Advantages
Because a large portion of a rocket is propellant at time of launch, proponents point out several advantages of using a propellant depot architecture. Spacecraft could be launched unfueled and thus require less structural mass. An on-orbit market for refueling may be created where competition to deliver propellant for the cheapest price takes place, and it may also enable an economy of scale by permitting existing rockets to fly more often to refuel the depot. If used in conjunction with a mining facility on the moon, water or propellant could be exported back to the depot, further reducing the cost of propellant. An exploration program based on a depot architecture could be cheaper and more capable, not needing a specific rocket or a heavy lift such as the SLS. to support multiple destinations such as lunar, lagrange points, asteroids, and mars.
NASA studies have shown cheaper and faster alternatives than the Heavy Lift Launch System and list the following advantages
- Tens of billions of dollars of cost savings to fit the budget profile
- Allows first NEA/Lunar mission by 2024 using conservative budgets
- Launch every few months rather than once every 12–18 months
- Allows multiple competitors for propellant delivery
- Reduced critical path mission complexity (AR&Ds, events, number of unique elements)
Read more about this topic: Propellant Depot
Famous quotes containing the word advantages:
“A woman might claim to retain some of the child’s faculties, although very limited and defused, simply because she has not been encouraged to learn methods of thought and develop a disciplined mind. As long as education remains largely induction ignorance will retain these advantages over learning and it is time that women impudently put them to work.”
—Germaine Greer (b. 1939)
“If we live in the Nineteenth Century, why should we not enjoy the advantages which the Nineteenth Century offers? Why should our life be in any respect provincial?”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“To say that a man is your Friend, means commonly no more than this, that he is not your enemy. Most contemplate only what would be the accidental and trifling advantages of Friendship, as that the Friend can assist in time of need by his substance, or his influence, or his counsel.... Even the utmost goodwill and harmony and practical kindness are not sufficient for Friendship, for Friends do not live in harmony merely, as some say, but in melody.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)