A New Exploration Strategy

Ed Crawley

April 2010 1 Why We Explore

• More tangible benefits: –Credible plans for science – Technology for space and Earth – Economic development and industrial capability – Exploration Preparation

• Less tangible benefits – U.S. leadership of international ventures – Engagement of the public – Inspiration of the youth, and excitement about STEM

2 A Space Faring Civilization

• We explore to chart a path for human expansion into the system. • should be the ultimate destination for that exploration in the inner • Staying on Mars, and extending human civilization within the solar system should be the ultimate goal. • This will require a lengthy commitment. • But it is time to begin.

These goals should drive destinations and systems

3 High Level Decision Evolution of the Committee

ISS

Moon Starting Point Flexible Flexible ISS Path Path

Mars Mars

Flexible Path Moon

Moon ISS Mars ISS Mars Flexible Flexible Moon Path Path 4 A New Strategy for Exploration, in Close Cooperation with Robotics Goal – Expand beyond the Earth – Moon system as quickly as possible, develop the capability to live and work in free space, gather science knowledge and support science operations • Travel to many places in the inner solar system but initially not walk on the surface • For locations and small bodies, rendezvous and explore much like encountering the ISS or a Hubble repair • For larger bodies, crew arrives in vicinity, scans, sends down telerobotic probes, explores through robots, collects samples launched by robots • Explore many sites in the Solar System with essentially the same space systems

NEOs - Earth L2 Moon L2 L4 L1 Mars

L5 Earth Phobos L 3 & Deimos Sun - Earth L1

ReviewA strategy of US Human that Space is Flight flexible, Plans Committee enabled by capability and guided by discovery 5 Mass, Energy & Time Considerations

Flexible Path Lunar Mars

Surface of Mars Martian

Mars Flyby

Near Earth Objects

Earth Sun Lagrange Lunar Points Surface Lunar Orbit Earth Moon Lagrange Points IncreasingMission Duration (Days) Increasing Mass in Low Earth orbit ( ( mt) orbit Earth Low in Mass Increasing 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Total Mission Change in Velocity from Low Earth Orbit (Kilometers/sec) 6 Planning Flexibility on the Flexible Path to Mars and Moon

7 Value Proposition for Flexible Path

Destination Public Science Human Exploration Engagement Research Preparation Lunar Return to Moon, Demo of human 10 days beyond Beyond LEO shakedown Flyby/Orbit “any time we want” robotic operation radiation belts Earth Moon “Onramp to the inter- Ability to service ES 21 days beyond Ops at potential fuel L1 planetary highway” L2 s/c at EM L1 the belts depot Earth Sun First human in “deep Ability to service ES 32 days beyond Potential servicing, test L2 space” or “Earth L2 s/c at ES L2 the belts airlock escape” Earth Sun First human “in the Potential for Earth/Sun 90 days beyond Potential servicing, test L1 ” science the belts in-space hab NEO’s “Helping protect the Geophysics, 190-220 day, Encounters with small planet” Astrobiology, Sample similar to Mars bodies, sample handling, return transit resource utilization Mars Flyby First human “to Human robotic 440 days, similar Robotic ops, test of Mars” operations, sample to Mars out and planetary cycler concepts return? return Mars Orbit Humans “working at Mars surface sample 780 days, full trip Joint robotic/human Mars and touching return to Mars exploration and surface bits of Mars” ops, sample testing, Mars Moons Humans “landing on Mars moons’ sample 780 days, full Joint robotic/human another moon” return rehearsal Mars surface and small body exploration exploration 8 Flexible Path to Mars and Moon Milestones, Destinations & Capabilities

Humans in Humans in First Human to Human Cislunar Interplanetary Humans to Mars Vicinity Lunar Space Space NEOs Return 7 10 21 32 90 190 190 440 Days Days Days Days Days Days Days Days 1st Habitat Flight

Unpiloted Earth Sun Sun NEO NEO Site Site Site Site Site Lunar Lunar Moon Earth Earth (2007 (2008 Mars 1 2 3 4 5 Test Flyby L1 L2 L1 UN12) EA9) Flyby

Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Near Earth Sun Earth Mars Lunar Sortie Lunar Vicinity Vicinity Flights Extended Duration

440 780 Option Days Days

Mars Phobos Flyby

9 10 11

9 Inner Solar System Timelines of the Three Less Constrained Lunar Options

Option 3 Variant: With Technology and ISS Extension Lunar Flights to the International Space Station Flights in low - Earth orbit Landing

2010 2020 2030 Shuttle Ares I + Orion Ares V

Option 5B: Flexible Path – EELV Heritage Moon Earth NEO Mars Lunar Flights to the International Space Station Orbit Escape Flyby Landing

2010 2020 2030 Shuttle Commercial Crew to low – Earth orbit EELV Derived

10 Development and Ops Cost Phasing: Lunar vs. Flexible

Surface Systems Lander DDT&E $ Booster Capsule In space elements Moon Flexible Path Time

In space elements Booster Surface Systems Capsule DDT&E $ Lander

Flexible Path Moon Time • 2010’s – operateIn space the elements ISS, build the deep space Booster Surface Systems systems Lander $ Capsule DDT&E• 2020’s – operate the deep space systems, build the planetary systems Plus Ops • 2030’s – operate the planetary systems 11 Flexible Path Moon Time Summary of Benefits

• Faster start • New destinations • Regular cadence of exploration • Deep space capability • Authentic synthesis of humans and robotics • Opportunities for interesting science • Phase development profile • Engaging for international partners • Generational change • Progress toward our ultimate goal

12 A Space Faring Civilization

• We explore to chart a path for human expansion into the solar system. • Mars should be the ultimate destination for that exploration. • Staying on Mars, and extending human civilization within the solar system should be the ultimate goal. • This will require a lengthy commitment. • But it is time to begin.

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