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Mass budget for mining the moons of MarsThe mass budget is detailed for system architectures that use rocket fuels of propellants derived from Deimos and Phobos to transport 10000 ton payloads of exofuel (exoatmospheric fuels) or exomass (exoatmospheric mass) to earth orbits. A point design for the system architecture is used that includes a self-sustaining cycle, which requires no materials from earth, and an infrastructure, which must be emplaced to start the cycle. Both the use of steam rockets and the use of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen is examined. It is shown that a system delivering 10000 tons of payload to a highly elliptical earth orbit requires approximately 23000 tons of water for use by nuclear heated steam rockets to effect completely propulsive, round trip maneuvers. It is also shown that about 8000 tons will be available for sale at low earth orbit, each cycle, and that the number of cycles can number in the tens before critical components are replaced.
Document ID
19910016749
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Zuppero, Anthony
(General Dynamics/Astronautics San Diego, CA., United States)
Landis, Geoffrey A.
(Sverdrup Technology, Inc., Brook Park OH., United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: Arizona Univ., Resources of Near-Earth Space: Abstracts
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
91N26063
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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