Architecture for Lunar Return Using Existing Assets

Abstract

The United States has a human space-flight program that bypasses the lunar surface in favor of missions to near-Earth objects and Mars. These are laudable goals, but the moon also has much to offer. Limited budgets probably preclude a U.S. government-sponsored human lunar exploration in the coming decade; however, the possibility exists for such to be accomplished by private enterprise. It is posited that, to bring costs within a range that might make a business case close, the mission must be relatively austere and make maximum use of existing assets and capabilities. This paper reports on a study conducted to evaluate the feasibility of lunar mission architectures primarily using as much existing or in-development, commercially available hardware and technology as possible. In particular, dual Earth-orbit rendezvous-lunar-orbit rendezvous and dual launch-lunar-orbit rendezvous missions are studied using existing and in-development flight systems as examples. The solutions described here are found to be feasible, to substantially reduce development requirements relative to recent post-Apollo approaches involving entirely new launchers and crew capsules, and to offer the possibility of human lunar expeditions at costs not unlike robotic flagship exploration missions.

Optimal Skip Entry Trajectory for Lunar Return Vehicle with Trim-Flaps

“…The vehicle with trim-flaps is a kind of medium lift-drag ratio vehicle, which has a simpler structure than that of lift type vehicle. Since the 1990s, scholars like Shui et al [4][5][6][7] have done some studies in conceptual design and return optimal trajectory for vehicles with trim-flaps.…”