Iran unveils mockup of their one-man ship

[xenomorph555]

Similarity !

To be honest not really , different heights, widths, fuels, engines also using jetvanes instead of verniers. It has a much closer resemblance to the Long March 2 but smaller and less power.

[Jovus]

As an attempt to put the political side of things to bed in this thread, I'll point out that Iran already has orbital payload capabilities, albeit not in a manned class.

Abstractly, I think it's very cool that Iran has managed to come this far despite all the political and economic pressure to do otherwise. And I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with this launch. (Maybe when I finally get around to an RSS install, I'll use Kerbinside to play as the Iranian Space Agency and see if I can't beat them at the game!)

As an aside, do we have any news about the rocket they plan to lift this with?

[xenomorph555]

As an aside, do we have any news about the rocket they plan to lift this with?

Unfortunately at the moment we don't, however as I have stated before there is really only 2 rockets Iran has capable of doing it; the Shahab-3 (tried and true rocket used for space missions before) and the Simorgh (new large cluster engine rocket, probably having it's first launch this year).

[Sampa]

As an attempt to put the political side of things to bed in this thread, I'll point out that Iran already has orbital payload capabilities, albeit not in a manned class.

Abstractly, I think it's very cool that Iran has managed to come this far despite all the political and economic pressure to do otherwise. And I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with this launch. (Maybe when I finally get around to an RSS install, I'll use Kerbinside to play as the Iranian Space Agency and see if I can't beat them at the game!)

As an aside, do we have any news about the rocket they plan to lift this with?

I think rss has a facility in iran set up

[Nicholander]

RSS does have a facility. It's called Semnan.

[Vanamonde]

Guys, if you keep bringing politics into the thread after two moderators have reminded you not to, we have to start deleting, editing, and infracting, as we have just done in this thread.

[Kryten]

RSS does have a facility. It's called Semnan.

Semnan is an entire province, that's like calling KSC 'Florida'.

[SOHEIL]

[Nicholander]

Semnan is an entire province, that's like calling KSC 'Florida'.

Okay, sorry. But that's what RSS says in game. (I looked in the RSS LaunchCenterConfigs file, it said: IR - Semnan)

[xenomorph555]

http://zeyroon.com/up/uploads/n2844333-4231043.jpg

So the service module is still attached to the capsule during re-entry. Interesting design choice, that might mean the capsule only contains computers and parachutes with all life support being contained within the service module meaning it needs to remain attached. I wonder why they would design it this way.

[Reddragon]

So the service module is still attached to the capsule during re-entry. Interesting design choice, that might mean the capsule only contains computers and parachutes with all life support being contained within the service module meaning it needs to remain attached. I wonder why they would design it this way.

Maybe it's going to be reusable? If it is, then reusing the SM makes sense.

Edited February 21, 2015 by Reddragon

[SOHEIL]

So the service module is still attached to the capsule during re-entry. Interesting design choice, that might mean the capsule only contains computers and parachutes with all life support being contained within the service module meaning it needs to remain attached. I wonder why they would design it this way.

Having more space for the astronaut with smaller diameter !

[SOHEIL]

[cantab]

Not at all a fair comparison, since the Iranian capsule only holds 1 person and the others there hold 3 or more I believe.

[Red Iron Crown]

Eh, it's a fair comparison of the relative sizes if nothing else. Definitely more spacious than the Mercury "spam-in-a-can".

[xenomorph555]

Maybe it's going to be reusable? If it is, then reusing the SM makes sense.

Considering they have less resources that would be a good feature to have.

Not at all a fair comparison, since the Iranian capsule only holds 1 person and the others there hold 3 or more I believe.

Dat Soyuz though, small...

[SOHEIL]

Considering they have less resources that would be a good feature to have.

Dat Soyuz though, small...

Nothing about less resources !

This is a suborbital capsule designed only for one person ... orbital capsule will be much bigger & for 3 person !

[xenomorph555]

Nothing about less resources !

This is a suborbital capsule designed only for one person ... orbital capsule will be much bigger & for 3 person !

Even with the resources, with only $74 million each year Iran won't be able to pump out Class E's like Mercury:

Anyway your probably right about the other point, my first guess was because it's suborbital there's less stress and therefore can survive re-entry with the service module attached.

[B787_300]

Just a note about heat shielding... the body shape AFTER the HS does not really matter for heating purposes... it does matter for Aerodynamics but not so much for heating, now they might need to coat the back body with some type of ablative but it will not have as much heat flux

[Robotengineer]

Where are they going to land it?

[xenomorph555]

Where are they going to land it?

In the nearby desert/outback next to the launch site like the previous biocapsules, for the suborbital missions anyway.

[Tommygun]

I was thinking that having all the life support and service module equipment at the bottom might help act as ballast.

I think some of the old Soyuz used metal ballast weights to help keep them up right during reentry.

[xenomorph555]

I was thinking that having all the life support and service module equipment at the bottom might help act as ballast.

I think some of the old Soyuz used metal ballast weights to help keep them up right during reentry.

Yeah your right. Although it was carefully placed equipment ballast, not metal in the Soyuz.

[SOHEIL]

It's small anyway !

[Nibb31]

Dat Soyuz though, small...

Soyuz has more internal volume than the Apollo CM.

- - - Updated - - -

So the service module is still attached to the capsule during re-entry. Interesting design choice, that might mean the capsule only contains computers and parachutes with all life support being contained within the service module meaning it needs to remain attached. I wonder why they would design it this way.

"Service module" is a bit of an overstatement. It only needs to carry life support for a few minutes of flight and some fuel for the RCS thrusters at the top. Those tanks in the mockup look like they're just for show. It probably also acts as a crumple zone for the landing, if lands on solid ground with parachutes, it's going to need it.