The idea of a Mars mission that used existing hardware or hardware that was expected to be developed for other purposes is not new. I remember an article in Analog of June 1981 ( waddaya mean fossil!) entitled "Mars in 1995" by Bob Parkinson that talked about using off-the-shelf Titans.
Parkinson talked about using a "conical two-stage Lander Module modeled on the 1968 North American Rockwell Mars Excursion Module". Since NAR were the prime contractor for the Apollo Command Module I assume it would have been based on the Apollo experience.
In 1981 dollars Parkinson estimated that the lander would take the lions share of the development capital - $2.4 billion - with a total of $4.84 billion.
Sooo.. you might have hit the nail on the head. Cost-wise they just might be able to do it
if
they can pick up a Lander off-the-shelf. Although the Russians are not devoid of ideas for my money, I reckon they should check to see who holds the rights to the NAR development.
Slashdot Mirror
A version of this proposal is on the Mars Institute Website
Parkinson talked about using a "conical two-stage Lander Module modeled on the 1968 North American Rockwell Mars Excursion Module". Since NAR were the prime contractor for the Apollo Command Module I assume it would have been based on the Apollo experience.
In 1981 dollars Parkinson estimated that the lander would take the lions share of the development capital - $2.4 billion - with a total of $4.84 billion.
Sooo
- if
they can pick up a Lander off-the-shelf. Although the Russians are not devoid of ideas for my money, I reckon they should check to see who holds the rights to the NAR development.I wonder if they've checked Ebay?
Cheers
Alan, Downunda