A "Z" Prize to Luna?

Was thinking about how uninspiring it would be to design Orbitels. The
moon's the thing. Realized that Lunar thinking has to be taken to the next
stage, the slow and steady approach.
Forget Apollo-type thinking altogether and step outa the box. Lindbergh
came to mind. The trans-atlantic prize was huge fortune, showing how little it
was considered winnable. When others were thinking bomber-sized craft, Charles
went ahead and did it with a small heavy-duty Cessna type of plane.
And while Colombus used three ships to cross the Atlantic, we know today
that it can be done in a 30 foot sloop.
That's why I'm saying let's get back to the root of the problem and forget
the current thinking.
Facts; the Luna trip is a half million miles round-trip through vacuum,
two gravity fields and solar wind and sunshine.
Now rule out the application of high thrust rocket engines, like Lindbergh
ruled out jet bombers, and what can we come up with?
I see some sort of combination-powered craft that cannot achieve LEO
speeds in its initial launch period and must go directly to Luna in a "slow"
and steady fashion.
Bring up any ideas?
Let's call it the "Z" Prize!
^
//^\\
~~~ near space elevator ~~~~
~~~members.aol.com/beanstalkr/~~~

pamsuX (Allen Meece) wrote in message ...
Was thinking about how uninspiring it would be to design Orbitels. The
moon's the thing. Realized that Lunar thinking has to be taken to the next
stage, the slow and steady approach.
Forget Apollo-type thinking altogether and step outa the box. Lindbergh
came to mind. The trans-atlantic prize was huge fortune, showing how little it
was considered winnable. When others were thinking bomber-sized craft, Charles
went ahead and did it with a small heavy-duty Cessna type of plane.

by his own admission, he came pretty close to dying.

And while Colombus used three ships to cross the Atlantic, we know today
that it can be done in a 30 foot sloop.

I dare you, with no charts, GPS, or motor to try this. And you know
how far it is.

That's why I'm saying let's get back to the root of the problem and forget
the current thinking.
Facts; the Luna trip is a half million miles round-trip through vacuum,
two gravity fields and solar wind and sunshine.

Fact: you also have to go through the Van Allen belts.

Now rule out the application of high thrust rocket engines, like Lindbergh
ruled out jet bombers, and what can we come up with?
I see some sort of combination-powered craft that cannot achieve LEO
speeds in its initial launch period and must go directly to Luna in a "slow"
and steady fashion.
Bring up any ideas?

Death by radiation poisoning for the crew--not to mention why bother?
Exposure aside, he weight of shielding and extra supplies needed
during a 'spiral out' low-thrust approach to support the crew is
greater than the engine and propellant required to impart a reasonable
TLI delta-v.

Let's call it the "Z" Prize!

Z for craZy.

Tom Merkle

^
//^\\
~~~ near space elevator ~~~~
~~~members.aol.com/beanstalkr/~~~

Tom Merkle wrote:

pamsuX (Allen Meece) wrote in message ...
Was thinking about how uninspiring it would be to design Orbitels. The
moon's the thing. Realized that Lunar thinking has to be taken to the next
stage, the slow and steady approach.
Forget Apollo-type thinking altogether and step outa the box. Lindbergh
came to mind. The trans-atlantic prize was huge fortune, showing how little it
was considered winnable. When others were thinking bomber-sized craft, Charles
went ahead and did it with a small heavy-duty Cessna type of plane.

by his own admission, he came pretty close to dying.

Mostly because of navigation and falling asleep issues, I think. By the
end of WWII, we had at least one B-17 flying back to the US from Europe
where everyone on board, including both pilots, feel asleep. Things
change quickly.

I think you get to the Moon by propositioning supplies there using
remotely controlled unmanned systems and then by flying one person at a
time in, who would then ultimately land with only a rocket pack on his
back. Return would be a simple reuse of the rocket pack to rendezvous in
lunar orbit with a returning spacecraft, perhaps another one man craft
of the type that the original person took to the Moon which had just
been used to get the replacement moon visitor to the Moon.