Introduction Flashcards
What is SRU? (with example)
Space Resource Utilization
Eg. Capturing asteroid and bringing it to earth for terrestrial utilization
What is ISRU? (with example)
In-Situ Resource Utilization
Eg. mining water and oxygen from moon to supply on moon
What is ISCP?
In-situ consumable production
What is ISPP?
In-situ propellant production
What is ISFR?
In-situ fabrication and repair
What are the fundamental questions of ISRU?
- What is available
- What is needed / who needs it
- How can it be used
What is the rule of 3?
Humans can last 3 mins without oxygen, 3 days without water and 3 weeks without food
What is the mammalian dive response?
We can hold our breath longer under water
What percentage of total water intake comes from food water?
20-40 percent
What percent of the human body is water?
60-70 percent
What is the problem with vitamin D supplements?
Don’t prevent all the symptoms of vitamin D defficiency
What propellants are relevant for ISRU on the Moon?
LOX and LH2 (hydrolox)
What propellants are relevant for ISRU on the Mars?
LOX and LCH4 (methalox)
What are important needs for space settlements in terms of ISRU?
Buildings
Machine Parts
Propellants
Sunlight
Food and Water
Oxygen
What is the ambient atmosphere on Earth / Moon / Mars?
1013 mbar / 10^-11 mbar / 6mbar
What are the 3 most abundant gases on Earth with composition?
N2 78%
O2 21%
Ar 1%
What are the 3 most abundant gases on the Moon with composition?
Ar 40,000 at/cm^3
He 2000 - 40000 at/cm^3
Na 70 at/cm^3
What are the 3 most abundant gases on Mars with composition?
CO2 95%
N2 2.7 %
Ar 1.6%
What are the three sources for gas on the moon?
- Outgassing from interior due to radioactive decay (Ra/He)
- Gas release due to meteorite / solar wind impacts
- Atmosphere changing due to lunar day night cycle
What percent of the Martian atmosphere is oxygen?
0,13 %
What are the 5 potential uses of regolith?
Construction
Life Support
Propulsion
Power
Fabrication
What are the benefits of ISRU?
- Mass and cost reduction
- Reduced Emissions
- Space Commercialization
- Risk reduction and flexibility
- Human presesnce
What is the rocket equation?
\delta v = v_e ln(m_o / m_f)
What is delta v of earth to lower earth orbit?
10
What are the escape velocities of Earth, Moon and Mars respectively?
11.2 , 2.3 , 5.0 km/s
What are some human needs for ISRU?
-Oxygen
-Nutrition
-Water
-Sunlight
What are advantages and disadvantages of Hydrolox compared to Methalox?
+ Higher specific impulse
+ Cleaner
- Boiloff
- Hydrogen embrittlement
What are advantages and disadvantages of Methalox compared to Hydrolox?
+ Higher boiling temperature, making it easier to store and handle
+ No hydrogen embrittlement
- Lower specific impulse
- Less clean
What are 3 sources from which resources can be extracted in space?
-Atmosphere
-Regolith
-Sunlight
What are 5 benefits of ISRU?
-Mass and Cost Reduction
-Reduced Emissions
-Space Commercialisation
-Risk Reduction and Flexibility
-Human Presence
What are 3 popular application scenarios for refuelling stations?
-Lunar surface (refuel landed spacecraft for return capability)
-EML1 (staging and refuelling spacecraft for Mars departure)
-LEO (refuelling upper stages to travel to and beyond GEO)
What byproducts/emissions are created during a launch on Earth with Hydrolox/Methalox?
-Hydrolox: NOx
-Methalox: NOx, CO2
What are the goals for risk reduction and flexibility by ISRU?
-Reduce risk
-Minimise mission risk from transportation delays and failures
-Failure recovery (account for probability of hardware failures)
-Enable long-term stays
-Adjust to changing needs during the mission
-Take advantage of the modularity (e.g. same interfaces for propellant/consumables)
