Orbit-Surface Landing Craft

[BlackHatSupport]

Tech challenge -

Design a dropship/landing craft that goes, one way (but reuseable) from an orbiting vessel to a planetary surface.

Assume Earth conditions, i.e.
Atmospheric heating, orbital velocity, altitude, and the whole 9 yards.

Remember, one way reuseable transport.

[Kang]

Start with a Mercury capsule, enlarge it slightly, move the retro pack from behind the heat shield to the front compartment; you can make the room by putting the parachute assembly on the side with a larger landing bag on the other side. Basically your are done.

[Soralin]

Or just go with this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_%28spacecraft%29

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p176UpWQOs4

[Kang]

Does it make its deorbit burn using the RCS thrusters?

[HopDavid]

Tech challenge -

Design a dropship/landing craft that goes, one way (but reuseable) from an orbiting vessel to a planetary surface.

Assume Earth conditions, i.e.
Atmospheric heating, orbital velocity, altitude, and the whole 9 yards.

Remember, one way reuseable transport.

One way reusable?

How can a lander be reused if it doesn't make the ascent back to orbit?

[Soralin]

Does it make its deorbit burn using the RCS thrusters?

I think so, I don't see anything else listed that would generate thrust, just the 18 Draco engines.

Also note that the first Dragon that went up came back down by parachute. The one in the video making a powered landing is a planned upgrade, that would work both as a launch-abort system, and for powered landings.

[nitePhyyre]

One way reusable?

How can a lander be reused if it doesn't make the ascent back to orbit?

The sent me for a loop for a second also.
I guess if you wanted to drop off cargo and colonists, then colonize and pick up the pods once there is enough industry to send them out again. That or Orbital Drop Shock Troopers.
Although I think disposable might be a better way to go.

[AvatarIII]

even better than disposable, recyclable, as in, the drop ships can be or are specifically designed to be repurposed as shelters, or have the materials easily recovered.

[idobox]

One way reusable?

How can a lander be reused if it doesn't make the ascent back to orbit?

I imagine something like return vehicle for the ISS or something, that can be put in a rocket and sent to orbit again.
I suppose a soyouz with a thicker heat shield could do the trick.

[Roĝer]

The main problem seems to be the wear that the heat shield experiences. How about an ablative heat shield made out of some kind of fluid, such as oil or water? That way you only have to refill a small tank instead of replacing the heat shield every few orbit drops.

[SlyReaper]

Tech challenge -

Design a dropship/landing craft that goes, one way (but reuseable) from an orbiting vessel to a planetary surface.

Assume Earth conditions, i.e.
Atmospheric heating, orbital velocity, altitude, and the whole 9 yards.

Remember, one way reuseable transport.

One way reusable?

How can a lander be reused if it doesn't make the ascent back to orbit?

By plonking it on top of a rocket. The rocket parts aren't reusable, but there's no reason the command capsule can't be.

[Roĝer]

Or you could ride it up your space elevator, or put it into your launch loop. Or retrieve it by transport plane after your orbital shock troops have secured the area (now that's an awesome way of worldwide rapid deployment!).

[HopDavid]

One way reusable?

How can a lander be reused if it doesn't make the ascent back to orbit?

By plonking it on top of a rocket. The rocket parts aren't reusable, but there's no reason the command capsule can't be.

Oh, okay.

SpaceX recovered Dragon. If they successfully send it back up, this will have been demonstrated.

[BlackHatSupport]

Great ideas, everyone. And by "reuseable" I mean it can be pulled off the planet after it's been dropped and when it's secure, either as a colony supply drop or ODST-style insertion.

Now the other challenge -Same thing but with the ability to return to orbit after drop.

[Roĝer]

Now that's easy - just add a spring to the bottom, and your craft will bounce right off the surface with the same speed as it arrived, right?

[SlyReaper]

Great ideas, everyone. And by "reuseable" I mean it can be pulled off the planet after it's been dropped and when it's secure, either as a colony supply drop or ODST-style insertion.

Now the other challenge -Same thing but with the ability to return to orbit after drop.

This.

Single-stage-to-orbit, so a completely reusable space vehicle. The engine is designed to act as an air breathing jet engine up to mach 5.5, after which the air inlets close and it acts as a normal liquid fuel rocket engine up to orbital speed (which is about mach 25). This initial "free" boost reduces the required weight of the fuel. The aerodynamic properties of the thing mean it'll descend through the atmosphere more slowly than a space shuttle, which means the heat shielding doesn't need to be as heavy. It also uses left-over fuel as coolant for the parts exposed to the most heat.

It's a very exciting design which will of course never see the light of day because eventually someone will decide it's too expensive.

[Roĝer]

Wow, even if that doesn't become reality, it would be an awesome plot device for near science fiction stories.

[HopDavid]

Wow, even if that doesn't become reality, it would be an awesome plot device for near science fiction stories.

The Next Continent by Issui Ogawa uses something like Skylon. I highly recommend this book. Perhaps optimistic hard science fiction has fallen out of fashion in the english speaking world, but it's going strong in Asia!