Lunar lander configuration study and parametric performance analysis

What is it about?

Future Lunar exploration plans will call for delivery of cargo to provide for crew habitation, surface transportation, and scientific exploration activities. Minimization of costly surface based infrastructure is necessary to making these missions more affordable. It will be shown in this paper that achieving such a benefit is in large part directly related to the design of the cargo delivery/landing craft. To this end, this study focused on evaluating Lunar lander concepts from a logistics oriented perspective, and outlines the approach used in the development of a preferred configuration, sets forth the benefits derived from its utilization, and describes the missions considered. Results indicate that configurations enabling unassisted direct-to-surface down-loading of payloads provide the most efficient and lowest risk site buildup for future Lunar base scenarios. Accommodating cargo in a position underneath the vehicles structural frame, landing craft described herein eliminate altogether the necessity for dedicated surface based off-loading vehicles, the operations and maintenance associated with their operation, and the precipitous ladder climbs to and from the surface that are inherent to traditional designs.

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