Original to: keithley@apple.com
G'day keithley@apple.com

21 Apr 93 22:25, keithley@apple.com wrote to All:

 kc> keithley@apple.com (Craig Keithley), via Kralizec 3:713/602


 kc> But back to the contest goals, there was a recent article in AW&ST
about a
 kc> low cost (it's all relative...) manned return to the moon.  A General
 kc> Dynamics scheme involving a Titan IV & Shuttle to lift a Centaur upper
 kc> stage, LEV, and crew capsule.  The mission consists of delivering two
 kc> unmanned payloads to the lunar surface, followed by a manned mission.
 kc> Total cost:  US was $10-$13 billion.  Joint ESA(?)/NASA project was
$6-$9
 kc> billion for the US share.

 kc> moon for a year.   Hmmm.  Not really practical.  Anyone got a
 kc> cheaper/better way of delivering 15-20 tonnes to the lunar surface
within
 kc> the decade?  Anyone have a more precise guess about how much a year's
 kc> supply of consumables and equipment would weigh?

Why not modify the GD plan into Zurbrin's Compact Moon Direct scheme? let
one of those early flight carry an O2 plant and make your own.

ta

Ralph