Re: CEV for mars mission

John Doe <jdoe@xxxxxxx> wrote in news:4439E03C.AE82689F@xxxxxxx:

"Jorge R. Frank" wrote:
"The ESAS reference Mars mission utilizes a Block 3 CEV to transfer a
crew of six between Earth and an MTV at the beginning and end of the
Mars exploration mission.

This is very different from the original announcement.

So what? Do you think Bush cares that NASA's implementation doesn't
follow every little detail of his announcement?

The original
political announcement had the CEV designed to truly leave earth's
orbit. And this is why it was called "crew EXPLORATION vehicle". They
said the shuttle was useless because it was limited to LEO. But in
the end, the CEV will be just another Soyuz crew transfer taxi.

CEV will remain docked with the MTV throughout the rest of the trip to
and from Mars. Or did you not bother to read the rest of the text I
posted?

And they said that CEV would first go to the moon as a testing ground
to go to Mars.

So what? It still is, but as a technology testbed for surface ops, not
as a literal test of the spacecraft. You read things too damned
literally.

The problem I have with this is that NASA was solidly behind the
original fantasy political statements.

You sound disappointed, almost as if you'd prefer that NASA had stuck to
the details of the announcement so as to validate your ridiculous
strawman attacks on the CEV. That, in my opinion speaks quite poorly of
your character.

Now that NASA seems to have realigned itself back to reality, why
doesn't it just drop the side trip to the moon alltogether ?

Because NASA sees the lunar missions as an end in themselves, and
as an integral part of the vision. It's not just a "touch-and-go" on the
way to Mars. Indeed, there are many within NASA who would much prefer
that NASA not waste too many braincells or dollars worrying about Mars
until the lunar return goal is achieved. That's perfectly consistent with
the president's announcement, since he made a point of setting a
timetable for lunar return but not for Mars.

CEV's
"moon capability" would not be needed to go to Mars since CEV would
just tag along as dead weight to and from Mars.

It's not dead weight. Without the CEV the crew has no way to get home -
the MTV will not be designed for Earth atmospheric reentry.

--
JRF

Reply-to address spam-proofed - to reply by E-mail,
check "Organization" (I am not assimilated) and
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.

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