CRS-2 An argument for a three way split bid award
I vote a three way split
However the contract says at least 6 or 9 launches each?(I think its 6 minimum) so that would be 18 launches from 2018 through 2024 or 6 years.
18/6 or 18/7 is around 3 flights a year so we no more than that would be ordered ,so we could have a third provider.
SNC SpaceX and Orbital !
SNC allows for down mass and a future deal use as a human crew vehicle
Orbital makes for a nice choice do to extensibility to cislunar for Orion or a gateway and a cargo missions to cislunar/L2 and it takes out the garbage for ISS and gateway(solar orbit disposal?)
Orbital to cislunar will require Vulcan and Falcon heavy! So these companies would benefit
SpaceX is dual use already in near term for human and cargo
We need a CRS-3 BAA to flush out how a commercial gateway would look like and this would add Bigelow to our menagerie of space station providers, imagine a space station of Bigelow and orbital components.The ESA could pay for the orbital components that are incorporated into Cygnus in exchange for ESA astronauts to cislunar. If ESA or JAX utilizes SNC Dream Chaser then could this be a part of a barter?
I have been arguing for some time that we need to have a common docking mechanism for Cygnus and Spacex and SNC to dock with one another, we did years ago sign a space rescue treaty
Acer saccharum /Amygdaloideae//legume/clover polyculture with drip irrigation, a value added proposition for Michigan Acer saccharum /Amygdaloideae/ producers.
Acer saccharum /Amygdaloideae might have enduring value as a part of a complex polyculture. Two come to mind; a nitrogen-fixing honeybee polyculture and a truck farm polyculture and to include Maple Syrup manufacture.
(A ((1) Legumes and clover fix nitrogen and share with Acer saccharum /Amygdaloideae/ crop root systems
(A)(2) Legumes and Clover together with Acer saccharum /Amygdaloideae/ blooms fix beehives throughout most of the year with a nectar/pollen source. Honey as product along with Acer saccharum /Amygdaloideae/s.
(A)(3) Legumes and Clover provide cover for retention of drip water irrigation
(B)(1) Acer saccharum /Amygdaloideae/ tree trunks and a trellis system provide for a Vitis/Caria illinoinensis) culture.
(B)(2) Grape clusters will find themselves in the hot sun partially shaded by Acer saccharum /Amygdaloideae/ leaves and branches leading to a new terrier and perhaps a hedge against global warming.
(B)(3) Its intended for the grape-vine to use the tree and its branches as a trellis over many decades.
(C)(1) Truck farm (vegetables) grown along with the fruit trees could allow for an added value for the water used.
(C)(2) Small ruminants could keep the cover crops in condition with a dairy product
Nitrogen use in mixed tree crop plantations with a legume cover crop
Establishment and early productivity of perennial biomass alley cropping systems in Minnesota, USA
The Kelp Highway to Mars utilizing Bigelow cyclers filled with salt water
The First Humans in North America might have paddled down the Pacific coast Kelp forests to maneuver around the Laurentide ice age ice sheet
http://californiachannelislands.blogspot.com/2014/02/riding-kelp-highway-channel-islands.html
We have proposed over the years an inflatable habitats that could gradually be inflated with seawater made from astronaut metabolites and ISRU and salts.We should investigate sea salt mixtures that could also be from ISRU sources.Life began in the sea,possibly macroorganisms such has kelp could produce rapid biomass growth and provide the substrate for experimental microgravity aquaculture.The mass of the seawater and the macroalgae could provide radiation protection.
Bigelow 330 is 330 Meters squared and 1 square meter of seawater weighs 1.024 KG. So 330 X 1.024 KG = 342.87 MT! Using aquaculture that doubles as radiation shielding makes sense in the long run.It would take 7 Falcon Heavy’s to fill the Bigelow 330 with seawater at $ 120 million each and 30 tons of Xenon to place into a cycler orbit
IMTA might provide answers to space based aquaculture; Integrated Multi Trophic Aquaculture
Propylene gelled in Methane for MAV and MCT utilizing reverse/gas/shift utilizing ISRU
In case the trade space (Dragon MAV) needs to utilize a smaller volume MAV or MCT and requires a higher density fuel over just Methane alone
The Dragon MAV idea, for example, posits a MAV launching from inside the Dragon, reducing the volume somewhat might help. Propylene or Ethylene gelled in cryogenic Methane in the first stage of a two-stage Mav needs to be modeled for efficiency and practicality of production as an ISRU process.
The ISRU derived Propylene or Ethylene is ether miscible in LCH4 or it, in fact, forms ice crystals and is thus a colloid in the cryogenic Methane.
This propellent mix might very well have lower ISP but would be a denser propellant for the first stage of a MAV that might result in a smaller lighter weight stage. The second stage needs the ISP. For this, we refer you to an earlier blog post where we discuss the idea that Methane forms a colloid in LH2
In Flight Gelling of Methane propelled CBC’s with Cross feed to a LH2 core stage Utilizing a core stage ring atomizer
(A)(1) Methane propellent in CBC’s possibly Methane/LH2 gel with a high mass fraction of Methane.
(A)(2) CBC Methane propellant tank high up on the vehicle , gravity feeds Methane to core stage LH2 tank that is placed at bottom of core stage.Would this cause mass shifting and balance issues in flight?
(A)(3) Methane ring atomizer at bottom of LH2 tank diffuses Methane into ice crystals and burns in a dual fuel engine until CBC separation.
(A)(4) EELV heavy stands to gain the most from this concept as does a future SLS with Methane powered CBC’s.Imagine Vulcan with both Blue Origin Methane and LH2 core stage engines.A SpaceX commercial or Mars launch vehicle could benefit from a Methane core stage with Falcon 9 kerosene CBC’s? This concept would not be able to utilize cross feed however.
Almond/vitis/legume/clover polyculture with drip irrigation, a value added proposition for central valley almond producers.
Almonds are a wasteful use of water considering their use in a monoculture system, Almonds might have enduring value as a part of a complex polyculture. Two come to mind; a nitrogen-fixing honeybee polyculture and a truck farm polyculture
(A ((1) Legumes and clover fix nitrogen and share with Almond crop root systems
(A)(2) Legumes and Clover together with Almond blooms fix beehives throughout most of the year with a nectar/pollen source. Honey as product along with Almonds.
(A)(3) Legumes and Clover provide cover for retention of drip water irrigation
(B)(1) Almond tree trunks and a trellis system provide for a Vitis/Caria illinoinensis) culture.
(B)(2) Grape clusters will find themselves in the hot sun partially shaded by Almond leaves and branches leading to a new terrier and perhaps a hedge against global warming.
(B)(3) Its intended for the grape-vine to use the tree and its branches as a trellis over many decades.
(C)(1) Truck farm (vegetables) grown along with the fruit trees could allow for an added value for the water used.
(C)(2) Small ruminants could keep the cover crops in condition with a dairy product
Pecan/vitis/legume/clover polyculture with drip irrigation
Pecans are a wasteful use of water considering their use in a monoculture system,Pecans might have enduring value as a part of a complex polyculture.Two come to mind;a nitrogen-fixing honeybee polyculture and a truck farm polyculture
(A((1) Legumes and clover fix nitrogen and share with Pecan crop root systems
(A)(2) Legumes and Clover together with Pecan blooms fix beehives throughout most of the year with a nectar/pollen source. Honey as product along with Pecans.
(A)(3) Legumes and Clover provide cover for retention of drip water irrigation
(B)(1) Pecan tree trunks and a trellis system provide for a Vitis/Carya illinoinensis) culture.
(B)(2) grape clusters will find themselves in the hot sun partially shaded by Pecan leaves and branches leading to a new terrier and perhaps a hedge against global warming.
(B)(3) its intended for the grape-vine to use the tree and its branches as a trellis over many decades.
(C)(1) Truck farm (vegetables) grown along with the fruit trees could allow for an added value for the water used.
HUD/VA/FHA/USDA Modified Loans to allow for a housing developer to add an electric vehicle to the house
May require legislation or a change in the regulation to each of these government agencies that lend or guarantee home loans
Non profits like habitat could incorporate such electric vehicles along with the houses solar voltaic power systems
HUD loans could fund electric vehicle loaner cars*** to elderly apartment complexes( and an Electric bus/van system) The apartment building would power these systems with solar voltaic power systems
*** every resident could borrow the car for 4 hours a week to go shopping
The van/bus would be for groups going to appointments and trips
Okutsu designed a Cassini end of mission disposal orbit to satisfy quarantine rules; interestingly Okutsu designed Titan/Saturn escape flybys to Jupiter and Uranus and Neptune with TOF of 8 to 9 years to Jupiter and 2 to 4 decades for Uranus and Neptune.
My take is a SEP powered spacecraft that does a Jupiter flyby followed by Saturn orbit insertion with a mission to Enceladus and the rings followed by a Titan gravity assist to Uranus,The SMD has announced at OPAG meeting a study of building two spacecraft one each for Uranus and Neptune
This creates possibilities!
(A)(1) Enceladus flyby and sample return via a Titan/Saturn escape to a Jupiter Trojan and subsequent Earth return (Discovery class)This is a modified LIFE proposal Enceladus sample return with Jupiter Trojan flyby ( we added in the trojan flyby on the return trip)
(A)(2) Enceladus flyby sample capture(not returned) in route to Uranus and/or Neptune with Saturn gravity assist (Flagship class) Titan and Enceladus Feasibility Study Report (JPL 2006) This report informs us as to what the science goals are and the costs for various mission designs.None of the ideas in this report include Titan gravity assist/SEP/return to L2 for astronaut retrieval of sample return
(A)(3) Close Saturn ring flyby and Saturn orbital mission /Titan Gravity assist en route to Uranus or Neptune.(Flagship class)This is the secondary preferred option
Difficult but possible with SEP
(B)(1) Two spacecraft to Uranus and Neptune after leaving Saturn orbit and gravity assist from Titan combined with SEP,These two missions would look like (A)(2) and (A)(3) with the exception that these two spacecraft are doing a Saturn orbiter mission first with a subsequent Titan escape trajectory to the ice giants.With Enceladus sample collection(not return) and Uranus orbital mission this is clearly a flagship $2.5 Billion mission and this is the primary preferred option.Building a second spacecraft would add how much to this figure?
Trajectory evolution in the multi-body problem with applications in the Saturnian system by Howell
http://end of life Cassini trajectory to outer planets
Counter intuitive?
Saturn/Titan gravitational escape to a Jupiter gravitational assist to Uranus? So S/J/U . So Saturn/Titan to Jupiter with SEP could be less than 9 years? As compared to Saturn/Titan to Uranus of 26 to 30 years minus SEP? perhaps the Saturn/Titan to Jupiter to Neptune make more sense? SEP would reduce the Titan to Uranus 26 year time to something less so the 45 year TOF from Titan
EDIT 27 Aug 2015
The preferred mission is the Saturn Enceladus plume sample collection with an onboard microscope and instruments to detect complex biological compounds such as DNA/amino acids/proteins;This is not a sample return mission! Spacecraft then departs Saturn via Titan to Uranus.We need RTG and SEP to shorten the 26 year flight time.We need a method to get the Enceladus samples to the instruments.
This spacecraft should have the Uranus /Neptune portion of the mission in common
SLS?
(A)build three atmosphere probes, one each for Saturn/Uranus/Neptune
(B) a common spacecraft bus X 2
(C) SLS allows for dual manifest so Enceladus is a third spacecraft ? and is an international contribution?
(D) ARM derived SEP is a stage in the inner solar system and out to Jupiter(solar array) SEP stages from spacecraft and returns to Earth L2( Using a SEP that stages a RTG spacecraft has been proposed for a Jupiter Trojan tour) An ARM derived SEP could stage for a flagship mission.
(E)(1) consider placing solar array for SEP on the spacecraft so after separation some residual solar power augments RTG, spacecraft has it own SEP/NEP on a smaller scale OR The SEP stage has its own modest science payload that travels to a secondary target (weight penalty)The SEP stage for example could be our atmosphere probe deployers and/or communications relay spacecraft.While the Uranus bound probe is smaller than we first imagined it to be.
(E)(2)) The SEP stage could have one solar array while the Saturn orbiter/Uranus probe contains the other;both power the SEP stage in the inner solar system while the probe keeps 1 solar array after spacecraft separation.(E)(3) This outer solar system solar array could double on its back side an aerogel sample collector ! (E)(4)Saturn would be a difficult mission for a solar powered SEP stage but perhaps it could return the Enceladus sample return to Earth while the Uranus probe continues on after doing extensive Titan science***
*** The JPL 2006 report suggests low science results for a orbiter that does both Enceladus and Titan science in part do to the time it takes to perform Titan flybys.SEP stage return to earth puts the sample return back into play but also might allow ARM SEP stage reuse after refurbishment at L2. Titan gravity assist back to Jupiter and Earth with SEP might allow for Jupiter Trojan flyby.
(F)SLS plus SEP/RTG is a must for Neptune!
(G) NEP with RTG alone is a challenge
(H) An Arm Derived SEP vehicle could easily carry two spacecraft to Saturn and perhaps carry back the Enceladus sample return,The SEP itself would have already had its R&D paid for with the existing three way partnership.The SEP would be in production serially for human space flight missions such as prepositioning of human space flight cargo.Building and flying 4 or more atmospheric entry probes for Jupiter/Saturn/Titan/Uranus and Neptune places these in serial production and the NASA HQ idea of building two spacecraft for Uranus and Neptune combined with our idea of using ARM derived SEP might save money in the long run by adding SBAG decadal survey requirements with the OPAG requirements! SEP combined with RTG make this possible.If each probe requires an SEP and the human spaceflight directorate requires three over a decade, then this is a buy of 5 such vehicles
This paper describes SEP/NEP Uranus missions for the decadal survey Earth with a Saturn flyby provides for very high Uranus arrival speeds making it impossible to enter orbit.Uranus orbit insertion missions
In contrast we have this idea Saturn Uranus atmosphere probes 6-UranusTrajStudy_Hughes_et_al (1)
The developmentally disabled ESOP acquisition corporation
ESOP is a worker owned pension fund under ERISA, In this case The ESOP would purchase the equipment and other means of production from Orange Grove, Goodwill Industries and other non profits.The equipment and the workers in most cases will remain on the property of the non profit and the non profit shall continue to provide mental and physical health services.Cash flows sufficient to sustain the equipment and a living wage shall accrue to the ESOP.
The non profit shall have received cash for the equipment and may redeploy cash to further its non profit goals,however its recommended to use the cash to further assist the growth of the ESOP.The ESOP would be entitled to property tax and other tax breaks commonly afforded to other for profit entity’s
Many non profits act unethically towards their clients,
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2015/aug/14/glass-not-getting-recycled-chattanoogas-new-s/319805/ developmentally disabled asked to sort and are cut by glass
Yellow Dragon, a mission to repurpose existing ideas into new ideas 