Yogi's builds - to boldy glue, where ...

[Retired_for_now]

So, we'll go with a four-legged grasshopper. Draft out for comment ...







The legs would only be deployed after launch when the (almost) spent first stage has returned for landing. So, this prototype would represent one of the Heavy versions side boosters with a nosecone (RCS pods at top). Core booster looks like it will return with the interstage as the RCS pods seem to be attached to the top of that section in the recent SpaceX launch.



Yogi

[nighthawk78]

Originally Posted by Retired_for_now

So, we'll go with a four-legged grasshopper. Draft out for comment ...

Attachment 185564

Attachment 185565

Attachment 185566

The legs would only be deployed after launch when the (almost) spent first stage has returned for landing. So, this prototype would represent one of the Heavy versions side boosters with a nosecone (RCS pods at top). Core booster looks like it will return with the interstage as the RCS pods seem to be attached to the top of that section in the recent SpaceX launch.

Attachment 185567

Yogi

I was thinking that someone should design this model...
NH78

[Retired_for_now]

So, seems to be about there with this one. Any comments from the pros I sent early copies to?
Yogi

[Retired_for_now]

So, out to the world so let me know what you think. In the real space, unmanned download section.


Gone to a good home/classroom for a Nov teacher workshop at the National Flight Academy on NAS Pensacola.

Yogi

[PhantomCruiser]

Looks very nice! And it's in my build queue.

Speaking of which... I got to get cutting.

[Retired_for_now]

Found some fascinating briefs from the Icarus Interstellar 2013 Workshop Schedule | Icarus Interstellar . The near-term projects along the real axis (as opposed to imaginary) are various light sails and this Project Tin Tin | Icarus Interstellar , a cubesat based interstellar probe appropriately named project Tin Tin. Lots of detail in the linked paper on the project site just above.

From Dr Tziolas paper: Currently there are no interstellar exploration missions planned or in progress. Even the Voyager spacecraft will not pass close to a neighboring solar system for tens of thousands of years. The pursuit of deep space and interstellar exploration studies has recently become a matter of critical debate, with Icarus Interstellar and the 100 Year Star Ship (100 YSS) program drawing attention to the merits of pressing the boundaries of current and near future technologies towards such goals. Project Tin Tin is a mission profile and spacecraft design feasibility program which aims to establish the science, propulsion, communications, power and materials which will be used to build interstellar precursor missions using cubesats. The mission objectives are (a) to establish a program of utilizing space systems miniaturization technologies, (b) to create a template mission and spacecraft package for space-proofing interstellar systems and (c) to launch the first ever interstellar spacecraft to Alpha Centauri. In this paper and presentation we establish that an interstellar journey to our nearest star is feasible within 25,000 years using current technology, cutting Voyager’s best time to a nearest star by a factor of 1/3, with reasonable room for improvements.

I'll post it in the downloads: Real Space/Concepts

Yogi

[Retired_for_now]

So I was straightening out the stacks scattered about "SHE who'd like to see a little organization around here" 's house and I found a half sheet of heavy paper that ended up making this ...





Added in a random bit of evil plastic packaging from some purchase (??). Still needs a bit of polishing and a better closure system. Another teacher workshop door prize.

Yogi

[Paper Kosmonaut]

Looks like you caught a little critter on the kitchen floor, there, Yogi. (-;
How can that be my fault? You should have helped your wife a little more if you can catch such bugs crawling round inside your house...

But seriously, that's a nice little giveaway you got there.

[Retired_for_now]

(Florida) cockroaches are a bit of a challenge but the laser works great on ants!

[Retired_for_now]

A bit of piddling while waiting for a winter cold to break (mostly taking care of "SHE who is not happy getting a rhino-virus for Valentine's Day this year").





I was exchanging notes with the staff at the Planetary Society about an upcoming teacher workshop and ended up chatting with a fellow modeler. A little discussion of current Society projects got me thinking about this one.

Asteroid or comet collisions with the Earth represent a significant hazard to human life and civilization – and are the only currently preventable cosmic catastrophe (you are out of luck for close supernovae, gamma ray bursts, alien invasions, etc.). The Laser Bee concept uses solar pumped lasers firing from many small spacecraft to vaporize part of an asteroid’s surface, generating a thrust plume that can alter the asteroid’s trajectory to avoid a collision with Earth.

This model represents a minimal Laser Bee element that would be delivered, along with several others, to the vicinity of a target asteroid on a larger spacecraft delivery bus containing the major propulsion, navigation, and communication systems. A Laser Bee element consists of a 10m solar collector and 22kW pumped semi-conductor fiber laser, a beam director mirror, targeting sensor, attitude/propulsion thrusters and gyros, solar panels to power subsystems, and communication systems to network with other Bees and the delivery bus.

When released by the delivery bus each Bee would acquire the asteroid target, maneuver into position using its thrusters, orient its collector to face the sun, and direct its laser spot onto the asteroid using the beam director. Gyros and attitude thrusters would maintain the Bee’s position and orientation. Coordinated by the delivery bus, several networked Laser Bees would continuously fire at the asteroid until the thrust from the vaporized surface material caused enough of a change in velocity to alter the asteroid’s orbit to avoid a collision.

More info at The Laser Bees Concept - University of Strathclyde
or at the Planetary Society Laser Bees | The Planetary Society

Two versions of the model (cartoon?) represent varying levels of detail. Smaller is a one pager with few parts; larger is two pages and requires a bit of fiddling.

Yogi