Spaceport News Vol. 36, No. 24, December 5, 1997 John F. Kennedy Space Center FromFrom OriginsOrigins toto DestinyDestiny U.S. Space Exploration in the Next Century Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS December 5, 1997 s explorers, pioneers, and Ainnovators, we boldly expand frontiers in air and space to inspire and serve America and to benefit the quality of life on Earth. — 1998 NASA Strategic Plan Table of Contents Page 2 — Introduction Page 12 — New Shuttle health monitoring system anticipates Page 3 — Space Center sees future in trip to Mars future demands Page 4 — KSC scientists favor plant-based life support Page 13 — 2004: Deadline for Mars vs. moon decision Fuel supply will borrow from Earth and Mars Pages 14–15 — U.S. space exploration yesterday, today and Page 5 — Space Station will lead the way tomorrow Page 6 — Links between Earth and space are spiritual, practical Page 16 — Martian odyssey: Milestones in the U.S. exploration of and economical Mars Page 7 — NASA Strategic Plan is agency's roadmap to future Pages 8–9 — KSC visionaries paint the future (Photos: Cover photo is Hubble Space Telescope image of the Page 10 — Beyond cutting edge: NASA-sponsored group searches collision between two galaxies known as the Antennae galaxies. for ways to revolutionize space travel Photo above shows the Shuttle Endeavour prior to its maiden Page 11 — Launch vehicles of future taking shape today launch in May 1992. In the foreground is a full-sized replica of the Page 12 — Shuttle upgrades will keep fleet operational until year sailing ship that carried Christopher Columbus and his crew to the 2030 New World 500 years before.) Introduction he theme for this spe- The complete phrase, taken Programs like Mission to Planet In implementing all these en- cial issue of Spaceport from the Space Science mission Earth also focus on our origins, terprises, we continue to evolve T News, From Origins to statement, reads: From origins to allowing us to better understand as a nation and culture. Destiny, comes from the Space destiny, chart the evolution of the and predict the global changes The articles and material pre- Science Strategic Enterprise universe and understand its gal- sweeping over the planet. sented in this special issue are not Plan. axies, stars, planets and life. The impulse to send humans intended to be a comprehensive Space Science is one of four All four strategic enterprises into space, be it to Earth's orbit, overview of U.S. space explora- strategic enterprises in NASA's encompass this concept in some back to the moon, or onward to tion in the next century. Strategic Plan. The other three way. Exploration of the solar sys- Mars, perpetuates a quest that Rather they represent a enterprises are Mission to Planet tem — through both crewed and has characterized the human race glimpse of some of the most in- Earth, Human Exploration and uncrewed missions — allows us since our beginning. triguing aspects of what our na- Development of Space, and Aero- to better understand the evolution It is humanity's destiny to dis- tion hopes to achieve, as well as nautics and Space Transportation of our own planet and life forms cover where boundaries lie and a recognition of some of our ac- Technology. as well as of the universe itself. then surpass them. complishments to date. December 5, 1997 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 Space Center sees future in trip to Mars By Chuck Weirauch CAPE CANAVERAL — (AP) Exploration Office at Johnson At 4:25 a.m. Dec. 15, 2013, the Space Center, is not a final first human mission to Mars plan but a tool to help the lifted off from Launch Pad agency determine what would 39B at Kennedy Space Center. be required to accomplish The Magnum-1 launch vehicle such a feat. Several NASA performed flawlessly as it field centers have been asked lofted the six-member interna- to determine just how they tional crew into a low-Earth could contribute to such a orbit, where their spacecraft mission. The KSC Exploration docked with the Mars propul- Think Tank has the job of sion module launched last determining the areas of month. After docking, the applicable KSC expertise and propulsion module engines will promoting their use by NASA be ignited and the crew will in the development of hard- begin its 180-day journey to the ware, new technologies and Red Planet. They will touch strategies that will be re- down near the Cargo Lander-1, quired for the human explora- already on the surface, to tion of the Red Planet. establish the first human “One of KSC’s primary ABOVE RIGHT — Hubble Space Telescope image of Mars, March 1997. Above, artist's concept of crewed vehicle on the surface (in foreground) with inflated habitation module outpost on an extraterrestrial areas of expertise that will be in front of it. The living quarters are transported to Mars in the Cargo Lander-1, shown planet. After inflating a of enormous benefit to the in the distance, then destowed and inflated. habitation module already on Mars mission is more than 30 Mars, the crew will begin years of spacecraft ground as well as the new heavy of Space (HEDS) enterprise, preparations for the 550-day processing and launch systems launch vehicle that would be calls for a launch vehicle like exploration phase of their experience,” O’Neal said. “KSC required to lift them into the Magnum currently under mission. Orbiting overhead will be required to put to- space.” consideration by NASA. This will be the Earth Return gether a plan to support the The Reference Mission, an rocket would be designed to Vehicle that will bring them processing of spacecraft and element of NASA’s Human place payloads weighing up to back to Earth when their payloads for the Mars mission, Exploration and Development 80 metric tons into low Earth mission is complete. orbit. This lift capacity would be sufficient to propel Mars Although this quick look at cargo modules, human habita- a possible KSC future may tion modules and their respec- seem like science fiction, work tive propulsion modules into is now under way to make the low-earth orbit. Once there, Mars Reference Mission a part the cargo and habitation of the Space Center’s long- modules would dock with their range plans. propulsion modules and then “We can make a substantial set off to Mars with the crew contribution to NASA’s newest on a fast-transit trajectory. plan to send a human mission Instead of flying everything to Mars,” said KSC Explora- that would make up the Mars tion Think Tank manager base along with the crew Mike O’Neal. “As a member of habitation module, two cargo the agency’s Integrated Mars missions to Mars would be Mission Team, we are now in launched well before the first the process of helping NASA human mission lifted off. The determine what technologies first Mars cargo mission, with need to be demonstrated for an initial launch opportunity the Mars mission concept.” AN unpressurized rover is unloaded from the Cargo Lander-1 by the first humans to land on the Red Planet's surface. The rover would be used to transport an inflatable in September 2011, would send The Reference Mission, habitation module from the lander to the transport vehicle that carried the crew to developed by the Mars/Lunar Mars. Visible inside the lander is an automated fuel manufacturing plant. (See MARS, Page 4) Page 4 SPACEPORT NEWS December 5, 1997 NOT THAT FAR AWAY — Mars . This artist's concept (Continued from Page 3) shows five of the six crew members from the first human mission to Mars. a fully fueled Earth Return Vehicle The Mars Reference (ERV) into orbit around Mars. This first Mission timeline would be: cargo mission would take a little more • 2011 – Fully fueled Earth than two years to reach Mars. The Return Vehicle lifts off, second cargo mission, also slated to lift arrives at Mars about six off in late 2011, would land the Cargo months later and begins Lander-1 on the surface. Inside would be orbiting planet; • 2011 – Second mission, the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). At the called Cargo Lander-1, conclusion of the exporation phase of lifts off, carrying Mars their mission, the crew will fly the MAV Ascent Vehicle that will to the ERV, and return to Earth in the land on surface. Also stowed inside are rover, ERV. propellant plant, and Also stowed in the cargo lander: an inflatable habitat module; unpressurized rover for traversing the • 2013 — First human Martian terrain and an inflatable habitat crew lifts off, lands on Mars 180 days later to module. The crew would transfer the begin 550-day exploration inflatable habitat to the spacecraft which of Martian surface. brought them to Mars, attach it and then inflate it, establishing their living impact on the bioregenerative part of the Bioregenerative Research Lead of quarters on the Red Planet. mission because of our considerable NASA’s Advanced Life Support Systems. Also located in the lander would be an experience in this area.” “There are many other areas of exper- automated propellant plant, capable of Since 1985, KSC has been developing tise at KSC where we can have a major manufacturing fuel and liquid oxygen and conducting research on such a self- impact on NASA’s Mars and other long- (LOX) and storing it in cryogenic tanks contained, plant growth-based life duration missions in the future,” O’Neal prior to the arrival of the first crew. This support system formerly known as the said. “Our goal is to apply KSC opera- unit, known as the In-Situ Propellant Controlled Ecological Life Support tions know-how, resources and technical Production (ISPP) system, would carry System (CELSS) Breadboard Project.