Molina Astronautics L-02A Drop Pod

Nelson Cunnington · 01-17-2007, 06:13 PM

Doodled this little thing during the Christmas break, as I tried to entertain myself sans internet. It might come in useful for someone.

Molina Astronautics L-02A Drop Pod

Commonly deployed on USAF SDVs, the Molina Astro L-02A is designed to transport single RATS from orbit to a planetary, lunar or astroidal surface. At a typical load of one 480 lbs Jump RATS plus 70 lbs of equipment, the drop pod can provide 1.8 miles/sec of deltaV, sufficient to land on any airless body in the Solar System with the exception of Mercury. With the addition of a 230-lb cargo aeroshell, landings can also be made on Mars, Titan or Earth. The drop pod may also be used to transport RATS to a hostile spacecraft, as occured during the attempted hijacking of the PSV Dejah Thoris.

In construction, the L-02A is a squat cylinder 3.6' tall and wide, with a single metal-oxide rocket. A small ladar is fitted so that the simple on-board system can guide the pod to a moderately soft landing. An inertial platform is also fitted for low-emissions landings to well-mapped areas. The RATS stands exposed on top of the pod, and may jump free before the landing proper is made.

Similar pods are used by PLAN-SF, TSA and ESCA forces, though the Chinese pods are rigged with an exposed passenger seat for a combat bioroid, and more rugged landing gear.

Tactically, drop pods require an unopposed landing, being highly vulnerable to even light armaments. On many bodies this can be achieved by staging landings beyond the local horizon, which can be quite close to the objective on some bodies. Landings into hot LZs covered by orbital suppressive fire tend to high attrition.

Crew: NAI Pilot [Piloting (High-Performance Spacecraft), Electronics (Sensors)]

Design: Cylinder hull (0.075 spaces, carbon composite, light frame); cDr 0.2 (carbon composite). Optional Aeroshell: Cone hull (0.075 spaces, diamondoid, light frame); cDr (U) 1, cDr (other) 0.4 (diamondoid)

Modules: 0.02 compact metal-oxide rocket; 0.047 ultralight fuel tank; 1 very small ladar; 1 INS

Statistics: EMass 0.2; LMass 1.5; CMass 1; Cost K$26; cHP 0.3; Size Modifier -1; HT12; Maintenance Interval 123 hours; RRA 0 ksf

Performance: sAccel 4.8. Burn Endurance 560s. Burn Points 270. DeltaV 0.89. True DeltaV 1.8.

Performance with cargo aeroshell: sAccel 4.5. Burn Endurance 560s. Burn Points 255. DeltaV 0.83. True DeltaV 1.7.

01-17-2007, 06:13 PM	#1
Nelson Cunnington Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Cheltenham	Molina Astronautics L-02A Drop Pod Doodled this little thing during the Christmas break, as I tried to entertain myself sans internet. It might come in useful for someone. Molina Astronautics L-02A Drop Pod Commonly deployed on USAF SDVs, the Molina Astro L-02A is designed to transport single RATS from orbit to a planetary, lunar or astroidal surface. At a typical load of one 480 lbs Jump RATS plus 70 lbs of equipment, the drop pod can provide 1.8 miles/sec of deltaV, sufficient to land on any airless body in the Solar System with the exception of Mercury. With the addition of a 230-lb cargo aeroshell, landings can also be made on Mars, Titan or Earth. The drop pod may also be used to transport RATS to a hostile spacecraft, as occured during the attempted hijacking of the PSV Dejah Thoris. In construction, the L-02A is a squat cylinder 3.6' tall and wide, with a single metal-oxide rocket. A small ladar is fitted so that the simple on-board system can guide the pod to a moderately soft landing. An inertial platform is also fitted for low-emissions landings to well-mapped areas. The RATS stands exposed on top of the pod, and may jump free before the landing proper is made. Similar pods are used by PLAN-SF, TSA and ESCA forces, though the Chinese pods are rigged with an exposed passenger seat for a combat bioroid, and more rugged landing gear. Tactically, drop pods require an unopposed landing, being highly vulnerable to even light armaments. On many bodies this can be achieved by staging landings beyond the local horizon, which can be quite close to the objective on some bodies. Landings into hot LZs covered by orbital suppressive fire tend to high attrition. Crew: NAI Pilot [Piloting (High-Performance Spacecraft), Electronics (Sensors)] Design: Cylinder hull (0.075 spaces, carbon composite, light frame); cDr 0.2 (carbon composite). Optional Aeroshell: Cone hull (0.075 spaces, diamondoid, light frame); cDr (U) 1, cDr (other) 0.4 (diamondoid) Modules: 0.02 compact metal-oxide rocket; 0.047 ultralight fuel tank; 1 very small ladar; 1 INS Statistics: EMass 0.2; LMass 1.5; CMass 1; Cost K$26; cHP 0.3; Size Modifier -1; HT12; Maintenance Interval 123 hours; RRA 0 ksf Performance: sAccel 4.8. Burn Endurance 560s. Burn Points 270. DeltaV 0.89. True DeltaV 1.8. Performance with cargo aeroshell: sAccel 4.5. Burn Endurance 560s. Burn Points 255. DeltaV 0.83. True DeltaV 1.7. __________________ "But if that's Nelson Cunnington, then I must be--"