Every week we launch a full DTVL-91 Mustang tanker with a capacity of 91 tons. It burns about 27 tons to get to Gateway, delivers 36 tons, and burns the remaining 27 tons to get back safely. So over our 6-month tour, we’ll need to fit in two extra deliveries. Al came along because he wants to make sure we get that done ahead of schedule. He’s in charge and he takes pride in getting it right.
Right now we’re doing a check out and running diagnostics on the automated flight systems. When we are ready to fill the tanker, we’ll tow it with the CEHV to the cracking station.
All our tankers, in fact all of our Mustang Dual-Thrust Ventral Landers, can fly unmanned. Our emergency evacuation vehicle, Angel-1, is the only one that might have to be piloted without any automated help. It’s our lifeboat if something goes wrong, and we’re confident it’s ready to go on a moment’s notice. As the pilots, Mac and I alternate for the weekly inspections, which includes a test fire of the main engines and reaction control thrusters. This week, Stepan wanted to personally inspect the medical and emergency systems, as well.
The delivery Mustang uses the [tooltip tip=”hydrolox: a powerful cryogenic propellant used in spaceflight” term=”hydrolox”] we process from the mine. Liquid hydrogen and oxygen, or Hydrolox, has to be insulated at all times because it boils away with very little heat, and a full vehicle can’t sit around for long. Angel-1, on the other hand, has to be ready to lift off without warning, so it uses hypergollic propellant, which is less powerful but remains stable for long periods regardless of the temperature.