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FIG. 2.-b A VERSATILE SPACE ROCKET-LAUNCH ROCKET CONFIGURATION

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libration regions, around or on the moon, and in heliocentric orbits. It is the opinion of the writer that this is possible with no increase in cost, delay, or uncertainty over the spacecraft being proposed by NASA for use on earth orbit only.

The above discussion is not to be taken as a sales pitch. It is intended only to show that there is a feasible way to plan a space launch rocket. There may be better ways. Figure 2.1-a is intended to help find them.

2.2 THE SPACE ROCKET

The nose

cone in Figure 2.1-b is shown in greater detail in Figure 2.2-a. The sizing of the rocket, and of the stages in it, is determined as described in Section 2.4 below. The stages, together with the spacecraft atop them, make up the detachable nose cone of the launch rocket. The oxygen tanks are arranged as shown in Figure 2.2-b to double as structural elements, but mainly to reduce the thermal shielding required for the hydrogen. It is relatively easy to insulate liquid hydrogen inside a wall cooled by liquid oxygen, and it is easy to insulate liquid oxygen in space. The thrust of the motors is transmitted in tension to the bases of the oxygen tanks through hollow tension members which also serve as oxygen feed lines. It should be emphasized that the structures are identical, whether the propellant oxygen is all carried in one vehicle or in separate

tankers.

2.3 THE SPACECRAFT

On top of the two stages of the space rocket, in the apex of the detached nose cone, is the spacecraft proper. There are four basic, standardized types of spacecraft, described in the four subsections below.

2.3.1 UMMANNED CAPTURE OR LANDING

These craft are to be used for such diverse duties as plasma plotters, planetary and satellite capture, landers, etc. The list is given in Section 4. Outfitting them will be a custom job for

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many missions.

However, the basic structure and fittings will be standard. Even the most customized jobs will, in general, be repetitive. The manned capture space ship, shown in Figure 2.2-a, and described in Section 2.3.2, could be used for the unmanned missions, simply by leaving out life support equipment, and replacing it with automated equipment. However, the basic structure is more massive than need be, excluding some of the missions which can be accomplished with lighter structures. Since some of the unmanned missions require light-weight structures it is proposed to use the same light-weight structures for all unmanned missions.

2.3.2 MANNED CAPTURE

The space rocket shown in Figure 2.2-a shows a standardized, 3-man spacecraft. The cabin is two meters tall and six meters in diameter. The equipment is located in compartments under removable floor sections, each flooded with gaseous nitrogen to prevent fire. Overhead is the earth entry capsule, and forward of it is room for special equipment, such as telescopes, messenger rockets, etc.

An open-cycle ecology is assumed, with provisions as specified in Section 2.4 below. One advantage of the open-cycle ecology is that it reduces power consumption to a level compatible with the present state of the art in power generation. There are, however, less transitory reasons. The water is stored in 1-cm tubes stacked 10 cm thick to form a radiation shield around the entire cabin. Ag water is consumed, it is replaced in the tubes, one bank after another, with liquid metabolic waste, thus maintaining the shielding. The tubes of water also serve as meteorite shielding. Again, by circulating the water slowly from sunlit to dark side, the wall temperature can be regulated and equalized. Finally, by appropriate valving of the circulating water, it would be possible to counter the torques caused by movements of passengers and machinery.

The reentry capsule shown is that proposed by Lockheed. An APOLLO capsule could be substituted in some flights, but the Lockheed configuration has several advantages. The shape is that of two cones with their bases fitted together at an angle. The forward cone, shown pointing downward and to the right in the figure, is

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