FaST Ball

Getting humans to Mars faster.

by: Ivan Miller 1/12/2007

Introduction
Using the lower cost-to-orbit technology of the Percussion Gun this plan allows us to stage fuel and supplies for the journey at lower launch cost. Launching many small fuel canisters vs one large fuel tank allows for the construction of a smaller Percussion Gun thus reducing development cost and time. The plan also uses solar power in the EMR Guns to advance fuel and supplies toward mars that can be used by the crew without paying the penalty of a larger ship / fuel tank.

We do need to launch seven vehicles. Six of these are unmanned EMR Guns. All six of these vehicles are identical. Since the CEV will be refueled en route it could be smaller and lighter since we would not need to carry our Martian landing and return trip fuel.
 
Glossary
Acronym Definition
CEV Crew Exploration Vehicle
EMR gun Electro-Magnetic Rail Gun. These are clusters of four guns. Clustering provided redundancy and higher capacity.
FB FaST Ball - Ten kilo spheres. Most of the spheres contain rocket fuel. Either liquid oxygen or liquid hydrogen. Others contain various raw materials that would be needed by the crew on their trip to Mars. Their technical name is "Fuel and Supply Transfer" spheres or FaST spheres.
L2 L2 LaGrange point of the earth sun system. The L2 alternative
Percussion Gun Space Gun Concepts
SUN2 Surface Usability Node Two - concept suggested by: Rigel Woida, an engineering student at the University of Arizona, who was awarded a $9,000 NIAC Student Fellows Prize to study the use of large orbital mirrors to heat a small area of the Martian surface.
RAB Refueled Acceleration Burn
ReTRAB Return Trip Refueled Acceleration Burn
TMI burn Trans-Martian Injection, Burn
TEI Burn Trans-Earth Insertion Burn
 
Flight plan
Step 1 - Percussion Guns built on Earth
Step 2 - EMR guns are launched to Earth Orbit
Step 3 - Percussion Guns launch FB's to the EMR guns in Orbit Fuel from the FB's is transferred into the upper stage tanks from the launch vehicles. Empty FB's are used to construct solar array to power EMR guns.
Step 4 - L2 EMR guns are launched to Earth Orbit.
Step 5 - After the fuel is transferred from Orbital tanks to the L2 EMR guns they are launched to the L2 point.
Step 6 - Percussion Guns continue to launch FB's to the EMR guns in Orbit. Fuel from FB's is transferred to the storage tank in orbit and the empty FB's are launched to the L2 guns and used there to construct the solar array to power the L2 EMR guns.
Step 7 - Once the L2 solar arrays are complete and the storage tank in orbit is full FB's from Earth with fuel are launched to the L2 guns. They are stockpiled there for later launch to other spacecraft.
Step 8 - The RAB vehicles are launched and refueled from Orbital tanks then launched toward mars.
Step 9 - Orbital tanks are refueled once again and the empty FB's are launched to the L2 guns and used there to continue construction of the solar arrays.
Step 10 - FB's with fuel are launched by the L2 guns to the RAB vehicles. Fuel from the FB's is transferred into the upper stage tanks from the launch vehicles.
Step 11 - The CEV is launched and refueled in orbit.
Step 12 - The CEV is launched from orbit toward mars and catches up with RAB vehicles. The CEV is refueled and all three vehicles are accelerated.
Step 13 - FB's continue to arrive from the L2 guns the fuel is transferred into the upper stage tanks from the launch vehicles. Empty FB's are used to construct solar arrays to power RAB EMR guns.
Step 14 - The CEV and RAB's arrive at Mars. Supply of FB's is stopped.
Step 15 - The CEV descends to the surface. RAB's enter orbit and provide communications power and solar heating (SUN2) for the CEV.
Step 16 - The CEV returns to orbit and refuels.
Step 17 - The CEV launches toward Earth.
Step 18 - RAB launches FB's to the CEV.
Step 19 - The CEV performs the ReTRAB.
Step 20 - The CEV returns to Earth.
 
Fictional Story
A fictional account of the journey to Mars. (not updated with latest trip plan.)
 
 
Ivan Miller Consulting Last Updated 1/29/2007