A crew would be required to visit perhaps three times during construction. Table II illustrates the launch schedule. At least three times, a construction crew would be sent up to assemble tanks, aerobrakes, etc. These launches are assumed to occur with a manned capsule launched on a smaller (Delta-class) commercial ELV. During the manned launches mentioned above, stays of a few weeks would be required. Other crew launches (if necessary would be short visits to resupply the platform, return finished products and check on the equipment and fueling procedure, and are not included in the total cost. Once the vehicle is ready, the flight crew would be sent up, requiring one more launch of the smaller ELV. Cost The price tag for the mission breaks down as follows. Launch Costs. This will be the dominant cost of any manned mission for the foreseeable future, even if commercial ELV firms manage to significantly decrease the cost/kg to LEO. We assumed the existence of a 10-ton-to-LEO ELV with a cost of $22OO/kg ($1000/lb), or $22 000 000/launch. The smaller launcher, used for the manned capsules might not be quite as efficient, so $3300/kg ($1500/lb), or $9 900 000/launch, was assumed. Thus 32 launches of the large ELV ($704000000), and four launches of the small ELV ($39 600000) would cost $743 600000. At least two extra large EL Vs would be purchased, to cover the possibility of a
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