Post by brotherofthemoon on Mar 8, 2006 1:13:15 GMT -4
I've thought a little bit about the HB claim that the Apollo samples are actually the result of automated sample returns carried out in complete secrecy. Considering that the Russians needed three missions to return 230 grams of lunar soil, I wondered "what would be required to return more than 800 pounds of moon rocks." Here's what I figured:
In the early 70s, the Russians expended three 770-ton rockets to land three 6.2 ton spacecraft on the Moon, returning a grand total of 230 grams of random samples. That's an average of 76 grams per mission. A number of sample return missions were attempted, but were complete failures. HBs like to flaunt the superiority of Soviet hardware, so let's assume each American mission can only return 40 grams.
Let's also assume each probe weighs about nine tons, as opposed to six tons for the Soviet counterpart. The Saturn V could send 52 tons on a translunar trajectory. Assuming each probe has a seperate de-orbit stage attached, each Saturn can carry four to the Moon.
Each Saturn V launch would return, on average, 160 grams of material. According to the Apollo record, the astronauts collected 379,207 grams of material. At 100% hardware reliability, 2,370 launches would be required. Unfortunately, HBs seem to assume that American rockets exploded constantly, so assuming 40% reliability, 5,925 launches. Okay, 60% of those probes land safely, and only 40% of the sample returns work successfully. Make that 20,737 launches.
According to Astronautix.com, the Saturn V had a launch price of $431 million in 1967 dollars. 20,737 launches would cost $8,937,647,000,000. Therefore, enormous, invisible Saturn V rockets thundered off their launch pads every 121 minutes in the period between 1967 and 1972, each launch carried out in perfect secrecy, unknown to everyone except an elite inner circle.
Yes, everything is possible. We're just learning this now. ;D
In the early 70s, the Russians expended three 770-ton rockets to land three 6.2 ton spacecraft on the Moon, returning a grand total of 230 grams of random samples. That's an average of 76 grams per mission. A number of sample return missions were attempted, but were complete failures. HBs like to flaunt the superiority of Soviet hardware, so let's assume each American mission can only return 40 grams.
Let's also assume each probe weighs about nine tons, as opposed to six tons for the Soviet counterpart. The Saturn V could send 52 tons on a translunar trajectory. Assuming each probe has a seperate de-orbit stage attached, each Saturn can carry four to the Moon.
Each Saturn V launch would return, on average, 160 grams of material. According to the Apollo record, the astronauts collected 379,207 grams of material. At 100% hardware reliability, 2,370 launches would be required. Unfortunately, HBs seem to assume that American rockets exploded constantly, so assuming 40% reliability, 5,925 launches. Okay, 60% of those probes land safely, and only 40% of the sample returns work successfully. Make that 20,737 launches.
According to Astronautix.com, the Saturn V had a launch price of $431 million in 1967 dollars. 20,737 launches would cost $8,937,647,000,000. Therefore, enormous, invisible Saturn V rockets thundered off their launch pads every 121 minutes in the period between 1967 and 1972, each launch carried out in perfect secrecy, unknown to everyone except an elite inner circle.
Yes, everything is possible. We're just learning this now. ;D
