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RESTRICTION LEVEL ZERO - AVAILABLE TO ALL NATIONS
COMBINED DPR COST: $4 Billion NSD
Description:
Go To Halcyon Arms Storefront For Purchase
RESTRICTION LEVEL ZERO - AVAILABLE TO ALL NATIONS
COMBINED DPR COST: $4 Billion NSD
Description:
The Cruithne Line a family of rocket-powered launch vehicles, intended as a spaceflight workhorse, designed and built by Halcyon Arms. Models include the single-core Cruithne Standard, the three-core Cruithne Heavy, and the seven-core Cruithne Magnus, each featuring a final transit stage to finalize the delivery of the cargo. All engines use Liquid Oxygen and Rocket-Grade Kerosene.
Each engine is controlled by three redundant computers using generic operating systems to ensure compatibility and reliability.
The Cruithne line is heavily tested, and designed for maximum survivability - accepting no loses of cargo. Each core is utilizes nine Icarus engines, with the propulsion spread out over all nine giving it superb "engine out" capability; even if a rocket fails, there is still enough propulsion left over; all engines utilize the same fuel source, so a failure of one engine conserves more fuel for the others to complete the mission. These engines are deployed in an octaweb pattern, eight engines configured in a circle surrounding the ninth, ensuring even heat distribution and ease of compensation by use of a gimble, should one of the other Icarus engines fail.
Each engine is allowed some degree of thrust-vectoring through use of a gimble, allowing the each core to guide itself without the use of fins, making the Cruithne more aerodynamic.
Each stage is separated pneumatically rather than explosively to ensure safety to crew and the components.
For those core-stages which do not break-up in atmospheric reentry - usually those which are discarded on the initial ascent - they are guided back to Earth, stabilized, and deploy parachutes. Before landing over ground, landing-legs are deployed to ensure the rocket-stage can be reused. Should the rocket on uneven ground or over water, airbags which double as flotation devices are deployed to ensure it's survivability.
The Heavy and Magnus models use "Asparagus Staging;" outer cores - two at a time - feed fuel to the "inner" cores, separating as their fuel load is expended. While reducing gross-thrust, it also is the most efficient way of reducing weight rapidly through expenditure of fuel and dropping propulsion stages. The initial stages are sufficient propel the rocket higher into the atmosphere where subsequent stages take over and are more effective, overall with more fuel than if all stages were used at the same fuel-burn rate. This method allows the Magnus to reach orbit with it's centerline core - and often one pair of outer-cores full of fuel, allowing the Cruithne line to push heavier payloads further; the Magnus can transport a load of 44 tons to Mars, or a full 60 tons on the Moon.
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