"Popeye" - URANUS Phase 2.1

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Aurora Aerospace R&D Division is nearing completion of the Urados Roundtrip Access Next-generation Unity System (URANUS) Phase 2.1. URANUS is a long-term project to send a fully crewed deep-space exploration mission to Urados.

Phase 2.1 - codename "Popeye" - is the development of a fully reusable Manned Orbital-transfer Module (MOM) capable of landing on any of the airless moons (Jastrus, Boreas, Hypatchion) in the Urados system, and return the crew safely to an Orbiter in Urados parking orbit.

Design Requirements:
- Fully Career-Mode compatible (no tinkering)
- Fully reusable
- 6000 m/s delta-V minimum
- 20t wet mass, 15t propellant mass maximum
- Nominal 2.0 landing TWR on Boreas minimum
- Rated for 3 personnel, nominal crew of 2
- Downrated docking port (50%) supporting only fuel transfer - mission crew will transfer to/from Orbiter via external EVA
- Not be ugly

Due to technical limitations, the last criteria was only partially achievable.
The command module is uprated for 3, with a nominal mission crew of 2 to support extended roundtrip orbital transfer to any of the moons - some of the transfer orbits can take a week or more to accomplish, depending on mission profile.

Phase 2.2 will be the design of a single-use Taurus lander with a Disposable Atmospheric Descent (DAD) stage.

URANUS Roadmap:
- Phase 1 (80%) - benchmark roundtrip transit time and delta-V requirements to Urados
- Phase 2 (Phase 2.1 90%, Phase 2.2 in planning) - develop Manned Orbital-Transfer Module and Disposable Atmospheric Descent stage (MOM and DAD)
- Phase 3 (20%) - develop Urados Orbiter and Crew Return Vehicle
- Phase 4 (notional) - develop Outbound Transit Vehicle
- Phase 5 (notional) - develop launch systems to low Droo orbit and orbital assembly and fueling infrastructure
- Phase 6 (notional) - execute manned mission to Urados

All phases of URANUS will be fully Career-compatible - the goal is to accomplish the mission with absolutely no tinkering.

Feedback and suggestions are welcome.