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Ed CrawleyApril 2010

A New Exploration Strategy

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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

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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 in the inner solar system

• 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

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Moon

MarsISS

Starting Point

ISS

Moon

Mars

ISS

Moon

Mars

Flexible Path

Flexible Path

Flexible Path

Moon

MarsISS

MoonFlexible

Path

Flexible Path

High Level Decision Evolution of the Committee

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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

L4

L2

L1

L3

L5

Phobos & Deimos

Earth

Moon

Venus

Mars

NEOs

Sun - EarthL1

Sun - EarthL2

Review of US Human Space Flight Plans CommitteeA strategy that is flexible, enabled by capability and guided by discovery

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Mass, Energy & Time Considerations

Total Mission Change in Velocity from Low Earth Orbit (Kilometers/sec)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Lunar Surface

Near Earth Objects

Martian Moons

Surface of Mars

Incr

easi

ng M

ass

in L

ow E

arth

orb

it ( m

t)

Incr

easi

ng M

issi

on D

urat

ion

(Day

s)

Earth MoonLagrange

Points

Lunar Orbit

Earth Sun Lagrange

Points

Mars Flyby

Flexible Path Lunar Mars

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Planning Flexibility on the Flexible Path to Mars and Moon

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Value Proposition for Flexible Path

Destination Public Engagement

Science HumanResearch

Exploration Preparation

Lunar Flyby/Orbit

Return to Moon, “any time we want”

Demo of human robotic operation

10 days beyond radiation belts

Beyond LEO shakedown

Earth Moon L1

“Onramp to the inter-planetary highway”

Ability to service ES L2 s/c at EM L1

21 days beyond the belts

Ops at potential fuel depot

Earth SunL2

First human in “deep space” or “Earth escape”

Ability to service ES L2 s/c at ES L2

32 days beyond the belts

Potential servicing, test airlock

Earth SunL1

First human “in the solar wind”

Potential for Earth/Sun science

90 days beyond the belts

Potential servicing, test in-space hab

NEO’s “Helping protect the planet”

Geophysics, Astrobiology, Sample return

190-220 day, similar to Mars transit

Encounters with small bodies, sample handling, resource utilization

Mars Flyby First human “to Mars”

Human robotic operations, sample return?

440 days, similar to Mars out and return

Robotic ops, test of planetary cycler concepts

Mars Orbit Humans “working at Mars and touching bits of Mars”

Mars surface sample return

780 days, full trip to Mars

Joint robotic/human exploration and surface ops, sample testing,

Mars Moons Humans “landing on another moon”

Mars moons’ sample return

780 days, full rehearsal Mars exploration

Joint robotic/human surface and small body exploration

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Flexible Path to Mars and MoonMilestones, Destinations & Capabilities

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 118

Lunar Sortie Flights

Lunar Extended Duration

Site1

Site2

Site3

Site4

Site5

Human Lunar Return

1st Habitat Flight

Year

7Days

32Days

UnpilotedLunar Test

LunarFlyby

NEO (2007 UN12)

10Days

EarthMoon

L1

Sun Earth

L2

Sun Earth

L1

90Days

190 Days

First Humans to

NEOs

Humans in Interplanetary

Space21

Days

Humans in Cislunar Space

Sun Earth Vicinity

Near Earth

Human to Mars Vicinity

MarsFlyby

440 Days

NEO (2008 EA9)

190 Days

Mars Vicinity

Phobos

9 10 11

780 Days

Inner Solar System

MarsFlyby

440 DaysOption

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Timelines of the Three Less Constrained Lunar Options

2010 2020 2030

Ares I + Orion

Flights in low - Earth orbit

Ares V

Option 3 Variant: With Technology and ISS Extension

Shuttle

LunarLandingFlights to the International Space Station

2010 2020 2030Commercial Crew to low – Earth orbit

EELV Derived

Option 5B: Flexible Path – EELV Heritage MoonOrbit

EarthEscape

NEO MarsFlyby

Shuttle

Flights to the International Space StationLunarLanding

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$ CapsuleBooster

Lander

Surface SystemsIn space elements

Moon Flexible Path Time

$

Surface Systems

Lander

CapsuleBooster

TimeMoon Flexible Path

In space elements

$ CapsuleBooster

LanderSurface Systems

In space elements

Moon Flexible Path Time

Development and Ops Cost Phasing: Lunar vs. Flexible

DDT&E

DDT&E

DDT&E Plus Ops

• 2010’s – operate the ISS, build the deep space systems

• 2020’s – operate the deep space systems, build the planetary systems

• 2030’s – operate the planetary systems

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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

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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.