November 2004
ATV-3 Burns Up in Atmosphere
Posted Tuesday, November 30, 2004
This past weekend, the third Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV-3) successfully completed its mission. This unmanned craft, designed to resupply the SimNASA SkyLab-Columbia Space Station (SCSS), is a one-use craft destined for disposal at mission end. As open ports are required for the upcoming "Return to Moon" missions, the ATV power-up procedure was initated from Ground Control on November 26th at 1300 hrs UTC. After the ATV-3 was fully powered up by 1420 UTC, a signal was sent for undocking. All systems demonstrated no problems and the vehicle smoothly undocked. At 1440 UTC the orbit for ATV-3 was lowered, followed by the de-orbit burn and final preparations at 1745 UTC. At 1810 UTC, Ground Control reported that the vehicle had safely burnt up in the Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.
- Reporting for SimNASA: Mike Caruso, Public Affairs Officer,
LOLS on schedule
Posted Sunday, November 21, 2004
With the roll out last Thursday of the Lunar Orbiting Logistic Station (LOLS) from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) everything is going according to schedule for the launch of the LOLS from the historic launch complex 39B.
As the picture clearly shows, the LOLS Saturn V stack is the largest launch vehicle ever assembled. With an overall height of over 380 feet and weighting in at over 6,699,000 lbs or just short of 3000 long tons, the launch, scheduled for December 4, 2004 will be one that is remember for a very long time.
Currently no exact launch time has been announced, but it is expected that launch will occur when the Skylab-Columbia space station is overhead."
Roll Out
Posted Thursday, November 18, 2004
Creeping along a one mile per hour, the Saturn V stack, attached to the Launch Utility Tower, began it journey moving toward launch complex 39B this morning.
"Wow! This thing is huge!" a spectator commented as the massive rocket moved into the morning sunlight eastward. With an over all height over 380 feet, larger than the Apollo moon launch craft, it is the largest thing ever to make its way to the pad.
With arrival at LC39B not expected until tonight, engineer are expected to work overnight getting the Saturn V settled into its temporary home until the schedule launch on December 4, 2004.
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Ready to Roll
Posted Thursday, November 11, 2004
After several months of delays caused by three hurricanes, redesigns, and changes in mission objectives, the Lunar Orbiting Logistics Station (LOLS) was successfully mated the Saturn V stack at the Vehicle Assembly Building.
"We've been waiting a very long time for this, and now the first piece of the puzzle is now assembled and will be ready to go soon." SimNASA Administrator Brad Hodges told a group of engineers, administrative staff, and several astronaut who flew in for the event.
Currently schedule for launch the first part of December, the LOLS Saturn V stack is scheduled to roll out of the VAB next Thursday, November 18th to launch complex 39 B. The ride out to the complex will take approximately 8 hours as the LCT assembly races down the causeway at one mile per hour.
After launch of the LOLS it will rendezvous with the Skylab-Columbia space station where further construction to the Lunar station will continue. Currently SimNASA is projecting two additional launches in December and several Shuttle flights to complete the contruction project. No date has been set as to when the LOLS will be deployed toward the moon. "
RTM Redesigns
Posted Sunday, November 7, 2004
SimNASA engineers and mission planners have had to make changes to the "Return to Earth" (RTM) missions. Current plans call for the RTM mission to progress as follows, according to the SimNASA Administrator:
RTM will first begin with the launch of a Saturn V carrying the Lunar Orbiting Logistics Station (LOLS). In conjunction with this, a modified Saturn IV-B will be attached which provides about 113% - 120% thrust as compared to those used during the previous Moon launches.
After successful launch, rendezvous, and docking with the SkyLab-Columbia Space Station (SCSS), the LOLS will be further prepared for deployment by adding several fuel pods to it. The Saturn IV-B shall then be modified to allow the attachment of two other Saturn IV-B's.
Other than going with two HAB modules as originally planned, SimNASA has decided to launch one HAB (named "Shepard") via a Saturn V, with the same configuration as for the LOLS launch. Again after docking, the HAB would dock to the LOLS for its ride to the Moon and the Saturn IV-B attached to the current Saturn IV-B.
One final launch would launch a Lander assembly via a final Saturn V. Just as the other two were launched and then docked to the SCSS, this launch would follow the same procedure. The three Saturn IV-B's would be known as a Tug, to be nammed "Armstrong".
With three Saturn IV-B's attached, plus the LOLS, HAB, and Lander - the initial package would be ready for lunar injection. After a stable lunar orbit has been achieved, the HAB would undock and land on the moon.
The new HAB design will now contain no skids or wheels to move it to a different location. The HAB will still contain several items in its cargo hold which shall include: a power supply, oxygen generator, and a non-pressurized rover/dozer/crane (RDC).
After the HAB has landed, the Tug would deploy LOLS and then return to the SCSS. At this point, we would be ready for deployment of the Lunar ERV (Earth Return Vehicle), which is reportedly nothing more than a command center that allows for an alternate return to Earth if the Tug fails. LERV would launch aboard a Saturn V and as done with the LOLS construction, it would dock with the SCSS with a Saturn IV-B that would be the start of Tug 2 that shall be named, "Aldrin".
The next step would be a Space Shuttle launch that would carry a PAX container. Once the Shuttle has docked with SCSS, the PAX container would be released from the Shuttle cargo hold and, by using maneuvering jets, shall dock with the LERV that would already be docked to Tug "Armstrong". Just as LOLS was sent to the Moon, so shall the first RTM crew. There is still discussion as to if this mission should include four or six astronauts.
Arriving in lunar orbit, the LERV would then dock with LOLS and the PAX container would undock from LERV and dock with the Lander. The Lander would then ferry the crew down to the lunar surface and operations would then begin. This process would be repeated many times either with either cargo or PAX, as the occasion requires.
Initially the HAB would contain enough supplies to last a crew of six up to ninety days without resupply. Return to Earth would basically occur in the same process, but in reverse. The Lander would take the PAX container from the lunar surface to the LOLS, transfer to LERV/TUG and back to the SCSS. From the SCSS it would be back to a Shuttle which would bring the astronauts to Earth.
As further design progress is made, there may be more changes to the RTM mission plan. Details will be announced in these Press Releases.
- Reporting for SimNASA: Mike Caruso, Public Affairs Officer,
Rethinking the RTM Mission
Posted Wednesday, November 3, 2004
SimNASA Administrator Brad Hodges has called upon the Staff to rethink the Return to Moon (RTM) mission plan. All indicators still point to a permanent SimNASA moon base, with initial missions to start by the end of the year. However, due to manpower and engineering obstacles, the RTM mission may not be as ambitious as originally orchestrated.
Soon, updated RTM plans will be released, as well as a RTM section to the SimNASA website.
- Reporting for SimNASA: Mike Caruso, Public Affairs Officer,
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