Asteroid Retrieval and Processing

Excuse me. The engine that powered the Buran booster was the RD-170, which also currently powers the Zenit (Sea Launch) and is in production. The RD-180 is one-half of the RD-170, and is going to power the Atlas V.

So, the engine for the Buran booster is in production and unlikely to go away any time soon. I vote for resurrecting the Buran booster above development of an STS-derived HLLV --- I think you'll save money that way.

Ron Menich
09/25/01 05:22 PM

Instead of an STS-derived HLLV, why not rely on the Russians instead? They claim that they can resurrect the booster that launched Buran (c.f., http://www.spacedaily.com/news/russia-space-general-01m.html). The engine --- the RD-180/181 --- is in production and used on Zenit (Sea Launch). It's a simpler rocket than an STS-derived HLLV would be, and it would be capable of lofting 100 tons to LEO.

Ron Menich

king_rodent@...
09/25/01 04:38 PM

I know that many (if not all) of these amounts are off base. I wish
this to be a starting out point for discussion of the costs of an
asteroid retrieval paradigm. At least a place to start from. Please
give insights and extrapolations on what costs are off base.

Space Industrialization Initiative

The purpose of the Initiative is to create and implement the
infrastructure necessary to retrieve and process asteroidal material
for use in Earth Orbit and repeat the process utilizing as much of
the same equipment as possible. The concept of the STS Derived HLLV
would be expendable (non-recoverable engine pod but recoverable
SRBs). The concept for the Crew Vehicle and Resupply Vehicle would be
along the lines of the Russian Soyuz/Progress vehicle (just increased
in size) and launched by the STS Derived HLLV.

Target Budget $5 billion

First Year

$0.10B Redesign of STS External Tank for on orbit reuse (paper study
and some construction)
$0.10B Design of STS Derived Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (paper study
and some construction)
$0.10B Design of refining and manufacturing tools (paper study and
some construction)
$0.10B Design and construction of Retrieval Probe
$0.10B Design of Crew Vehicle and Resupply Vehicle (paper study and
some construction)
$0.01B Search for additional small asteroids
$0.51B total

Second Year
$0.25B Ground testing of STS Reusable ET (hydrostatic, test with STS
Orbiter Columbia [currently not being used for ISS and probably will
be mothballed] ect).
$0.25B Ground testing of refining and manufacturing tools
$0.25B Construction of Crew and Resupply Test Vehicles
$0.10B Design and construction of retrieval probe
$0.01B Search for additional small asteroids
$0.86B subtotal
$0.51B last year
$1.37B total

Third Year
$0.70B Ground testing of STS Reusable ET, STS Derived HLLV and
Crew/Resupply Vehicles
$0.40B Launch of Retrieval Probe
$0.40B Construction of any additional station equipment (airlocks,
solar panels, closed looped environmental systems, ect)
$0.01B Search for additional small asteroids
$1.51B subtotal
$1.37B last year
$2.88B total

* Fourth Year
$0.50B Launch of STS Reusable ET, STS Derived HLLV and Crew Vehicle
(ET becomes 1st station module)
$0.10B Launch of retrieval probe
$0.50B Launch of Resupply Vehicle and additional equipment (closed
loop life support, ect) (ET becomes 2nd station module
$0.01B Search for additional small asteroids
$1.11B subtotal
$2.88B last year
$3.99B total

* Fifth Year
$0.50B Launch of Crew Vehicle (ET becomes 3rd station module)
$0.50B Launch of Resupply Vehicle (with refining and manufacturing
tools and misc equipment) (ET is used as feed stock for manufacturing
tests)
$0.01B Search for additional small asteroids
$1.01B subtotal
$3.99B last year
$5.00B total

king_rodent (putting the eek in geek)