Project Le Verrier

[Blazer Ayanami]

Say, how's your mothership coming up? Is it a long boi or fat boi?

Mine's a long boi.

Very big. I'm launching a convoy.
Can't launch all together because of the lag.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

Very big. I'm launching a convoy.
Can't launch all together because of the lag.

I'm going together. What's the advantage of going in a convoy over a giant train? Other than the lag.

 

[Blazer Ayanami]

I'm going together. What's the advantage of going in a convoy over a giant train? Other than the lag.

Nothing, just avoid the lag.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

Altaïr is it possible to calculate the needed delta velocity to land and return to low orbit around each moon?

 

[Horus Lupercal]

Altaïr is it possible to calculate the needed delta velocity to land and return to low orbit around each moon?

The orbital velocity of each moon is (as per the standard pack at 5000m orbit)

Salacia - 1337
Thalassa - 13.91
Larissa - 14.14
Proteus - 49.61
Triton - 318.86
Neried - 14.04

As far as I'm aware, they're all airless rocks so you're going to need at least these numbers to take off into orbit, landing is however good you are at suicide burns but again you'll need at least these to land, probably add a 10% buffer on top for fudge

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

The orbital velocity of each moon is (as per the standard pack at 5000m orbit)

Salacia - 1337
Thalassa - 13.91
Larissa - 14.14
Proteus - 49.61
Triton - 318.86
Neried - 14.04

As far as I'm aware, they're all airless rocks so you're going to need at least these numbers to take off into orbit, landing is however good you are at suicide burns but again you'll need at least these to land, probably add a 10% buffer on top for fudge

Forgot about this, thanks. Damn, they're tinier than I expected.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

Thanks for Horus' numbers, I can finally proceed with the lander. Since the required delta V's are so small, no lander refuel is required since it already carries up to 1300m/s which is more than enough.

Testing and optimizing the lander, this is one of the first few prototypes:


Shrunk cockpit and explored possibility of carrying additional scientific cargo (Pack Mule):

 

[Blazer Ayanami]

The orbital velocity of each moon is (as per the standard pack at 5000m orbit)

Salacia - 1337
Thalassa - 13.91
Larissa - 14.14
Proteus - 49.61
Triton - 318.86
Neried - 14.04

As far as I'm aware, they're all airless rocks so you're going to need at least these numbers to take off into orbit, landing is however good you are at suicide burns but again you'll need at least these to land, probably add a 10% buffer on top for fudge

Right, Salacia...

Is Salacia needed for the challenge?????

 

[Pink]

Right, Salacia...

Is Salacia needed for the challenge?????

I can't find the moon Salacia in Google...

 

[Horus Lupercal]

Right, Salacia...

Is Salacia needed for the challenge?????

I can't find the moon Salacia in Google...

Probably not. Cancel Salacia, its me monging it (again)

 

[Blazer Ayanami]

I can't find the moon Salacia in Google...

No, Salacia is ficticious. I was just asking If we had to visit it anyway.

 

[Altaïr]

Altaïr is it possible to calculate the needed delta velocity to land and return to low orbit around each moon?

Horus already answered, and I can't say better. I remember I found a differential equation that could lead to the strict minimal delta-V expense (taking into account the loss due to gravity), but it can't be solved analitically. It also depends on lots of parameters, Isp, Thrust/weight ratio... and unlike for most equations in that kind of problems, mass is variable too. A true nightmare
So the best is still to rely on practice and take a margin indeed.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

Altaïr Hi, do you know the delta V to get from low Neptune orbit to low Pluto orbit?

I have a very special cargo to send there. You know, since we'll be around Neptune, which is conveniently right next to Pluto.

 

[Altaïr]

Altaïr Hi, do you know the delta V to get from low Neptune orbit to low Pluto orbit?

I have a very special cargo to send there. You know, since we'll be around Neptune, which is conveniently right next to Pluto.

Ah, I'll try to calculate that. I'm on holidays right now and I don't have access to my calculation file, but for a single value it should be fine.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

thanks

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

Horus Lupercal Do you by chance have the landing delta v for Pluto? Thanks.

 

[Horus Lupercal]

Horus Lupercal Do you by chance have the landing delta v for Pluto? Thanks.

Here they are mate, subject to the same rules as before:

Pluto: 293.94
Charon: 103.76
Styx: 15.96

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

Here they are mate, subject to the same rules as before:

Pluto: 293.94
Charon: 103.76
Styx: 15.96

Nice.

 

[Altaïr]

Altaïr Hi, do you know the delta V to get from low Neptune orbit to low Pluto orbit?

I have a very special cargo to send there. You know, since we'll be around Neptune, which is conveniently right next to Pluto.

Ok done.

For Low Neptune Orbit, I assumed an altitude of 100 km above Neptune's "surface", or 20 km above atmosphere limit. For Pluto, I assumed an altitude of 10 km.

Orbital speed:
- in LNO: 7357 m/s
- in LPO: 286 m/s

Injection burn from LNO: 3043 m/s
Insertion burn to LPO: 128 m/s

Tell me if you need something else!

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

Ok done.

For Low Neptune Orbit, I assumed an altitude of 100 km above Neptune's "surface", or 20 km above atmosphere limit. For Pluto, I assumed an altitude of 10 km.

Orbital speed:
- in LNO: 7357 m/s
- in LPO: 286 m/s

Injection burn from LNO: 3043 m/s
Insertion burn to LPO: 128 m/s

Tell me if you need something else!

Thanks.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

Horus Lupercal I have 2 side missions I intend to execute upon the arrival to Neptune.

One is a nuclear ramjet powered Unmanned Neptune atmospheric sample return aircraft. I am not confident that this will work, nor is it realistic.

The second one is a large 6m telescope to be installed on the surface of Pluto, it will be accompanied by dedicated nuclear reactor for all its power needs, 2 mini landers to explore the 2 moons and one relay/survey sat.

 

[Horus Lupercal]

Horus Lupercal I have 2 side missions I intend to execute upon the arrival to Neptune.

One is a nuclear ramjet powered Unmanned Neptune atmospheric sample return aircraft. I am not confident that this will work, nor is it realistic.

The second one is a large 6m telescope to be installed on the surface of Pluto, it will be accompanied by dedicated nuclear reactor for all its power needs, 2 mini landers to explore the 2 moons and one relay/survey sat.

Nuclear ramjets. I love it.

I wonder what a scope on Pluto would see, especially on the dark side, looking out of the system

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

I wonder what a scope on Pluto would see, especially on the dark side, looking out of the system

Well most importantly, its stupid cold, that'll make the thermal sensors significantly more sensitive. That means it can see distant celestials with greater clarity, like a deep space Owl.

If you're on the dark side, a wider aperture will give you a damn bright view of the night sky. It should be gorgeous.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

Nuclear ramjets. I love it.

I chose nuclear ramjets initially because its mainly consisting of hydrogen, 80% approximately, which worked with NERVA. But I could also do a "reversed turbojet", whereby we feed oxidizer like oxygen gas into the engine instead of atomized kerosene, and we burn the hydrogen gas from the atmosphere as fuel.

 

[Horus Lupercal]

Well most importantly, its stupid cold, that'll make the thermal sensors significantly more sensitive. That means it can see distant celestials with greater clarity, like a deep space Owl.

If you're on the dark side, a wider aperture will give you a damn bright view of the night sky. It should be gorgeous.

Aye, exactly that. You've not got the sun, or an atmosphere to blur the shots, no thermal blooming at sunrise/set. Hell, an enormous digital spectrum collector going from thermal to visible light, beamed back here and ran through some computers would look awesome.