High-orbit , multi plane

invulnerability ??

GPS Constellation

It’s hard to get to these orbits -- and that hardness

is seen as their best defense
991209RFSupt_Moon.1
 Finding the hidden path....

.... and realizing where ELSE that kind of path can lead.
LGA is the “Backdoor” to MEO/GEO
991209RFSupt_Moon.2
 A Comm-Sat Encounters the Moon

991209RFSupt_Moon.3
 GEO Spacecraft Today

991209RFSupt_Moon.4
 Cis-Lunar Mission Concepts
LOI-WSB
= High Thrust (ΔV m/sec) (700)
WSB Optimization
= Low Thrust using LT Arc
Altitude Control (3 Months)
= Trajectory Correction (HT/LT)

(1 Day) Lunar
Future Cis-Lunar
GEO Nav / Comm System
GTO Libration
PMF TTI AMF Orbit Insertion/ Point
(1,100) Earth
(700) (1,900) Station Keeping
10 m/s per Month
Altitude Control (Years)

(1 Week)
Repositioning/ LOI-Direct
Station Keeping (800)

(1 Month)
Mission Delta-V (m/s) Time (Days) TTI = Transfer Trajectory Insertion
AMF = Apogee Motor Fire
Direct GEO Insert 1900 1 PMF = Perigee Motor Fire
Direct Lunar Insert 700 + 800 7 LOI = Lunar Orbit Insertion
WSB = Weak Stability Boundary
GEO Insert via LGA 700 + 1100 90
991209RFSupt_Moon.5
 National Security Beyond GEO
“The High Ground”
Notional Requirements for All Space
Operations
• Assured Affordable Access
Relay
• Secure Communications
Lunar Observer
• Self-Protection
• Secure Operations
X-Link
X-Link • Situational Awareness
• Automated Operations
Inspector
• Sustainment of Capability
Optical Sensor
• Awareness/Denial of Adversarial Space
Operations
X-Link • Cover Critical Mission Areas
RF Sensor
– Space Support
RF Sensor
– Space Control
– Space Force Enhancement
X-Link ASAT
– Space Force Application
Relay GEO-Belt

Operations Beyond GEO will Require New Ideas and

Transformation of Space Business

991209RFSupt_Moon.6
 Energy/Destination Comparison

1000 Kw-hours per ton

18

800
High
16
Orbits 0
14 Moon

12

10
Low Earth Orbit

8 Toward Near
Earth Asteroids
6

Earth Surface

DISTANCE FROM EARTH (not to scale)

991209RFSupt_Moon.7
 Impact of Energy on Launch Vehicle Scale

991209RFSupt_Moon.8
 Earth Launch Mass vs
Lunar Mining Mass/Volume
20 Saturn Vs= Mass of Lunar Regolith
of 1 Football Field to 1 ft depth

991209RFSupt_Moon.9
 Potential
Applications of Lunar
and Near-Earth Asteroid Resources

KEY
X – potential match of
resource to applications
deserving study.
Potential application;
utility depends on
engineering details of
specific requirements

- most likely
drivers

1 – These two applications are most likely (in terms of total tonnages needed) to drive NTMs for defense application.
2 – Reaction mass could be dust; propellants could be liquid oxygen/hydrocarbon/hydrogen; more advanced propulsion systems (e.g.,Electric
Propulsion using Ammonia).
3 – Lunar Water returned to GEO may provide an early high-leverage return from NTMs.
4 – Solar arrays constructed on the lunar surface may provide a viable power source for high power systems in cis-lunar space.
5 – Independent source of these materials may be sufficiently important that standard cost/benefit considerations may not apply.
6- Solar Energy may be collected on lunar surface for transmission
991209RFSupt_Moon.10
 “Big Idea”

• Its not just Lunar Manufacturing (LM)

• It’s the practical implementation of the Von Neumann Self
Replicating Automata
• LM Systems are designed to be manufactured with a % of their
parts from lunar materials which they manufacture
• Replicating geometric system
• Brings in many disciplines
• Revolutionizes space logistics as we know it
• Requires real leadership to bring industry along
– New Industrial Approach not traditional “Aerospace”
– Boeing does not mine the Aluminum it uses in a 777

991209RFSupt_Moon.11
 Lunar Resource Extraction Energy Requirements

Operation Specific Energy

Excavation of regolith .01 kWh/kg regolith (elec)

Extraction of water from icy regolith1 2.8 kWh/kg H2O (thermal)

Reduction of SiO2 to Si + O2 5.2 kWh/kg SiO2 (elec)

Electrolysis of water 4.5 kWh/kg H2O (elec)

Extraction of hydrogen from typical regolith2 2250 kWh/kg H2 (thermal)

(~250 kWh/kg H2O)

1
Assumes 1% ice, heated 100o above ambient
2
Assumes 100 ppm H2, heated 800oC above ambient

991209RFSupt_Moon.12
 SRD Model Sensitivity to % Ice

• Sensitivity of NPV to ice concentration (Arch 2, Version 4)

NPV vs. Amount of Water in Regolith

3.50

3.00
Net Present Value ($B)

2.50

2.00

1.50

1.00

0.50

0.00
0.0% 1.0% 2.0% 3.0% 4.0% 5.0% 6.0%

Ice Concentration [kg ice/kg]

991209RFSupt_Moon.13