THE POTENTIAL OF VARIOUS APPROACHES FOR MANNED LUNAR LANDING MISSIONS AS MEASURED BY LAUNCH WEIGHT REQUIREMENTS,
Abstract
A review is made of various techniques (direct, earth orbit rendezvous, lunar orbit rendezvous, libration point rendezvous) for accomplishing the manned lunar landing mission. With the use of high-energy on-board propellants, a minimal manned lunar landing mission is shown to be possible with a booster capable of placing 32,000 pounds in 300 m. mi altitude earth orbit via the following combinations: (1) Earth orbit rendezvous with 4 launches; (2) combined lunar orbit rendezvous-earth orbit rendezvous with 2 launches; and (3) combined libration point rendezvous-earth orbit rendezvous with 2 launches. The relative efficiency of the various approaches is shown to depend upon the ratio of weights landed on the Moon to weights returned to earth. The libration point rendezvous approach is suggested to deserve further attention. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1963
- Accession Number
- AD0424995
Entities
People
- Norris F. Dow
Organizations
- General Electric