Apollo on a Falcon?

kunkmiester · Post by **kunkmiester** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 10:17 pm

Just did the math for something else I was doing. Apollo command/service module is 66,871 lbs and the lunar module 32,399 lbs, per wiki. this adds up to under 100,000 lbs, which is below the Falcon Heavy's 120,000 lb payload to LEO. Did Apollo stop in LEO, or did they go straight into a transfer orbit?

hanelyp · Post by **hanelyp** » Sun Mar 11, 2012 2:54 am

After parking in LEO for a final check and waiting for the proper time, the upper stage of the Saturn 5 restarted to kick the Apollo stack into the lunar transfer orbit. I figure 2 launches of the Falcon Heavy is about the minimum for a lunar trip.

kunkmiester · Post by **kunkmiester** » Sun Mar 11, 2012 4:20 am

If the 3rd stage provided some of the delta V, I can see that. Don't know that an extra 10K lbs of fuel would help any. OTOH, I double checked volume, and the Falcon fairing isn't big enough to hold the whole stack, so you'd be making two launches at least anyway. I'd go ahead and use two regular Falcon 9s, one with Dragon and such, the other with the lunar lander. Second stages would stick around only long enough for you to transfer leftover fuel from one, so you have enough to make the orbit change.

Assuming of course, you want an Apollo style throw-away-everything approach. Getting reusable components in there screws things up.