AAS National Conference 2008: Thomas C. Taylor

A Commercial Path to
Exploration
in the Next Decade
Tom Taylor
Lunar Transportation Systems

AAS 2008 CONFERENCE & 55th ANNUAL MEETING
Pasadena, CA
19 Nov 08

Lunar Transportation Systems, Inc.

Introduction
• LTS is a Commercial Transportation Company interested in Lunar
Logistics development
• LTS is an entrepreneurial startup company using same Startup Team
from previous ventures in the Commercial Space Industry
• We use Innovation and our entrepreneurial business model to reduce
the cost of Space Operations and provide unmanned cargo delivery.
• Our future business goal is to use innovation to evolve into a Lunar
trade route business to assist NASA in moving to Mars Exploration
and Beyond quicker.
• We can learn from previous Earth Trade Routes & Remote Exploration
Camps.
• Let’s look at some innovation, video clips and hardware

2

19 Nov 08 Lunar Transportation Systems, Inc.

Module
• Reduced the Cost of Manned
Tended Research in the Shuttle

• The Mid-Deck Locker
became and industry standard

• PriceWaterhouse study
estimated nine times less
hardware cost

• 23+ STS missions & leases
for ~ $42m

• Early successful space
commerce startup company


A Propellant Depot increases our Payloads


Build Frame & Add Tanks, PL

5


First Leg - Commercial EELV’s

6


7


Shroud ID
Larger Tanks on 4.5m

Larger Vehicles
1.5 m
• Now uses EELVs
• Scaleable to 10 meters Shroud ID
10m
• Larger tanks
• Growth options
• Commercial lunar
transportation both ways
• LTS helps evolution to
transport nodes
3.25 m
• Not starting
transportation from zero
• Start in LEO
8


Two Way Highway To the Moon: Commercially
Logistics Trade Route
•Uses a fleet of two new reusable
spacecraft - the Lunar Lander
and the Propellant Transporter.

Propellant
•Uses a fleet of two new Lunar Lander
Transporter
expendable support spacecraft -
a Payload Dispenser and a
Propellant Dispenser.

•Uses existing Expendable
Launch Vehicles to transfer all
spacecraft, propellants, and Payload Propellant
payloads from the Earth to LEO. Dispenser Dispenser
9


We Are Unmanned & Need JPL
• We try to evolve toward the most efficient
vehicle on each on each leg of the trade route
• Hauling unmanned, non-critical cargo
• Strong communications & Robotic Technology
• To / From moon, but early abandon our Vehicle
• Use commercial financing & new markets
• Unglamorous, innovative aerospace technology
• Business with a profit, so we pay back investors
• History of raising private money, previous $1.2B

10


Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking
• Cargo uses EELV’s
• This cycle is already
commercial
• They find each other with
a laser ranging system
• Systems available and
unmanned

• 99% of the cargo
could go on a non-
critical affordable
workhorse vehicles


12


Rendezvous and Dock - LEO

13


Space Truss from discarded Expandable
Tube Truss
Basic Transportation Frame Members w/
Assembled
& Expanded Tubes Length 7 Times
Rotate Up & the original
Assemble LTS Discarded
Hardware

Rotate Down
& Assemble

Stowed Tanks Stowed for
& Tubes Launch
Rotate Legs
LTS Basic Down & Assemble
Transportation Frame After Tanks Unload
14


15


16


17


Commercial Lunar Transport
• 800 kgs to 10 Tons
• Non-Critical Lunar
Cargo Business
• Commercial
• Could be a PPP
Privately Funded
• Same Startup
team as Kistler,
SPACEHAB with a
Cost Reduction
Record
• Color Video

18


Commercial Logistics
• Transport of non-essential cargo
• Transport of odd shapes, over weight,
• Transport & Assemble machines
• Transport return cargo & future resources
• Transport propellant to Lunar Orbit, beyond
• Development of trade route facilities
• Support logistics for company town
• Support logistics - mining, resource develop
19


20


Add Proposed Innovation

• Reused tanks on Lunar surface
• Recovery of the GOX Tanks & Hydrogen
• Processing of the GOX, LOH
• Reload propellant for the LTS vehicles
• Building materials from by products
• Other

21


22


One of Four Logistics Routes
Logistics Routes

23


Trade Routes Used to Develop Prudhoe Bay
Energy Gaps in the Past The Senate Energy
Committee is
considering the largest
construction project in
the history of mankind.
Natural Gas Pipeline
is #5 Trade Route.

1. Barges
2. Air
3. Trucks
4. Pipeline
24


Prudhoe Bay Oil Recovery
• 280 mi north of
Arctic Circle
• Naval Petroleum
Reserve
• Developed in the
early 1970’s
• Started to pump oil
in 1977
• $12 B in private
Example risk capital up-front
25


18 other oil fields
have emerged

26


10 Lessons Learned Prudhoe Bay, AK
1. No single transportation or logistics system
worked all the time Have 2 systems
2. No single logistics system offered the
affordability for all materials Have 2 systems
3. Sometimes you need something quick! Freq
4. The labor intensive work is done in the lower
labor cost area and transported assembled to
the high labor cost area when possible. ?
5. Some packing crates were used for a second
purpose, because they were available. Design
with reusability in mind
27


6. Once a logistics system is created, commerce
ﬂourishes Tourists came before oil ﬂow
7. Even equipment used in transportation needs to
have a second use at the destination Tanks for
storage volumes
8. Tooling/fasteners standardized for second use
opportunities
9. Parts to be assembled on the slope mis-mark Use
good Bar Codes & plug/play
10. Arctic engineering & construction are different
than regular construction Start Lunar engineering
design courses in schools

28


NS Lessons for Lunar Explorers
• $12 B was up-front hard to get private money and was minimized at
every decision by the four big oil companies

• Most of the development money spent to date was from oil proﬁts
after the oil started to be pumped in 1977-8

• At least 99% of the tonnage shipped to Alaska was unmanned
ﬁnished Buildings on a barge & connected into large factories

• Different transportation vehicles were used to transport unmanned
cargo at ~ $0.01/lb and humans at ~ $5.00/lb.

• Logistics increases in importance the further you get from your
supply point.

• The tonnage or mass into the site was exceeded by the mass out
the pipeline in approx. 90 days. I estimate 90% of the mass used
was already on the slope. Living off the Land is important.
29


Robotic
Crew Pod
• 24/7 Crew
• 24/7 Earth Support
• EVA on Demand
• Assembly Robots
• Propulsion & RCS
• Habitation
• Propellant Resupply
• Used on SBSP + ?
• LEO Based SSP unit
30


Solar Cell Transport
& Assembly

Space Based Solar Crewed Robotic Pod

Power Demo Assembly
In LEO Truss Units
Crewed Robotic Pod From Discarded
LTS Racks

Solar Arrays

Robotic Tug
Truss Units From Discarded LTS Racks
31


Conclusions
• Innovation is Possible, Come work in the future
• LTS needs JPL Robotics and Communications
• It can contribute to Real Cost Reduction - SBSP
• Commerce brings down the cost of Space Opns
• Get a Good Education, Start Early & Often
• List your ﬁve year goals every year on paper
• You will probably work in more than one industry
during your life, so Be an Information Sponge
• If you want to work in space you live in the best
country in the World for that.
32


Backup Slides
Tom Taylor
Email: taylort@mac.com
http://www.lunartransportationsystems.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26Y5w0vqtIU

Go to the above www.youtube.com website for an LTS 7 Minute Video on the
Lunar Transportation Systems Concept.

33


Propellant Dispenser Assembly

34


How To Raise A $ Billion
• Key to developing resources is to do it with
OPM (other peoples money)
– Must be a viable customer with $
– Time frame for payback must be reasonable
– Return must be proportional to the risk
– Management team with track record is important
– Glitz will sell if done properly
– A Major Aerospace Company must be a partner

35


36


Dragline Processing
Reuse of LTS Vehicle Frame

Facility
Processed Regolith
Dragline
Bucket

Reused
Tanks for
Processing

Living
Volumes in Reused
Dragline Back Tanks
Haul Lines to a
Movable
Anchor

Vertical Shaft Capability
as Req’d

37


AAS National Conference 2008: Thomas C. Taylor

Recommandé

Recommandé

Contenu connexe

Plus de American Astronautical Society

Plus de American Astronautical Society (20)

Dernier

Dernier (20)

AAS National Conference 2008: Thomas C. Taylor