second asteroids is assumed the same as the 3.0 km/s required after escape from earth orbit to arrival at the first asteroid. AV to the 10^ other asteroids averages 9.4 km/s. 6. If the moon were not present, the AV from low earth orbit to earth escape would be 11 km/s. During a direct trip from low earth orbit to low lunar orbit, the mass driver reaction engine would have to achieve about this AV to reach lunar orbit, and additional AV to be inserted in low lunar orbit. It will be assumed that the total AV is 14 km/s to low lunar orbit. This is used in calculations of the exhaust velocity of the mass driver reaction engine used in this paper, with specifications from SP-428. 7. The asteroid is brought to a high earth orbit the same AV from geosynchronous orbit as L2, and the same number of large mass driver reaction engines per solar power satellite is required as in the extended S.S.I. plans. 8. The first solar power satellites leave the asteroid for geosynchronous orbit one month after the asteroid reaches high earth orbit Scheduling Since the AV between low earth orbit and low lunar orbit is known, the exhaust velocity of the mass driver reaction engine can be determined from the rocket equation As previously shown, the exhaust mass for a direct round trip of the mass driver reaction engine between low earth orbit and low lunar orbit is 1050 t. The mass driver reaction engine itself has mass 174 t, and carries 880 t payload, so M, = 10501 + 174 t + 880 t = 2104 t. The final mass, when the mass driver reaction engine reaches low lunar orbit 5 months after departure, consists of enough exhaust mass for the return trip of one month, the mass driver reaction engine itself, and the payload, so 175 t + 174 t + 880 t = 1229 t. The rocket equation yields then The shuttle carries the following equipment to low earth orbit.
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