Stage 6 – The Complete SLPA Architecture

This stage unifies all components of the SLPA system into a single, end‑to‑end architecture. It shows how thermal cores, STIP thrusters,, orbital depots, and long-range “cruise mode” propulsion combine into a closed, self-sustaining interplanetary transport network.

1. Energy: The Thermal Core Backbone

• Rechargeable, vacuum-insulated thermal cores store solar heat for months to years.
• Works across the solar system, from Earth to Jupiter (4% solar flux).
• Forms the primary energy reservoir for propulsion, life support, and thermal stability.

The thermal core replaces the locomotive boiler in space, creating a clean, stable, long-duration heat source.

2. Propulsion: The STIP Thruster Family

STIP (Stacked Thermal Input Propulsion) provides a multi-mode propulsion suite:

• Cold gas mode (station‑keeping & emergencies)
• Thermal CO₂ mode powered directly by core heat
• Steam mode from melted ice
• Mixed-gas chemical preheating (CO₂/H₂/O₂)
• Plasma-augmented mode using towable or depot power

This gives SLPA a continuum: low thrust → high thrust → high Isp, using only simple gases.

3. Orbital Depots: Heat, Gas, and Materials

• Gas depots store water, CO₂, O₂, and regolith pellets.
• Thermal depots recharge spacecraft cores via heat exchange.
• ATRC -a separate architecture yet to be specified here -gets mass off planet
• Ships refuel, recharge, and exchange mass rapidly.

This creates permanent logistics nodes that grow with every mission.

4. Interplanetary Transport: Cruise Mode

SLPA ships operate like trains between depots:

• High-thrust departure burn to exit a gravity well.
• Long-duration high-Isp cruise mode between planets.
• Efficient braking using reverse STIP modes.
• Minimal onboard solar arrays required.

This mirrors railway logistics: depots supply energy and mass, ships move between them.

5. The Closed Industrial Loop

With all components combined, SLPA forms a complete, self-sustaining network:

• Thermal cores provide energy.
• STIP thrusters convert energy into motion.
• Orbital depots store and distribute them.
• Ships travel efficiently between nodes.

Every new installation strengthens the entire network, enabling exponential expansion.

7. From Lunar Operations to a Solar System Network

Once the lunar system is operational, the same architecture extends naturally to:

• Mars (CO₂‑rich atmosphere + ice)
• Ceres and icy moons (abundant volatiles)
• The outer system, supported by thermal depots

SLPA becomes a general-purpose transport framework, universal across worlds.

8. Summary – A Complete End‑to‑End Architecture

SLPA is the first architecture that:

• treats heat as a primary resource,
• uses cheap, abundant gases as propellants,
• creates interplanetary supply chains,
• and scales indefinitely.

It mirrors the simplicity and power of the steam locomotive—updated for the entire solar system.