Anyone good with working orbits.

I'm thinking that there must be some asteroids that we could
encounter on a trip to Mars, or as I like to think of it, on our
trip to the asteroid to set up the automated mining operation, we
can then continue onto a rendevous with Mars.

Can both missions be combined?

Take at look at the orbit of the asteroid 2002 DU3. Of course, I
realize that just because the orbits are close, really means jack
squat. That's why I'm hoping someone on this list how has the math
skill to address the delta-v question and the placement of the
asteroid and Mars question so one could plot a departure from LEo,
arrival at asteroid, and after a given period, continue onto Mars.

http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/db?name 02+DU3

I'd be tickled if two missions could be combined into one launch and
one vehicle.

From: "victoriatangoman"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2002 3:56 PM
Subject: [spacesettlers] Asteroid Mining and a stop at Mars

[snikt]
> I'm thinking that there must be some asteroids that we could
> encounter on a trip to Mars, or as I like to think of it, on our
> trip to the asteroid to set up the automated mining operation, we
> can then continue onto a rendevous with Mars.
>
> Can both missions be combined?
>

Not according to the Zubrinites, who are very efficient in dictating Mars
exploration policies . In their vision, there must be no intermediary steps
in a trip to Mars...

> Take at look at the orbit of the asteroid 2002 DU3. Of course, I
> realize that just because the orbits are close, really means jack
> squat. That's why I'm hoping someone on this list how has the math
> skill to address the delta-v question and the placement of the
> asteroid and Mars question so one could plot a departure from LEo,
> arrival at asteroid, and after a given period, continue onto Mars.
>
> http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/db?name 02+DU3
[snikt]

What a cool applet!

I'm no expert in orbital mechanics, but I remember someone saying that
changing your orbital plane is very expensive. Based just on that, a mission
like the one that you are proposing seems to be difficult, for the mission
would have to leave the Ecliptic Plane in order to rendezvous with the
asteroid and then go back to the Ecliptic in order to land on Mars...

But, again, that is not a gut feeling like in my previous post - but it is
an educated guess ;-). I apologize for my ignorance!

Lucio Coelho

--- In spacesettlers@y..., Lucio de Souza Coelho wrote:
> From: "victoriatangoman"
> To:
> Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2002 3:56 PM
> Subject: [spacesettlers] Asteroid Mining and a stop at Mars
>
> [snikt]
> > I'm thinking that there must be some asteroids that we could
> > encounter on a trip to Mars, or as I like to think of it, on our
> > trip to the asteroid to set up the automated mining operation, we
> > can then continue onto a rendevous with Mars.
> >
> > Can both missions be combined?
> >
> Not according to the Zubrinites, who are very efficient in
dictating Mars
> exploration policies . In their vision, there must be no
intermediary steps
> in a trip to Mars...

I was kind of envisioning a public/private mission plan. The private
enterprise operation stops at the asteroid and sets up the mining
operation and the the flag and footprints mission continues on to
Mars. That way the mission cost can be shared between the private
coalition looking for a return on investment from asteroidal
material and the Zubrin "let taxes pay for our exploratory mission"
faction.

But wouldn't it be nice if the driving force was the asteroid mining
and in order to minimize THEIR cost, they brought on board the Mars
faction to help offset the mission cost.

It would be interesting to ponder if both missions could be
combined.

>
> > Take at look at the orbit of the asteroid 2002 DU3. Of course, I
> > realize that just because the orbits are close, really means jack
> > squat. That's why I'm hoping someone on this list how has the
math
> > skill to address the delta-v question and the placement of the
> > asteroid and Mars question so one could plot a departure from
LEo,
> > arrival at asteroid, and after a given period, continue onto
Mars.
> >
> > http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/db?name=2002+DU3
> [snikt]
>
> What a cool applet!
>
> I'm no expert in orbital mechanics, but I remember someone saying
that
> changing your orbital plane is very expensive. Based just on that,
a mission
> like the one that you are proposing seems to be difficult, for the
mission
> would have to leave the Ecliptic Plane in order to rendezvous with
the
> asteroid and then go back to the Ecliptic in order to land on
Mars...
>
> But, again, that is not a gut feeling like in my previous post -
but it is
> an educated guess ;-). I apologize for my ignorance!

Ahhh, yes, but what if there is an asteroid that doesn't require a
large planar change and everything lined up? Then what?

Lucio de Souza Coelho wrote:

> What a cool applet!

Pretty cute.

> I'm no expert in orbital mechanics, but I remember someone saying that
> changing your orbital plane is very expensive.

Not necessarily. A slingshot around the moon can give you a
cheap plane change, but it still intersects the point where you
leave earths orbit. That would mean the cheapest launch time
would have been a few months ago, and in about 5 or 6 years
when they next nearly line up; or atleast those are the most
obvious points to do a burn.

The orbit change trick won't work at 2002 DU3 though, it
probably doesn't have the mass to swing a probe to intersect
with Mars and allow an aerocapture. You'd have to go back
past the earth and use it to put you back on course to Mars.
But the best launch window is 5 or 6 years after arriving at
DU3.

> Based just on that, a mission
> like the one that you are proposing seems to be difficult, for the mission
> would have to leave the Ecliptic Plane in order to rendezvous with the
> asteroid and then go back to the Ecliptic in order to land on Mars...

Anyway, that's my best guess after looking at it for a minute
or two.

> Lucio Coelho
>

--
- Ian Woollard (ian.woollard@...)

"Is a planetary surface the right place for an expanding
technological civilization?"
- Gerard O'Neill