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Mission Moon : DSE-Alpha
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
MISSION and CREW
1. When will the first flight launch?
Three years from when a client contract is signed; could be as early as 2008 timeframe.
2. Why would a private individual want to purchase a trip to the moon with WildWings Space Adventures?
A private individual would want to purchase a trip to the moon to explore deep space; to become a true world class adventurer; and to set new goals in exploration. This is most adventurous trip ever! The Moon is still full of mystery, there are many places to explore on its surface and there are many more discoveries to be made in the future. The history books await the first British citizen to fly to the Moon, and to see the whole of the Earth in Space.
“the Earth looked like a blue and white jewel hanging in the blackness of space”
3. What are mission profiles?
The WildWings Space Adventures’ DSE-Alpha mission has two distinct flight profiles for launching a mission to the moon. The ISS-Staged profile includes up to possibly 21 days spent at the International Space Station with a five-and-one-half-day lunar flight.
The second flight profile, called Direct-Staged, is a nine-day mission with a three-day free flight in low Earth orbit and a five-and-one-half-day lunar flight segment.
Both DSE-Alpha missions use lunar boosters assembled in low-Earth-orbit and a lunar free-return flight profile, which includes circumnavigation of the moon.
4. How can three people spend nearly eight days in a Soyuz—won’t they be cramped?
No. The two-member crew of Gemini 7 spent two weeks in Earth orbit in a 2.55 m3 habitable volume. The three member-crew of Apollo 8 spent six days on their lunar mission in a 5.9 m3 habitable volume. The Soyuz can accommodate a crew of two to three and has a habitable volume of 10m3. A comparison (to the volume of a Soyuz) would be to a large SUV.
5. What sort of view of the moon should the crew aboard the Soyuz expect?
The crew will enjoy a spectacular view of the lunar landscape. It is our objective to conduct the mission when the lunar far side is illuminated. The lunar far side is dramatically different from the lunar near side due to the large amount of craters located on that side.
The Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation’s (FSA) goal is to install a large window made of optical quality in the side of the orbital module. The window will help facilitate astronomy and lunar photography during the mission. The size of the window will be approximately 15 in. in diameter and 47.1 in. in circumference.
6. What is the price to participate in the mission?
The price of the mission will be £115 million (U.S.$200 million). (Two people can share the mission for £58 million (U.S.$100 million) each. WildWings Space Adventures and FSA project that all research and development, spacecraft modifications, design work, as well as, manned flight and unmanned flight testing around the moon can be accomplished for £115 million (U.S.$200 million).
7. Why is the cost of an FSA lunar mission so inexpensive?
In addition to the FSA’s lower labor costs, another driver is the sophisticated simplicity of the Soyuz and the serial production of all other transportation elements. Through regular production of the spacecraft and launch vehicles, the FSA has been able to make incremental improvements to the Soyuz and maintain reliability by strictly adhering to the quality control production process of a given system. Additionally, by using the Earth Orbit Rendezvous mission profile WildWings Space Adventures and the FSA do not need to go through the costly process of man-rating a large booster to carry a crew into orbit; instead, the highly reliable Soyuz transportation system will be used to send the crew into orbit and dock at the upper-stage.
The Soyuz spacecraft and booster is a mature system. The Block DM has flown over 250 of successful missions. The Soyuz and Progress have had 235 launches – with a total of four fatalities, the last occurring in 1971. The Soyuz booster has launched over 2000 times, making it the most flown 1st stage ever.
8. Does WildWings Space Adventures have the goal of eventually landing on the surface of the moon?
Yes, the Deep Space Expeditions program has the potential to eventually expand lunar flight operations to include surface missions.
9. How many humans have either orbited or landed on the moon?
Space Adventures’ clients will be the 28th and 29th persons to circumnavigate/orbit the moon.
LOGISTICS and SAFETY
10. Is a lunar mission safe?
Yes. The mission builds upon the proven reliability of the evolved family of Soyuz spacecraft and the Soyuz launch vehicle. Both the Soyuz spacecraft and upper-stage booster were originally developed for use in the Soviet manned-lunar program.
11. Is docking with an upper-stage booster in space safe?
For the past 40 years, since the Gemini program, there have been tens of dozens of successful manned dockings in space.
12. Could the Soyuz crash into the Moon?
No, if the Soyuz were to go off course, the spacecraft would be able to use its powerful redundant on-board propulsion system to correct its orbit.
PARTNERS and FUTURE MISSIONS
13. Will this weaken the FSA’s ability to meet their commitments to the International Space Station (ISS) program?
No. The lunar mission program will strengthen FSA’s ISS commitments by providing an additional source of income for their human spaceflight program.
14. Why has the Russian Federation renewed its interest in a manned lunar program?
FSA has always been interested in their lunar program, this private mission will provide the needed funding to allow the necessary R&D and test flights.
space@wildwings.co.uk
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