Encyclopedia Astronautica

American manned lunar flyer. Cancelled 1968. The F2B was the MOBEV selected configuration for a multi-man surface-to-surface flying vehicle. Maximum operational mass with 2 astronauts and payload, 844 kg.

It used differential throttling of the lift thrusters. Eight thrusters were used to provide engine out capability and provide an initial lunar thrust to weight ratio of 3. Two thrusters were mounted at the corners of the body in a slightly canted position to provide yaw control. An active three-axis attitude control system was provided. Continuous communications with the lunar base or roving vehicle during exploration were provided by an S-band system integrated with the PLSS system. Multiple landing capability was provided by reusable friction devices for landing energy absorption. A strap-down inertial guidance system provided the required guidance accuracy.

LFV Concepts Summary

Pogo Single-Crew Surface to Surface

                        F1A  F1B   F1C
Fueled Mass(kg)         64    82   310
Range(km)                8    20   170
Crew Size                1     1     1
Development Cost($M)  10.6  11.1  13.4
Development Time(Mos)   24    24    24

Multiman Surface to Surface
                        F2A  F2B  F2C  F2D    F3A   F3B   F3C  F3D
Fueled Mass(kg)         288  392  530  788    529  1074  2066 4209
Range(km)                20   50  100  200     50  200   400   800
Crew Size                 2    2    2    2      3    3     3     3
Development Cost($M)   29.1 29.5 30.1 30.9   30.8 32.7  36.8  44.5
Development Time(Mos)    42   42   42   42     42   42    42    42

Surface to Lunar Orbit
                         F2E   F3E 
Fueled Mass(kg)         1106  1476
Crew Size                  2     3
Development Cost($M)    33.0  34.8
Development Time(Mos)     42    42

Crew Size: 2.

Gross mass: 392 kg (864 lb).
Unfuelled mass: 206 kg (454 lb).
Specific impulse: 290 s.

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Associated Countries
Associated Spacecraft
  • AES Lunar Base American manned lunar base. Cancelled 1968. AES (Apollo Extension Systems) was planned as the first American lunar base. It would involve minimal modification of Apollo hardware. The Apollo CSM would be modified for long duration lunar orbit storage. More...

See also
  • Lunar Flyers Lunar flyers would use rocket power to get crew or cargo quickly from one point on the lunar surface to another. The larger versions could act as rescue vehicles to get crew members to lunar orbit for pick-up and return to earth. Their horrendous fuel requirements meant that they were mainly considered for one-use rescue missions - for example to return a crew from a disabled lunar rover, beyond walking distance back to their lander. Some Apollo variants proposed using leftover propellant from the Lunar Module descent stage to fuel such flyers. More...

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