Next Steps in Human Exploration to Mars and Beyond
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NEXT STEPS IN HUMAN EXPLORATION TO MARS AND BEYOND HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2013 Serial No. 113–30 Printed for the use of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology ( Available via the World Wide Web: http://science.house.gov U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 81–194PDF WASHINGTON : 2013 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402–0001 COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY HON. LAMAR S. SMITH, Texas, Chair DANA ROHRABACHER, California EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas RALPH M. HALL, Texas ZOE LOFGREN, California F. JAMES SENSENBRENNER, JR., DANIEL LIPINSKI, Illinois Wisconsin DONNA F. EDWARDS, Maryland FRANK D. LUCAS, Oklahoma FREDERICA S. WILSON, Florida RANDY NEUGEBAUER, Texas SUZANNE BONAMICI, Oregon MICHAEL T. MCCAUL, Texas ERIC SWALWELL, California PAUL C. BROUN, Georgia DAN MAFFEI, New York STEVEN M. PALAZZO, Mississippi ALAN GRAYSON, Florida MO BROOKS, Alabama JOSEPH KENNEDY III, Massachusetts RANDY HULTGREN, Illinois SCOTT PETERS, California LARRY BUCSHON, Indiana DEREK KILMER, Washington STEVE STOCKMAN, Texas AMI BERA, California BILL POSEY, Florida ELIZABETH ESTY, Connecticut CYNTHIA LUMMIS, Wyoming MARC VEASEY, Texas DAVID SCHWEIKERT, Arizona JULIA BROWNLEY, California THOMAS MASSIE, Kentucky MARK TAKANO, California KEVIN CRAMER, North Dakota ROBIN KELLY, Illinois JIM BRIDENSTINE, Oklahoma RANDY WEBER, Texas CHRIS STEWART, Utah VACANCY SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE HON. STEVEN M. PALAZZO, Mississippi, Chair RALPH M. HALL, Texas DONNA F. EDWARDS, Maryland DANA ROHRABACHER, California SUZANNE BONAMICI, Oregon FRANK D. LUCAS, Oklahoma DAN MAFFEI, New York MICHAEL T. MCCAUL, Texas JOSEPH KENNEDY III, Massachusetts MO BROOKS, Alabama DEREK KILMER, Washington LARRY BUCSHON, Indiana AMI BERA, California STEVE STOCKMAN, Texas MARC VEASEY, Texas BILL POSEY, Florida JULIA BROWNLEY, California DAVID SCHWEIKERT, Arizona FREDERICA S. WILSON, Florida JIM BRIDENSTINE, Oklahoma EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas CHRIS STEWART, Utah LAMAR S. SMITH, Texas (II) C O N T E N T S Tuesday, May 21, 2013 Page Witness List ............................................................................................................. 2 Hearing Charter ...................................................................................................... 3 Opening Statements Statement by Representative Steven M. Palazzo, Chairman, Subcommittee on Space, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives .................................................................................................... 10 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 11 Statement by Representative Donna Edwards, Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Space, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives ............................................................................ 12 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 13 Statement by Representative Lamar S. Smith, Chairman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives ..................... 14 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 15 Statement by Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, Ranking Member, Com- mittee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives .... 15 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 17 Witnesses: Dr. Louis Friedman, Co-Lead, Keck Institute for Space Studies Asteroid Re- trieval Mission Study and Executive Director Emeritus, The Planetary Society Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 18 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 20 Dr. Paul Spudis, Senior Staff Scientist, Lunar and Planetary Institute Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 27 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 29 Dr. Steven M. Squyres, Goldwin Smith Professor of Astronomy, Cornell Uni- versity Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 35 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 37 Mr. Douglas Cooke, Owner, Cooke Concepts and Solutions Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 45 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 47 Discussion ................................................................................................................. Appendix I: Answers to Post-Hearing Questions Dr. Louis Friedman, Co-Lead, Keck Institute for Space Studies Asteroid Re- trieval Mission Study and Executive Director Emeritus, The Planetary Society ................................................................................................................... 82 Dr. Paul Spudis, Senior Staff Scientist, Lunar and Planetary Institute ............ 88 Dr. Steven M. Squyres, Goldwin Smith Professor of Astronomy, Cornell Uni- versity ................................................................................................................... 94 Mr. Douglas Cooke, Owner, Cooke Concepts and Solutions ................................ 103 (III) IV Page Appendix II: Additional Material for the Record Report submitted by Dr. Paul Spudis .................................................................... 120 Article submitted by Dr. Paul Spudis .................................................................... 144 Article submitted by Dr. Paul Spudis .................................................................... 156 Article submitted by Dr. Paul Spudis .................................................................... 158 Article submitted by Dr. Paul Spudis .................................................................... 164 NEXT STEPS IN HUMAN EXPLORATION TO MARS AND BEYOND TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2013 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON SCIENCE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY, Washington, D.C. The Subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 2:02 p.m., in Room 2318 of the Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Steven M. Palazzo [Chairman of the Subcommittee] presiding. (1) 2 LAMAR S. SMI1l-!, Texas EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas Cl1A1RMAN RAI'IKING MEMBER ([onllreS5 of the 'Ilnitn1 ~tate5 iItoUS[ of 'RqJrcsrntatiucs COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY 2321 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BU'LDING WASHINGTON, DC 20515-6301 (202) 225-6371 www.i.de.nce.Il~lJse.gov Subcommittee on Space Next Steps in Human Exploration to Mars and Beyond Tuesday, May 21, 2013 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. 2318 Rayburn House Office Building Dr. Louis Friedman, Co-Lead, Keck Institute for Space Studies Asteroid Retrieval Mission Study and Executive Director Emeritus, The Planetary Society Dr. Paul Spudis, Senior Sta./fScientist at the Lunar and Planetary IllSritute Dr. Steve Squyres, Goldwin Smith Professor ofAstronomy at Cornell University Mr. Doug Cooke, Owner, Cooke Concepts and Solutions 3 U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE Next Steps in Human Exploration to Mars and Beyond Tuesday, May 21, 2013 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. 2318 Rayburn House Office Building The purpose of this hearing is to examine possible options for the next steps in human space flight and how these options move the United States closer to a human mission to Mars and beyond. In particular, the Committee will explore whether the Administration's proposed asteroid rendezvous mission is a better precursor for an eventual manned mission to Mars compared to Apollo-like follow-on missions to return to the Moon. Witnesses • Dr. Louis Friedman, Co-Lead, Keck Institute for Space Studies Asteroid Retrieval Mission Study and Executive Director Emeritus, The Planetary Society • Dr. Paul Spudis, Senior Staff Scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute • Dr. Steve Squyres, Goldwin Smith Professor of Astronomy at Cornell University • Mr. Doug Cooke, Owner, Cooke Concepts and Solutions Overarching Ouestions I. Is the proposed Asteroid Retrieval Mission (ARM), a lunar landing mission, or another mission better as a precursor for an eventual human mission to Mars? 2. What things could we learn and capabilities would we develop from a Moon landing that we could not learn from the proposed Asteroid Retrieval Mission? 3. How do different destinations or missions affect a strategic approach with our potential international partners as well as technical architectures? Background Following the Space Shuttle Columbia accident in February 2003 and the subsequent investigation into its cause, President George W. Bush announced a new "Vision for Space Exploration" on January 14, 2004, to reinvigorate and redirect NASA's human exploration program beyond the International Space Station. The plan focused