Re:SpaceX to deliver vehicle to deorbit International Space ...
by ramesh31 on Wednesday June 26, 2024 @07:31PM
(#40805734)
>Also fuel required for that manuver.
Ah yes, that pesky detail of the rocket equation.
Re:SpaceX to deliver vehicle to deorbit International Space ...
by ballenf on Wednesday June 26, 2024 @10:43PM
(#40806705)
Super complex, but could the fuel & thrusters be staged -- waiting in lower orbits -- so you don't have the mass of all of them at once?
Re:SpaceX to deliver vehicle to deorbit International Space ...
by philistine on Wednesday June 26, 2024 @11:32PM
(#40806920)
It could, but it's never been done before. SpaceX just tested some fuel transfer in zero-G for the first time with their second Starship test.
You can slowly deorbit anything with enough time/fuel. It's just a matter of how fast NASA wants to make it happen to assure it lands in a specific spot and doesn't breakup too much while still in "orbit" (see also: atmo + solar panels).
According to https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;... (PDF)
> The deorbit vehicle will need to provide at least 3236 N thrust to hit the target delta-v within a 60-minute time period.
Each Draco on Dragon can deliver 400N, there are 16, that's 6400N. So unless I've missed some math somewhere, a Dragon could do the deorbit. Ignoring the fact that they probably haven't burned those engines for an hour. Also fuel required for that manuver.