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"Off the shelf" heavy lift???



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 9th 03, 12:12 AM
Phil Paisley
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Default "Off the shelf" heavy lift???

Take 2 Shuttle SRBs, possibly the 5 segment ones that were just
tested. Hang a Delta 4 core between them (gonna look odd, but no
odder than a Titan 4). Change the nozzles on the Delta 4 core for an
altitude start. Possibly add a big 6m fairing for those ISS sized
payloads. Maybe change the propellant pack on the SRBs for a gentler
liftoff (this thing is going to fly off the pad with a thrust to
weight ratio like that?). Light the stack off Titan 4 style - just
the SRBs from the pad. Shed the solids. Light the Delta core at
altitude Titan style.

How much will this thing loft to LEO as a stage and a half stack?
What about with the whole current Delta 4 Heavy core (2.5 stage
stack)?? How much might it loft to TLI, Mars etc. esp if a bigger
upper stage was used?

Just musing....not that there's any payloads for such a beastie ATM.
And it wouldn't be man rated of course, but.....

Phil
  #2  
Old November 10th 03, 12:24 PM
Ruediger Klaehn
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Default "Off the shelf" heavy lift???

Phil Paisley wrote:

Take 2 Shuttle SRBs, possibly the 5 segment ones that were just
tested. Hang a Delta 4 core between them (gonna look odd, but no
odder than a Titan 4). Change the nozzles on the Delta 4 core for an
altitude start. Possibly add a big 6m fairing for those ISS sized
payloads. Maybe change the propellant pack on the SRBs for a gentler
liftoff (this thing is going to fly off the pad with a thrust to
weight ratio like that?). Light the stack off Titan 4 style - just
the SRBs from the pad. Shed the solids. Light the Delta core at
altitude Titan style.

I think the best way to get heavy lift would be to use three Zenit Sea
Launch first stages in a EELV heavy type configuration. The Zenit first
stage was designed as a booster for the energia rocket, so it should be
rugged enough to be used like that.

If you want some really insanely large payload, just use seven Zenit first
stages. Four of them burn full power and are dropped quite early, two more
act as second stages, and the last one burns its propellant really slow and
flies to orbit. Since the Zenit first stage is very rugged, it would make a
great space station module.

Now the only thing we have to figure out is what should be the payload.... I
vote for a huge space tether like this: http://www.tethers.com/papers
MXERJPC2003Paper.pdf

best regards,

Ruediger


  #4  
Old November 23rd 03, 07:49 AM
Treez03
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Default "Off the shelf" heavy lift???

If takeoff acceleration is too high, consider side-mounting the Delta core on a
single SRB. A relatively heavy strongback between the forward and aft SRB
attach points would serve to carry the SRB thrust loads to the base of the
Delta core so it would feel thrust loads more or less as designed. Since the
strongback weight is associated with the first stage, payload penalty would be
minimal.
 




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