[HN Gopher] Simulating the Apollo 11 LM Ascent Stage Orbit [pdf]
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Simulating the Apollo 11 LM Ascent Stage Orbit [pdf]
Author : marbu
Score : 46 points
Date : 2021-07-17 13:26 UTC (9 hours ago)
(HTM) web link (github.com)
(TXT) w3m dump (github.com)
| imglorp wrote:
| Suppose it's in a stable orbit and we want to preserve it for
| historical artifact value, for study by the public. Should we
| leave it where it is? Visitors could go match orbits and observe
| it in flight. Should we create a static display monument on the
| surface, with a plaque, like the USS Arizona?
|
| If you say bring the LM back to the Smithsonian, for atmospheric
| entry you'd need something like a Starship with a widely opening
| fairing, a rigid mounting system inside, and maybe a manipulator
| arm of some kind to capture.
| marbu wrote:
| Assuming the orbit is and remains stable, the best way to
| preserve it would be to keep it where it is now. But I'm not
| sure we can assume that the orbit remains stable in the long
| term, even if we confirm via observation that the orbit is
| stable now (few issues I see here includes increasing number of
| satellites orbiting Moon, asteroid impacts and fly-bys, ...).
| jcims wrote:
| It really feels like we're not that far away from space tugs
| that can latch on to a satellite and nudge its orbit to
| desired parameters.
|
| Given that it would have to have a high thrust-to-weight
| ratio, you could probably push things pretty deep, relatively
| speaking, into the atmosphere so that they would have a high
| decay rate while the tug can muscle its way back out.
| fergbrain wrote:
| Northrop Grumman already have the MEV-2, which does just
| that: https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/12/22380581/northrop-
| grumman...
| messe wrote:
| The issue with latching onto it with something like the
| MEV-2 is that the LEM, if it's still in orbit, is almost
| certainly tumbling. That makes an automated intercept /
| latching-onto non-trivial, to say the least.
| skykooler wrote:
| I wonder how feasible it would be to surround it with a
| coil of wire carrying a strong electric current, to slow
| its rotation via magnetic induction?
| scrooched_moose wrote:
| Theoretically, it could have easily returned to Earth with the
| Space Shuttle, assuming another vehicle could rendezvous and
| transport it to LEO.
|
| The Ascent State was 2.8 x 4.2 x 4.04m with a dry mass of 2150
| kg.
|
| The Shuttle's cargo bay was 18 x 4.6 x 4.6m (at least...can't
| find a depth weirdly) with a return-to-Earth payload capacity
| of 14,400 kg.
| numpad0 wrote:
| Suspend it in the Smithsonian museum Bezos Jr Center made out
| of surplus habitat cylinders without atmosphere, run a couple
| tubes and rails around so visitors can ride on robotic arms to
| get close
| bronson wrote:
| The blog article includes more detail & discussion:
| https://snoopy.rogertwank.net/2020/09/has-eagle-landed.html?...
| everyone wrote:
| Scott Manley did a video on this. Apparently the ascent stage
| could still be in orbit as we speak. https://youtu.be/dBHbLV7xEhc
| MayeulC wrote:
| https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27865232
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(page generated 2021-07-17 23:01 UTC)