Tesla and the Moon

[bearmikie]

Elon Musk, Mr Tesla is planning to take some people to the Moon next year. Let's say there was a drawing. And I won to be on that flight. And let's say I wanted to take my P3P with me. What modifications would I have to make so I could fly it up there? Or would it have to be redesigned all together? I think a new propellation system because of lack of air?

DJI should maybe get involved in it. I bet you could get some awesome shots up there?

 

[Got Aerial]

with the lack of gravity the drone might fly just fine, I'm to lazy to run the numbers but I'm sure someone will.

I would love to see some moon reveals

 

[jwmcgrath]

With a lack of atmosphere, propellers can't displace air to create thrust. Cool thought though.

 

[Got Aerial]

if the moon has 1/6 the atmosphere and 1/6 the gravity.... well it might work... don't make me run the numbers

 

[Jeremy_S]

The answer to that question is why I'm a cryogenics plant operator and not an engineer like I wanted to be.


AKA math. I know lots of it but not to the level I'd need to calculate the thrust required to get a P3 off the ground on the moon. My plant manager (a petroleum engineer) could probably answer it for you in under 10 minutes with a pen and scratch paper hahaha.

 

[jwmcgrath]

...And that's why I didn't say "the moon doesn't have an atmosphere"... I'm sure I knew at one point...

 

[sar104]

if the moon has 1/6 the atmosphere and 1/6 the gravity.... well it might work... don't make me run the numbers

The moon has no atmosphere at all - its gravitational field is too weak to prevent any of the light gas molecules from escaping.

 

[jwmcgrath]

If this is true:

The moon has no atmosphere at all - its gravitational field is too weak to prevent any of the light gas molecules from escaping.

The this is true:

With a lack of atmosphere, propellers can't displace air to create thrust.

I think.

 

[sar104]

If this is true:

The this is true:

I think.

I didn't even bother commenting on that. Obviously a propulsive system that depends on displacing a working fluid, in this case the surrounding air, produces no thrust at all in a vacuum.

 

[jwmcgrath]

I didn't even bother commenting on that. Obviously a propulsive system that depends on displacing a working fluid, in this case the surrounding air, produces no thrust at all in a vacuum.

I'm just trying to convince myself, based on memories of high school science... that's why I ended it with "I think".

I just couldn't remember for certain if there is NO atmosphere, or LITTLE atmosphere on the moon.

 

[sar104]

I'm just trying to convince myself, based on memories of high school science... that's why I ended it with "I think".

I just couldn't remember for certain if there is NO atmosphere, or LITTLE atmosphere on the moon.

Basically no atmosphere at all. Of the order of 10⁻¹² torr, which corresponds to the sparse end of the range referred to as ultra-high vacuum.

 

[drm]

You'll have to wait until you can take a trip to Mars. There's a little bit of atmosphere there. The moon has none. Practice your atti mode skills in the meantime. No GPS there yet.

 

[elarryland]

Be sure to install heat shields for RTH.

 

[N017RW]

if the moon has 1/6 the atmosphere and 1/6 the gravity.... well it might work... don't make me run the numbers

I believe the gasses that make up the moon's atmosphere is significantly less than 1/6 of the Earth's. Don't confuse this with the gravitational difference.
Temperature also plays a role in atmospheric retention.

 

[THA]

Might work very well if you could modify motors to have propulsion such as hydrogen peroxide jets.

 

[avark]

The gravitational pull is 1/6 of Earth. The atmosphere is nonexistent, therefore the rotors have no air to create lift, hence is a useless means of propulsion.

You would have to use a rocket motor type device where your fuel is self contained. Action is needed to expand the "fuels" (either combustion or chemical reaction creating heat/expansion of material used as fuel) out the nozzle that would provide your propulsion/thrust. Directional control can be gimballing of the nozzle (or using small reaction control thrusters on various locations on the craft for directional control but this may be too complex for your intent).

The good news is because you only have 1/6 the pull to overcome, you would not need a lot of thrust to launch and stay up. Keep in mind, if using solid fuels, you can not meter it (throttle) - once ignited it will deliver thrust until spent.

It could be done, but you will have to redesign your means of propulsion/lift/thrust. Kind of a cool thought! If ya go, keep us posted! Very intriguing thought!!!

 

[drm]

This just in - NASA plan to rebuild Mars magnetic field and atmosphere. Maybe you can get in on Tesla's trips to Mars, and take your UAV.

NASA devises plan to restore Martian atmosphere by rebuilding its magnetic field - Electronic Products

 

[spirytus]

Well to begin with, there is no GPS around the moon, your borameter and compass would be completely usless and the gyro would need to up its sensit

Elon Musk, Mr Tesla is planning to take some people to the Moon next year. Let's say there was a drawing. And I won to be on that flight. And let's say I wanted to take my P3P with me. What modifications would I have to make so I could fly it up there? Or would it have to be redesigned all together? I think a new propellation system because of lack of air?

DJI should maybe get involved in it. I bet you could get some awesome shots up there?

Lets see; no gps, a usless compass and barometer leves us with only the gyro. If you replaced the motors with RCS thrusters and mount a gas tank you might be able to get it to fly. Forget RTH, position hold, altitude hold or any of the other 'smart' flight functions.

Hmmm....Booting up KSP as I type this.

 

[bearmikie]

Well I thank you all for your knowledge and input on this. I have learned a great deal from all of you. I think I'll send DJI the idea and see? Maybe they won't do anything? Maybe they will have a contest? Who knows? But I think we all know they have no Customer Service!

Mike

 

[Forrest White]

Elon Musk, Mr Tesla is planning to take some people to the Moon next year. Let's say there was a drawing. And I won to be on that flight. And let's say I wanted to take my P3P with me. What modifications would I have to make so I could fly it up there? Or would it have to be redesigned all together? I think a new propellation system because of lack of air?

DJI should maybe get involved in it. I bet you could get some awesome shots up there?

As far as I know, Elon Musk aims to send the first colonies to Mars, not to the Moon.