Multistage TLI...another thought on EOR

Hi All
Space Review has had a two part article on using Medium lift to use EOR
to assemble a Lunar or Mars mission. And I was wondering if it was
possible to design the TLI or TMI stage to be made up of multiple
smaller stages that fire and drop off as you go. Instead of trying to
assemble and fuel a large tank with lots of EVA work, how about a
series of smaller stages that just 'simply' dock with each other. I
know we do not have any experience yet with automated docking, but
could we either buy/beg or borrow the tech from the Russians?
Another thought is I have a vague memory of that when the progress
docks with ISS(or MIR) it was able to transfer fuel to the stations
engines for reboost also I even have a vaguer memory that the progress
could tap into the stations tanks and use that fuel for its engines to
reboost the station. Did this connectivity require any EVA's to setup?
or was it part of the docking process? If the later could the multi
stage TLI/TMI be setup where all the tanks interconnect?

If you interested here are the space review articles

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/526/1

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/529/1

Just my $0.02

Space Cadet

derwetzelsDASHspacecadetATyahooDOTcom


Moon Society - St. Louis Chapter

http://www.moonsociety.org/chapters/stlouis/

There is only one (maybe 2) basic core reasons for humans to go
beyond LEO, That is for the establishment of space settlements or a
space based civilization. Everything else are details.

Gary Gray 11/9/2005