NationStates Jolt Archive

Camona Space Center-Camona Islands_Southern Terronian

Terronian, being a leader in "Modern Tech", space exploration, after 7 years of construction, as constructed the "Mass Driver", a system for launching cargo into orbit cheaply and easily.

Colage Picture of Completed Mass Driver (http://img358.imageshack.us/img358/1852/d9vy.jpg)

The basic prinicple behind the Mass Driver is , a rail launching system that launches small packages inline (one after the other) into a highly eliptical orbit where a catcher *satillite or space station* in the same orbit grabs the materials, also without a catcher things can be launched into orbit, such as manned vehicles or satilittes.

*(How It Works)
Guide Pic-Open Before Reading Further (http://www.massdriver.com/images/MassDriver_Overview_img.png)

The operation of the Mass Driver Material Transfer System can be generalized into four steps, which are then explained in more detail.

Step 1
A launch mechanism, located on Earth's surface, accelerates and releases a vehicle or space package. The material packages travel a ballistic launch trajectory to an apogee (highest altitude) point in Earth's orbit.

HOW
2 launch styles can be performed, a single and a rapid.

RAPID
Image of Launching Steps (http://www.massdriver.com/images/launch_site_overview_text.PNG)
Step 1: Hybrid Rocket Sleds (http://www.massdriver.com/images/hybrid_rocket_sled.JPG) are loaded on to the loading rails. The hybrid rocket sleds travel along the loading rails to the Distributed Oxidizer Launch Rail. The loading rails allow the hybrid rocket sleds to be rapidly loaded on to the launch rail. The URL below depicts four loading rails feeding rocket sleds to the launch rail.
http://www.massdriver.com/images/Loading_Rail.png
*Completed Mass Driver has 8 loading rails*

Step 2: The hybrid rocket sled is accelerated along the launch rail by a modified hybrid rocket motor obtaining oxidizer gas from the launch rail, depicted below.
http://www.massdriver.com/images/distributed_launch_rail_overview.png
The oxidizer gas distribution system is comprised of pressure devices, piping and control valves to control the supply of oxidizer to segments of the rail at the proper time.

Step 3:*Note* Early design called for a mountain, but Camona Island Space Center had none large enough, therefore the "ramp" was created.
The hybrid rocket sled traverses the distributed oxidizer launch rail up the side of a mountain. The slope of the mountain provides the launch angle of the material package. Near the summit of the mountain the rocket sled releases the material package. The material packages follow a ballistic trajectory to Earth orbit. The URL below depicts the release of three material packages from three rocket sleds.
http://www.massdriver.com/images/payload_release.png

Step 4: The hybrid rocket sled is decelerated and its kinetic energy is converted into electricity. The URL above depicts a rocket sled entering a tube structure that represents an electromagnetic brake. The tube was later removed, instead, the edge of the slope has 8 energy brakes which hold each sled in order they come. They then follow the chained "second rail" back to the facility.

Step 5:The hybrid rocket sled return to the launch facility to be reloaded with a new material package and refuelled with a new rocket motor grain. Once the reloading and refuelling is complete, the rocket sled is ready for the next launch operation. The URL below depicts three empty rocket sleds returning to the Rocket Sled Storage/Refurbishing facility for reloading and refuelling.http://www.massdriver.com/images/sled_return.png

Complete Listing of Launch Requirements (http://www.massdriver.com/images/Requirements_diagram_website.png)

SINGLE:
Follows the same conecpt as noted above, but single packages power themselves using fuel. Brakes are disabled.

Step 2
At the apogee of the ballistic launch trajectory, each material package increases its velocity (typically by a rocket motor burn) to establish an elliptical orbit.

Note: If the velocity increase fails to happen, the material package follows the ballistic trajectory back to Earth

HOW:Simple rocket motor burn.

Step 3
At perigee (lowest altitude) of the material package orbit, the velocity of the material package is adjusted (typically by a rocket motor burn) to position all material packages into the middle (green) material package orbit.

HOW:Another Rocket Burn

Step 4
'catcher' satellite is located in the middle (green) material package orbit. The 'catcher' satellite is capable of precessing about the middle material package orbit and capturing material packages encountered.

HOW: So far, only one catcher sat is in orbit.
http://www.massdriver.com/images/Catcher_satellite.PNG

The design is similar to a Ferris wheel. Cables replace the arms of the Ferris wheel. The cables can be adjusted to adjust for positional error of the material package. The 'seats' of the Ferris wheel are replaced by a grapple mechanism capable of quickly securing the material packages. The 'catcher' satellite rotates allowing the grapple mechanism to pickup a series of material packages. Once the material package is secured, the cable reels in the material package to the processing center.

An active propulsion system, like an electrodynamic tether, is required to manipulate the period of the 'catcher' satellite to ensure the entire stream of material package can be collected. The rate ar which the catcher satellite must collect material packages depends on the launch frequency, spacing between material packages and the time interval to capture all material packages.

The catcher satellite is intended to include a detection system (radar/lidar) that can determine the location of material packages and adjust the motion of the catcher to capture the material package. It also tells the package where to go.

The catcher satillite is then in operation, whith its packages onboard, they can be then released safely into orbit, or kept aboard, more often then not especially during the construction of the Terronian Space Sation, catcher satillites will be used to send equipment, food, and modules to the the sation making a more reliable way at construction then space shuttles.

Other Need to Knows
Package Rockets
http://www.massdriver.com/images/material_package_dia.png
These things have roughly the same payload capacity as a space shutle, but are extremely cheap as they dont need to reenter atmosphere.

Manned Vehicle:
SDMV, or Mass Driver Manned Vehicle is still in the works, we still use the shutle for sending people, but is being designed, here is an early concept photo.http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/7553/jj5gp.jpg

We hope the Mass Driver will change the way we send equipment into space, currently, the T.A.A is allowing the Mass Driver for foreign use

At a $1,000,000 for every 300 kg, this is far cheaper and time effective then a shuttle, our catcher sattilite will send your packages into orbit or too a defined area. Also the catcher sat can send a package to outer space, yet much slower then a rocket.

(OOC: We'll I've read through it, and I can say, it's pretty well developed. But just so then the "stupid" people, you might want to tone that down. Also, if you were worried that most wouldn't be able to understand it, you should have made some general summary sentences after each step, put in layman's terms.)

Well oif you noticed in each step is an easy summary, which is follow by how it works, so not that hard to figure out I hope, I am worried about people figuring out how it works, but I think you can accuretly from the depictions I gave.

Its not like im selling anything other then luanching stuff into space so you dont really have to care how it works just that you can usee it to launch stuff cheaply =P, so if you take the time to read how it works, kudos to you.

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From: Republican Space Force Command
To: Terronian Camonan Space Centre
RE: Congratulations

The Republican Space Force has watched your nations new space program for some time, and is highly impressed by the results of your efforts so far. Though the RSF took to space through more conventional and less original methods, the RSF is always happy to see another country launch itself towards the stars.

As such, I would like to take this opportunity to present your country with aid in the form of a small team of our most experienced scientists, engineers and military experts, all zero-gravity trained and experienced, in aiding you in completing this launch. When you do finally launch your capsule, the RSF would also be honoured to ensure its safety and make sure nothing untoward happens to it, as we have had experience with. Several of our early launches suffered tragic losses as the modules could not re-enter the planets atmosphere and were lost to space.

I await your response on this matter,

Major-General Nathaniel Warner, Commander, Republican Space Force

At a $1,000,000 for every 10 kg, this is far cheaper and time effective then a shuttle, our catcher sattilite will send your packages into orbit or too a defined area. Also the catcher sat can send a package to outer space, yet much slower then a rocket.

That's not really very cheap. A Shuttle launch costs about $500million and can launch a payload of 28,800kg, which works out at less then $20,000 per kg.
A Saturn V costs about $2.4 billion and can launch a payload of 118,000kg, or a little over $20,000 per kg.

The Shildonian Hercules Extremely Heavy Lift Vehicle (EHLV) costs about $600 million and has a payload of 85,000kg, or just over $7,000 per kg. If anyone wants a real low-cost method of launching large payloads into LEO, send your letters to the Shildonian Space Agency Commercial Launch Division, C\O Heignton Space Port, Shildonia.

That's not really very cheap. A Shuttle launch costs about $500million and can launch a payload of 28,800kg, which works out at less then $20,000 per kg.
A Saturn V costs about $2.4 billion and can launch a payload of 118,000kg, or a little over $20,000 per kg.

The Shildonian Hercules Extremely Heavy Lift Vehicle (EHLV) costs about $600 million and has a payload of 85,000kg, or just over $7,000 per kg. If anyone wants a real low-cost method of launching large payloads into LEO, send your letters to the Shildonian Space Agency Commercial Launch Division, C\O Heignton Space Port, Shildonia.


Thanks, I have actually been looking for that, I dont know exactly how much a shuttle launch cost, so it was the only point i wrote without research now that I have this, "rough sketch"?, I can make a better, price.

From: Republican Space Force Command
To: Terronian Camonan Space Centre
RE: Congratulations

The Republican Space Force has watched your nations new space program for some time, and is highly impressed by the results of your efforts so far. Though the RSF took to space through more conventional and less original methods, the RSF is always happy to see another country launch itself towards the stars.

As such, I would like to take this opportunity to present your country with aid in the form of a small team of our most experienced scientists, engineers and military experts, all zero-gravity trained and experienced, in aiding you in completing this launch. When you do finally launch your capsule, the RSF would also be honoured to ensure its safety and make sure nothing untoward happens to it, as we have had experience with. Several of our early launches suffered tragic losses as the modules could not re-enter the planets atmosphere and were lost to space.

I await your response on this matter,

Major-General Nathaniel Warner, Commander, Republican Space Force

I have had a space program for quite some time now, so altohough help is appreciated, we feel we can do fine ourselves, however, im sure an agreement can be worked out between our 2 nations where a Skinny 87 pilot can fly aboard our first manned Mass Driver launch.

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