[kato13]

Going for redundant systems I would like the following.

Two launch bases. I would like to have these as South as possible. This gains the most momentum from the earth for orbital insertion.

Maybe one in Alabama and one near the TX.OK border.

A 16 man launch team is sleeping near each stored rocket.

Each station has a 9 man recon team stationed near it. These teams might be the first to wake up.

The two teams make assessments of local security concerns around the launch facilities (2 weeks) and Prime makes a decision on which team to activate first.

When the base is chosen
2 More recon teams and 2 Mars teams in the area will secure the immediate surroundings while the launch team is awoken and the launcher is erected.

Each launch location will have 5 satellites to chose 3 from.
3 Communications
1 Recon
1 Weather

The first launch would be either 2 Comm and 1 recon. or 3 comm. If one of the comm sats is inoperable it would be replaced by the recon. If the recon is inoperable it would be replaced by the weather. I am not sure how effective recon would be if you have to go to a higher orbit, but I thought I would throw this out there. Perhaps there is another hybrid orbit (Modified Molniya??) that would keep it out of LEO clutter but still give reasonable resolution. If not stick with weather and comms. Maybe somethink like the U2 would be better for recon.

My hope is that the launch could take place within 20 days of the launch team wakeup. I don't know if that is feasible.

Whenever the second launch takes place (maybe within a year). I would fill what gaps the project might have. If the first launch is a failure the second team is activated immediately.

The remaining satellites would be shuttled to prime (via a C-130) for and expected third launch 3-7 years down the road. Building the third rocket from component parts is what the launch teams would be doing during that time.

If for some reason both satellite teams fail the project falls back to using other methods of communications mentioned above.

Thoughts?


edit


When I saw the weight of the rocket being 504 metric tons I was disheartened at the prospect of moving and hiding it. But after I broke down the weights a bit it seems more manageable
Liquid Oxygen weight 199 tons
Refined Kerosine weight 92 tons
Empty first stage ~175 tons
Empty Second stage ~35 tons
Payload 5 tons.

The first stage would might need to be broken into parts, but even if it is not it is manageable. They Egyptians moved things that heavy without modern technology so with proper planning it is possible.