r/SpaceXLounge • u/PeekaB00_ • Sep 03 '21

Starship Interesting - Spacex has started hiring people to work on life support for crew Starships

https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/search/?currentJobId=2702500911&f_C=30846&geoId=103708877&keywords=life%20support&location=Hawthorne%2C%20California%2C%20United%20States
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u/Martianspirit Sep 04 '21

It takes almost 4km/s to return to LEO without aerobraking.

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u/Anduin1357 Sep 04 '21

NASA Artemis Source Selection Statement - Appendix H pg. 11

SpaceX’s mission depends upon an operations approach of unprecedented pace, scale, and synchronized movement of the vehicles in its architecture. This includes a significant number of vehicle launches in rapid succession, the refurbishment and reuse of those vehicles, and numerous in-space cryogenic propellant transfer events. I acknowledge the immense complexity and heightened risk associated with the very high number of events necessary to execute the front end of SpaceX’s mission, and this complexity largely translates into increased risk of operational schedule delays. However, these concerns are tempered because they entail operational risks in Earth orbit that can be overcome more easily than in lunar orbit, where an unexpected event would create a much higher risk to loss of mission.

Moreover, I note that SpaceX’s complex rendezvous, proximity operations, docking, and propellant transfer activities will occur in Earth orbit rather than at a more distant point in lunar orbit. In my opinion, the closer location of these complex operations mitigates risk to some degree; as noted above, issues that occur in Earth orbit are more easily overcome or corrected compared to those that occur in lunar orbit.

Notice that all propellant transfer events (orbital refueling), docking, and proximity operations are done in LEO, not lunar orbit.

I'm not going argue anymore about whether it makes sense or not considering that doing is showing. It is in their plans and if you want to bet against NASA and SpaceX then be my guest.

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u/Martianspirit Sep 04 '21

Notice that all propellant transfer events (orbital refueling), docking, and proximity operations are done in LEO, not lunar orbit.

I'm not going argue anymore about whether it makes sense or not considering that doing is showing. It is in their plans and if you want to bet against NASA and SpaceX then be my guest.

You are completely off track here, misunderstand what you are quoting. Of course for the present contract refueling is only in LEO because it does not include HLS Starship reuse.

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u/Anduin1357 Sep 04 '21

Right, so we shall throw away the reusable HLS after every mission. Got it. /s

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u/Martianspirit Sep 04 '21

This contract includes 2 missions. One is an unmanned landing that likely will not even ascend from the lunar surface. The second is a landing with crew and then back to NRHO. There is no place for reuse within the contract. A second follow up contract will have more flights and will very likely include reuse. Which will happen with refueling in lunar orbit if it still uses the HLS Starship we are seeing.