Once the Crewed SV has safely arrived, the astronauts will then set about scouting the area and preparing for other lunar landings carrying Lunar LOX Modules and Accessories.
The typical cargo flight to the Moon will involve two Cislunar Vehicles (CVs), one Lunar Vehicle (LV) and two lunar cargo sets. Most lunar cargo set will have a mass of 10,500 kg, for a maximum total of 21,000 kg to the lunar surface.
One CV will carry the cargo whilst the other CV will carry the LV. The two carriers will meet in lunar orbit, where the LV will detach from its carrier and reattach to the cargo on the other carrier. The cargo CV is now free to return to Earth.
Once on the surface, the crewed SV will meet the LV and offload the cargo onto Trailers. The LV departs for the waiting CV in orbit, where it reattaches. The carrier CV then brings the empty LV home for refurbishment and reuse.
LUNAR VEHICLE MISSION SPECIFICATIONS
Delta V Budget = Delta V Down + Delta V Up
Delta V Budget = 2.159 + 1.883
Delta V Budget = 4.042 kps
8–day mission duration
Payload Down = 21,000 kg
Payload Up = 0 kg
Propellant Requirement = Propellant Down + Propellant Up
Propellant Requirement = 15533 + 1523
Propellant Requirement = 17,056 kg
Propellant Requirement = 94.48% full
The crewed SV will meet the Cargo LV after touchdown and offload the freight, after which the lander lifts off back to lunar orbit.
CISLUNAR VEHICLE CARGO FLIGHTS
Delta V Budget = Delta V There + Delta V Back
Delta V Budget = 4.276 + 4.404
Delta V Budget = 8.680 kps
CV CARGO CARRIER MISSION SPECIFICATIONS
8–day mission duration
Payload There = 21,000 kg
Payload Back = 0 kg
Propellant Requirement = Propellant There + Propellant Back
Propellant Requirement = 65479 + 13125
Propellant Requirement = 78,604 kg
Propellant Requirement = 87.08% full
CV LV CARRIER MISSION SPECIFICATIONS
8–day mission duration
Payload There = 20,903 kg
Payload Back = 2,850 kg
Propellant Requirement = Propellant There + Propellant Back
Propellant Requirement = 72510 + 17754
Propellant Requirement = 90,264 kg
Propellant Requirement = 100.00% full
The first cargo flight will consist of 5 Trailers and one Solar Panel Module.
First Cargo = 5 x Trailer + Solar Panel Module
First Cargo = 5(2100) + 10500
First Cargo = 10500 + 10500
First Cargo = 21,000 kg
The astronauts will use a Trailer to haul the Solar Panel Module to a suitable location, after which the SVs can be recharged when needed. Since the SV Battery requires 576 kW to be fully charged, it will take 24 kWh to fully recharge the SV Battery in a 24 hour period of time.
Now the LOX modules and accessories can be dropped two at a time, stacked horizontally on the LV for easy offloading.
LUNAR LOX FACILITY BUILDUP
The facility is the sum of the Airframe and Powerplant.
Lunar LOX Airframe = 316,784 kg
Lunar LOX Powerplant = 189,000 kg
Lunar LOX Facility = 505,784 kg
We can haul 21,000 kg at a time from the Earth's surface to the lunar surface, which means we will require 24 cargo runs to the Moon.
One CV requires 5 VentureStar Reentry Vehicles (RVs) to refill the propellant tanks, plus another RV to bring up the cargo, for a total of 6 RV flights. Another CV requires the same 5 RVs for the propellant plus an additional propellant flight for the LV.
This means that every 21,000 kg cargo load to the lunar surface requires 12 RVs flights.
Therefore, the lunar LOX facility requires 288 RV flights to complete.
Additionally, we will be replacing the astronauts every 38 days, requiring another 12 RVs for each rotation. We will have 20 sets of astronauts rotating over a 760–day period of time.
CM / GARAGE MASS
Outpost = tCM1_04–04–46–4049 + Garage + Garage Equipment
Outpost = 4049 + 272 + 3446
Outpost = 7,767 kg
LV CREW ROTATION MISSION SPECIFICATIONS
10–day mission duration
Payload Down = 7,767 kg
Payload Up = 7,767 kg
Propellant Requirement = Propellant Down + Propellant Up
Propellant Requirement = 9929 + 5535
Propellant Requirement = 15,464 kg
Propellant Requirement = 85.66% full
CV CM / GARAGE CARRIER MISSION SPECIFICATIONS
8–day mission duration
Payload There = 7,767 kg
Payload Back = 7,767 kg
Propellant Requirement = Propellant There + Propellant Back
Propellant Requirement = 64521 + 25741
Propellant Requirement = 90,262 kg
Propellant Requirement = 99.99% full
To exchange the CMs, an Option 2 SV must be available, designated SV1. The replacement CM / Garage (rCM) is on the LV and the homebound CM / Garage (hCM) is on SV2.
CREW EXCHANGE PROCEDURE
- SV1 pulls off Extra Battery and places it temporarily on a Trailer
- SV1 approaches the LV
- SV1 pulls off the rCM with the Crane from LV
- SV1 places the rCM on the empty slot on SV1
- SV1 and crew drive away
- SV2 approaches the LV
- SV2 pulls off the hCM with the Crane from SV2
- SV2 places the hCM on the LV
- SV2 places the Extra Battery from Trailer to empty slot
- SV2 drives away
The Lunar LOX facility should be assembled and operational in a little over two years.
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