload containers.
Each tank carries up to 15,060 lbs of propellant and has an inert mass of only 300 lbs each. The rings are arrayed around a central engine that these tanks feed. A fold away landing gear and inflatable aeroshell for atmospheric re-entry is also present.
http://www.space.com/16615-nasa-infl...saturday..html
The trans-lunar insertion burn involves emptying 10 of the 16 tanks, leaving a single ring of tanks attached to the lunar lander. The 10 tanks, forming a ring of 6 atop a ring of 4. These detach prior to the lunar burn, and return to Earth for a landing at the launch centre.
The lander slows around the far-side of the moon, and slows to a descent trajectory. There it lands at the desired location on the moon. This burns through four of the six tanks. The empties may be left on the moon, along with the excess payload destined on a one way journey. The two remaining tanks possess sufficient propellants to carry the ship and its payload back to Earth.
* * *
302,500 lbs at Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is sufficient to place a sizable power satellite in space.
Using a 0.5 mil thick biaxially oriented PET film coated transparent on one side and coated with aluminium on the other, a total of 381.7 square feet of film may be covered per pound. And 2.35 million cubic feet may be filled per pound of hydrogen gas at low pressure.
http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/RT/RT199...490tolbert.jpg
280,000 lb thin film optical system is 8,428 ft in diameter with an 8,000 ft diameter active area. It concentrates the sun to an image 80 ft in diameter where 6.25 GW of solar energy are concentrated. 17,983 hexagons cut from 200 mm diameter wafers form an active thin disk laser element all of which operate together to create a solar pumped laser array. Each element produces 275,000 watts of laser output with a slope efficiency approaching 80% - producing 4.97 GW of laser power beamed to Earth.
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/ao/abs...=ao-51-26-6382
Some wafers are MEMS based ion engines that are equipped to receive laser energy attached to the inflated optical system. These use the hydrogen gas as a propellant in a laser based ion engine - so that the satellite may maintain orientation and boost from Low Earth Orbit to Geosynchronous Equatorial Orbit. Sufficient hydrogen is maintained on board with solar powered cyrogenic MEMS based refrigeration, to last 30 years allowing for leakage in the optical system and for attitude control using the ion engines. All following the initial boost.
http://web.mit.edu/aeroastro/labs/spl/research_ieps.htm
http://iopscience.iop.org/0960-1317/...1E0ABD3A48C.c2
60 MW ground stations using a compact receiver of band-gap match photocells, produces hydrogen and oxygen from water when the satellite is visible in the sky. The hydrogen is then used in a fuel cell to produce electricity on demand at power levels up to 100 MW. Efficiency of throughput is 72%. Capital utilization of the receiver ranges from 65% to 95%. Average continuous output ranges from 28.08 MW to 41.04 MW for each station on the ground, generating 43.2 MW when illuminated.
Each satellite supports 100 ground stations of this type. It charges $0.04 per kWh and produces 42 billion kWh per year generating $1.68 billion per year in revenue per satellite.
With 100 MW peak and charging $1.25 per peak watt along with $0.11 per kWh of electricity used, each station has a $125 million capital cost and annual operating costs ranging from $27.1 million per year to $39.6 million per year. This translates to $500 million per ground station valuation for this revenue. Buyers obtain pollution free power at a fixed rate for 30 years, anywhere in sight of the satellite.
So, 100 ground stations and one satellite is worth at start-up $12.5 billion in capital payments and $50.0 billion in revenue capitalization. A combined valuation of EACH SATELLITE of $72.5 billion!!
A six year program to develop the supply chain for the launcher and satellite will cost $21 billion.
Paying 41.42% interest per year, compounded, against a convertible debenture will result in the sale of this asset along the following lines (flowing first to the early-adopters who pay for their ground stations)
In Millions of USD$ (2013AD) -
Total: $21,000.00 Project Cost:
FIRST SATELLITE:
At Risk Return Pct Total
Year 1: $ 807.69 $ 5,435.31 7.50%
Year 2: $1,615.38 $ 7,686.22 10.60%
Year 3: $3,230.77 $10,869.29 14.99%
Year 4: $6,461.54 $15,370.56 21.20%
Year 5: $4,846.15 $ 8,150.97 11.24%
Year 6: $4,038.46 $ 4,802.71 6.62%
Totals:$21,000.00 $52,315.08 72.16%
Present Value: $72,500.00 at start up - FIRST SATELLITE.
To replace all the the coal fired power plants in the world with these ground stations requires the deployment of 385 satellites. The recurring cost of each deployment is more than covered by the CAPEX. A small fleet launches 3 satellites per week. In 30 months all satellites are deployed and $1.27 trillion per year in power sales are received.
This is sufficient to support industrial development of the Moon, Mars, and the Main Belt Asteroids.
As well as the development of advanced laser propulsion systems, including personal ballistic transport on Earth.
Options on the FIRST satellite of $8.08 million per ground station, times 100 ground stations, completes the first round of production and testing to demonstrate all the elements described here, providing venture capital rates of return. We then sell over the next two years, the rights to the ground station to utilities. The final two years we finance through a variety of instruments against the off-take contracts.
Another seat layout for a 21.6 ft diameter cabin involves 40 seats facing inward with four spaces leading to a door. This creates 4 arcs of 10 seats covering 90 degrees of arc.
Then, on a circle 32 inches inward - the seat pitch of a typical airliner, another 32 seats facing outward four aisles aligned with the doors - broken into four arcs of 8 seats each. These centres of these seats are aligned with the armrests of the outer circle and oriented so that both aisles have tremendous leg room. The circular aisle itself is wide as well.
32 inches inward again four arcs with 5 seats facing outward totalling another 20 seats with four aisles to the center.
This is a total of 92 seats on one deck.
At the centre is a 67.2 inch diameter space that has a 40 inch hatch centered above on the ceiling and below on the floor to allow travel between decks along a ladder. A pressure door is fitted in each hatch.
There is storage above each seat, and autostereoscopic displays along the exterior behind the outermost ring of seats and interior walls behind the innermost ring of seats, provides views of the outside and the lighting gives a feeling of spaciousness to the cabin.
Along the hatchway at the centre of the cabin are stores for food and drink.. At the four hatches at the periphery there is a fold-out tent like structure that forms a zero gee toilet - allowing four toilets for the 92 passengers.
184 passengers and 10 service staff and 6 flight crew is 200 persons. With a payload capacity of 43,784 pounds this is 218.2 pounds per person. Allowing 187 pounds per person for body weight and luggage, leaves 31.2 pounds per person for food drink and air. A ten day trip leaves 3.12 pounds per person per day on average.
So, this is quite possible.
Restocking the ship on the moon, and refuelling the ship on the moon, increases provisions immeasurably.
Still, a fully and highly reusable launcher that has very low operating costs, combined with this sort of payload, would carry out a mission to the moon and back for $20 million per flight. This is a cost of $100,000 per passenger.
According to Credit Suisse, as of October 2012 there were;
25,613,500 people with $1 million to $5 million in the bank
1,921,000 people with $5 million to $10 million in the bank
928,000 people with $10 million to $50 million in the bank
84,500 people with $50 million or more in the bank
These are world-wide totals.
Now someone with $1 million in the bank likely has an income that allows them to support a $1 million purchase. Its not likely they will commit that level of resource, but they can do it.
http://depts.washington.edu/amath/co...dale_wolfe.pdf
RESPONSE POPULATION ADOPTERS ASSET CLASS (Cash on Deposit)
3.00% 84,500 2,534 - $50 million+
1.68% 928,000 15,644 - $10 million to $50 million
0.95% 1,921,000 18,224 - $ 5 million to $10 million
0.53% 25,613,500 136,643 - $ 1 million to $ 5 million
TOTAL per year 173,045
Persons/flight 200
Flights/year 865
Flights/day 3
Equipment will take 10 days per flight cycle, so a market likely exists at these price levels ($1 million per trip) to support thirty (30) lunar landers.
Now, the booster has a three day turn around - and so only 10 boosters will support 30 landers - to support this level of tourism.
A profit of $500,000 per flight times 173,000 per year translates to $86.5 billion per year EBITDA. A market-cap to earnings of 23 to 1 implies a market cap of $1.99 trillion for the 30 landers and 10 boosters (20 flight elements).
The inert weight of the lander is 7,057 pounds. The flight elements mass 15,125 pounds. At $8,200 per pound this translates to $124 million for each booster and $57.9 million for each lander. So, 10 boosters (of 3 elements each) is $3.75 billion and 30 landers $1.75 billion - a total CAPEX of $5.00 billion. The launch centre, development cost and supply chain cost another $3.50 billion based on other parameters.
An $8 billion investment turning into a $2 trillion asset in six years!
Awesome!
A flight leaving Earth every 8 hours, and one arriving every 8 hours, with a seven day turn-around - (3 day out, 3 day back, 1 day on lunar surface) and three day turn-around at Earth, means 21 in flight and 9 on the ground. This gives the scale of the programme.
Over 40,000 pounds to the moon per trip. That's a capacity of 120,000 pounds per day. 5,000 pounds per hour. That's 43.8 million pounds per year. A person consumes 3 pounds per day, air, water, food. With recycling and locally supplied water source, this is radically reduced. However, wealthy individuals consume 30 pounds per day of imported stuff anyway. So, with this range, a fleet of 30 cargo ships and 10 additional three element boosters support 40,000 people minimally and 4,000 who live very well on the moon.. With recycling and local production these figures will be even higher.