What would it take to land something on the moon?

[bob=)]

What would it take to land something...anything...on the moon? Would there be an easy way to get a light object from the surface of the earth to the moon without the use of giant rockets or other expensive equipment?

[HarryBotter]

Are you asking for help to win the X-Prize?:p

[bob=)]

Its a possibility....:D

[bob=)]

Well...since you've figured me out, I was just wondering if any commercial hobby planes/rockets were capable of propelling a lightweight object to the moon(a mini-lunar lander), a bunch of my friends have suggested using explosives, bribing spaceshipone for help, or (the least likely) developing a rail gun and using that :mrgreen: I remember seeing a hobby rocketplane that shot up really quickly, and I think took a while to land back done, if several of these were jury-rigged together and programmed to fire in a specific sequence, would that be enough to escape earth's gravitational field?

[HarryBotter]

Your best bet would be to dig up the whereabouts of Jules Verne and try to pry the secrets out of him. Failing that you might read "From the Earth to the Moon". I think he revealed the necessary technology in it's pages.

Harry

[D0n]

How about setting up a solid fuel robotic rocket, and using a helium or hydrogen balloon to carry it into orbit before firing it?

[bob=)]

Jules verne is dead isn't he? O.O
That sounds like a plausible idea, but wouldn't the helium ballon's lift decrease with increasing height? Not only that, but I'm not so sure that the rocket would be able to fire reliably in any given direction from a balloon...

[D0n]

well bob I'm no rocket scientist....but the thought occurs to me that the earth's gravitational pull gets weaker as you travel further from the earth.... so the ballon should be workable.....Areo dynamics plays no role in the rockets ability to navigate for controlled flight, where there's no atmosphere, so you'd need rocket thrusters...(attached to robotic controllers).... navigation would be pretty straight forward.... you might want to time the firing to use the moon's gravitational pull to help you break earths orbit.

[bob=)]

hmmm....but as the atmosphere gets thinner, won't the ballon want to expand? I think that as soon as the ballon gets to certain hieght it will pop...and then...

[dporter]

Balloons can get to incredible heights. You are correct in that you have to plan for the expansion of the balloon. High altitude balloons are designed for this, but a little research should get you the information you need on how to design for expansion. Once you figure out what altitude you would like to go to, design your rocket to drop from the balloon. Using chutes, wings, or just gravity to balance mass (heavy side down) the rocket can self stablize before igniting. Here you want to go sideways not straight up so that you can reach an orbital velocity. At high altitude with less atmosphere and with a small mass, this should be easier to do. Then you would have to do some work to determine where you are in orbit. Once you have done that, you calculate when to light a second stage, or re-light your first stage incease your speed and escape orbit, hopefully in the correct direction to hit the moon.

[sidneys1]

Um, you have to have a govt. license to fly anything bigger than C-style rocket engines. (You can buy C-styles at any hobby store). You also need to notify airlines, so you don't hit any planes. (Basically it would take a few years and a lot of money. Oh and it's illegal to buy rocket fuel. (Solid rockets don't count, as they wouldn't get you more than a few thousand feet.) Sorry to burst your bubble. :rolleyes:

[D0n]

well, it looks like somebody took my advice...
http://spacefellowship.com/News/?p=6152

[Kevin Berry]

Just posted a long reply and the computer ate it. Sorry. Short version:

1) Google ansari x prize canadian team da vinci project

2) Google rockoon

3) First stage counts. Pegasus, airplane drops, balloons all used. Bomb, too, look up Blue Scout Junior

4) If you are serious, I can hook you up with a serious model rocketteer (H engines). Email me.