Ideas

Some thoughts about steps for humans to the moon.

The cheapest way to get humans back to the moon may well come from the use of SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket (due first launch in 2015) that can lift 53,000 kg to LEO.

This will need to be the design of a Command Module and a Luna lander.

The Luna lander design could be based on an Enhanced Dragon V2 crewed capsule (due for first human use to the ISS in 2017), it could use it thrusters to soft land on the moon.

Lunar Transfer Spacecraft

4 items to be included

    1. Centaur - fuel tank with a vacuum rocket engine

    2. Command module

    3. Bigelow Habitat Module

    4. Enhanced Dragon Capsule

Most likely a two man crew.

The "Command Module" and a small Bigelow Habitat would need to be launched first on a Falcon Heavy (these modules will be reusable) (if the larger 20mt Bigelow Habitat was used it would need an additional FH)

A second Falcon Heavy would be required Centaur with the fuel for the Trans-Lunar burns and also to provide refueling of the returning Dragon lander ready for landing back on earth.

Finally a crew launch on a Falcon 9 version 2.

Centaur

Fuel and rocket engine for trans-lunar injection and flights.

Command and logistics Module

This module will carry the communications, water, oxygen, batteries, radiators it will also have solar arrays for powering life support functions.

If the Command Module was on orbit, refueled with water ideally it could be used multiple times.

Habitat Module

If in orbit assembly was to be employed the use of a Bigelow Habitat Module would make the journey far more comfortable for the astronauts. This could also allow passengers to do a Luna flyby as well.

Enhanced Dragon Capsule

Enough fuel to land on the Moon and then launch from the moon surface to rendezvous with the main craft, once reconnected there needs to be a way to refuel the Capsule ready for a landing back on Earth.

Refueling Craft ?

It may be possible to reuse the Centaur if refueling is possible, this possibly will require just an F9 launch of fuel (The Falcon Heavy can lift 53 Tons to LEO)

Communication networks around the Moon

There are a number of proposals to establish a network of Communication between the Earth and the Moon

  • NASA's LunaNet

  • China's to launch in 2023/4

  • ESA'a Moonlight

  • SpaceX system based on a version of their Starlink satellites


Falcon Heavy

Falcon Heavy’s low-lunar orbit (LLO) payload capacity is over 20 mt

Delta V

The delta-v budget provides information on the types of manoeuvres to be performed, their number and their size (in terms of velocity change to be accomplished).

To Launch into LEO (including drag and gravity loss) requires a 9.5 (Delta V, km/s)

LEO to Lunar Transfer Orbit (LTO) is 3.1 (Delta V, km/s)