Conditions for economic benefit by using lunar oxygen for earth-moon transportation systems
Abstract
The paper considers the use of MOONLOX, lunar oxygen, for an earth-moon transportation system consisting of an aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicle and a lunar bus for lunar descent/ascent. Conditions for economic benefit are discussed, and the processing concept of a lunar oxygen plant based on fluorination is presented. It is contended that the necessary supply rate from earth from MOONLOX production must be smaller than a critical number for each considered MOONLOX-utilization scenario to yield a saving of mass launched into LEO (compared to a 'reference scenario' with an earth-derived propellant. The MOONLOX production costs must fall below the calculated upper limits (parametrically dependent of launch costs). It is inferred that for the MOONLOX production process by fluorination, fluorine recycling is highly desirable.
- Publication:
-
Washington, DC International Astronautical Federation Congress
- Pub Date:
- August 1992
- Bibcode:
- 1992wadc.iafcU....R
- Keywords:
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- Earth-Moon Trajectories;
- Economic Factors;
- Lunar Resources;
- Oxygen;
- Space Transportation System;
- Cost Reduction;
- Lunar Flight;
- Technological Forecasting;
- Astronautics (General)