Future Directions: Strategy for Human and Robotic Exploration
Gary L. Martin Space Architect November 2003
Robust Exploration Strategy
Traditional Approach: A Giant Leap (Apollo)
New Strategy: Stepping Stones and Flexible Building Blocks
• Cold War competition set goals, National Security justified the investment
• NASA Vision and Mission drive goals and must justify investment
• Singular focus on the Moon
• Robust and flexible capability to visit several potential destinations
• Humans in space an end unto itself • Robotic exploration secondary to crewed missions • Rigid timeframe for completion with unlimited resources • Technologies are destination- and systemspecific • Inspirational outreach and education secondary to programs
High-risk with limited vision beyond demonstrating a technology capability
• Human presence is a means to enable scientific discovery • Integrate/optimize human-robotic mix to maximize discovery • Timeframe paced by capabilities and affordability • Key technologies enable multiple, flexible capabilities • Inspiration and educational outreach integral to programs Robust and flexible, driven by discovery, and firmly set in the context of national priorities
Science Drivers Determine Destinations (Selected Examples)
Science Questions
How did we get here?
Where are we going?
Are we alone?
• How did the Solar System evolve?
Pursuits
Activities
• Planetary sample • History of analysis: absolute major Solar age determination System events “calibrating the clocks”
• How do humans • Effects of adapt to space? deep space on cells
Destinations • • • •
Asteroids Moon Mars Venus
• Measurement of genomic responses to radiation
• Beyond Van Allen belts
• What is Earth’s • Impact of sustainability and human and habitability? natural events upon Earth
• Measurement of Earth’s vital signs “taking the pulse”
• Earth orbits • Libration points
• Is there Life beyond the planet of origin?
• Detection of biomarkers and hospitable environments
• Origin of life in the Solar System • Origin of life in the Universe
• Cometary nuclei • Europa • Libration points • Mars • Titan
Stepping Stone Strategy
Stepping Stone Approach Current Capabilities
Libration Points Hubble Space Telescope
Low Earth Orbit • • • •
Crew Health and Performance Systems and Technology Performance Engineering Test bed Crew transportation Space Infrared Telescope Facility
Earth Sensing • Understand Earth as a system • Develop predictive capabilities
Mars Mars Exploration Rovers
EARTH’S NEIGHBORHOOD
ACCESSIBLE PLANETARY SURFACES
Stepping Stone Approach Near-term Next Steps for Human and Robotic Exploration
High Earth Orbit/High Inclination (above the Van Allen Belts) • Assembly, Maintenance, and Servicing • Initial Deep Space Crew Transfer
• Breakthrough Science Capabilities • Deep Space Systems Development
Low Earth Orbit • • • • •
Crew Health and Performance Systems and Technology Performance Engineering Test bed Crew transportation Heavy Lift
Moon (14 day + missions)
Earth Sensing • Understand Earth as a system • Develop predictive capabilities
Libration Points (60-100 day missions)
• • • •
Surface Systems Operations Resource Utilization High Power Systems
EARTH’S NEIGHBORHOOD
Mars
ACCESSIBLE PLANETARY SURFACES
Potential Sites for Operations Above Low Earth Orbit
Stepping Stone Approach
Far-Term Next Steps for Human and Robotic Exploration High Earth Orbit/High Inclination (above the Van Allen Belts)
Low Earth Orbit • • • • •
• Assembly, Maintenance, and Servicing • Initial Deep Space Crew Transfer
Crew Health and Performance Systems and Technology Performance Engineering Test bed Crew transportation Heavy Lift]
• Understand Earth as a system • Develop predictive capabilities
• • • •
Surface Systems Operations Resource Utilization High Power Systems
EARTH’S NEIGHBORHOOD
• Breakthrough Science Capabilities • Deep Space Systems Development
Asteroids
Moon (14 day + missions)
Earth Sensing
Libration Points (60-90 day missions)
Mars (365 day + missions) • • • •
Explore a New World Search for Life Resource Utilization High Power Systems
ACCESSIBLE PLANETARY SURFACES
Potential Sites for Operations Above Low Earth Orbit Page 8
Progression in Capability Development Exploration Metro Map Sun, Mercury, Venus
Earth Low Earth Orbit
Moon
Earth’s Neighborhood
High Earth Orbit Earth-Moon L1, L2
Accessible Planetary Surfaces
Sun-Earth L1 , L2
Mars
Outer Planets and beyond
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Human and Robotic Concepts LEO/GEO
Moon
Earth-to-Orbit 40 mT 100 mT Transportation Transfer Vehicle Upper Stage Lander
Space Power Habitation
EVA/Robotics
‘
Libration Points
Mars
Systematic Investment Strategy
Space Act & NASA Strategic Plan Science : Questions, Pursuits, Activities Requirements and Systems Engineering Space Architect Focus
Architectural Studies & Technology Trades Programmatic and Technology Road Maps Gap Analysis Products: Integrated Space Plan, Technology Requirements, Priorities, and New Initiatives
Key Technology Challenges •
Space Transportation – Safe, fast, and efficient
•
Affordable, Abundant Power – Solar and nuclear
RLV
NEP
Invariant Manifolds
Aerobraking
Space Solar Power
•
Crew Health and Safety – Counter measures and medical autonomy Artificial Gravity
M2P2
•
Optimized Robotic and Human Operations – Dramatically higher productivity; on-site intelligence
•
Space Systems Performance – Advanced materials, low-mass, self-healing, self-assembly, selfsufficiency…
L1 Outpost
Robonaut
Gossamer Telescopes
Nanotube Space Elevator
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Strategic Building Block Investments Technological Barriers Power: Providing ample power for propulsion and science Transportation: Providing safe, reliable and economical transportation to and from space and throughout the solar system
FY 2003
FY 2004
Project Prometheus ¾ Nuclear power and propulsion for revolutionary science and orbital capabilities Integrated Space Transportation Plan ¾ First mission to Jupiter’s Moons ¾ Orbital Space Plane ¾ Extended Shuttle Operations ¾ Next Generation Launch Systems Human Research Initiative Nuclear Systems Initiative ¾ Greatly increased power for space science and exploration
In-Space Propulsion Program ¾ Efficient Solar System Transportation
Human Capabilities: Understanding and overcoming human limitations in space
Space Station Restructuring ¾ Research Priority Focused ¾ Management Reforms ¾ Sound Financial Base
Communications: Providing efficient data transfer across the solar system
Bioastronautics Program ¾ Roadmap to address human limitations
¾ Accelerate research to expand capabilities ¾ Enable 100-plus day missions beyond low-Earth orbit
Optical Communications ¾ Vastly improve communication to transform science capability ¾ First demonstration from Mars
Update: 10/24/02
Integrated Space Transportation Plan 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 International Space Station
ISS Extend? US Core Complete
IP Core Complete
Future Exploration beyond LEO?
Competition Decisions
Further Extend as Crew and/or Cargo Vehicle?
Operate Thru Mid Next Decade
Space Shuttle
Extend? Extend Until 2020+
Design FSD Decision
Orbital Tech Demo
Orbital Space Plane
Development ISS Crew Return Capable
Crew Transfer on HumanRated EELV
OSP Primary Crew Vehicle?
Operations
Tech
Next Generation Launch Technology
Long-Term Technology Program Hypersonic FSD?
Launch System Decision (Based on Reqt, $, DoD)
1st Flight
Risk Reduction
OSP Bridge To New Launcher
FSD Decision Development
Operations
Orbital Space Plane
The Orbital Space Plane (OSP) will: •
Support NASA’s strategic goals and science objectives by achieving assured access to the International Space Station (ISS) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) – –
•
Crew return capability from the International Space Station as soon as practical but no later than 2010 (Goal is now 2008) Crew transfer to and from the ISS as soon as practical but no later than 2012 (Goal is now 2010)
Provide the basis for future exploration beyond Low Earth Orbit
OSP Primary Earth-to-LEO Transportation Lunar Lander (dry)
High Earth Orbit / Low Lunar Orbit XTV* Refuels
XTV
LEO Tanker
Low Earth Orbit
XTV
Propulsive Capture
Crew Transfer from OSP to XTV*
Propellant Lunar Lander Tanker (wet) XTV XTV Fuels in LEO
Propellant Launches (Qty TBD)
40 MT NLGT Launch Vehicle
XTV
XTV
Crew Transfer to OSP
LEO Tanker and OSP
OSP Crew Launch
XTV Contingency Return
OSP Crew Landing
Earth Surface
Power
Project Prometheus • Revolutionary capabilities for nuclear propulsion and power – Much greater ability to power instruments, change speed, and transmit science data – No launch constraint to use gravity assists – Can orbit multiple objects or moons with vastly greater, persistent observation time – Can change target mid-mission (to support change in priorities) • First use: Jupiter Icy Moon Orbiter – Search for evidence of global subsurface oceans on Jupiter’s three icy Galilean moons: Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. These oceans may harbor organic material. – Nuclear technology will enable unprecedented science data return through high power science instruments and advanced communications tech
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Crew Health and Safety
Artificial Gravity NEP Vehicle System Concepts • Mission Needs – 1-g, 4 rpm system – consistent with human centrifugation tests – Minimize AG vehicle mass “penalties” & complexity – 18-month Mars roundtrip, nuclear electric propulsion • Assessments – AG crew hab module design assessment – Power/propulsion/trajectory trades – Angular momentum management/vehicle steering strategies – Preliminary assessment of structural, power system designs • Results – Only small dry mass AG penalties identified (<5%) – Good synergy among power system and propulsive performance – Propellant-efficient steering strategies identified Page 18
Crew Health and Safety
Attacking the Radiation Challenge
Exploration Location/ Duration
LEO+ 500-1000 Days
LEO 180 Days
ADVANCED APPROACHES Fast Transit Personnel Screening Active Shielding Pharmaceuticals Integ. Design of Passive Shields Materials Tissue Testing/Modeling
3% lifetime limit
As Low As Reasonably Achievable
CURRENT MITIGATION Safe Havens Career/Mission Time Constraints Dosimetry Historical Data/Modeling Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Magnetic Field
Risk/Uncertainty Page 19
Human/Robotic Partnership
Optimizing the Human/Robotic Equation
• Technology Projections • Experience and Lessons Learned
Example Science Activities
Optimal Human and Robotic Combinations
• Misson Performance Assessments
Creating science instruments and observing platforms to search for life sustaining planets Search for evidence of life on planetary surfaces Page 20
Large Space Telescope Construction and Maintenance Complex Systems
20m Parabolic Telescope
Complexity/ Capability
Telepresence
Suit Advances
Multi - Agent Planning EVA/Robotic Optimization
Broad Application
Single Agent Planning
Human Interface Development Path Planning Dexterity
300m Linear Phased Array
Electrical Fluid Structural
Space Station
Robotic Development State of The Art (2002)
Hardware Development 2002
EVA/Robotic Joints 2005
Studies
Demonstrations
Geosync Synthetic Aperture Radar(code Y) 2010
Flight Demonstrations
Time
2 Page 21
Space Systems
Example: Mars Human Mission 8.0
Today Advanced Avionics (7%)
Mass Savings Normalized to ISS Mass
7.0 Maintenance & Spares (18%)
6.0 Advanced Materials (17%)
5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0
Normalized Mass
Closed life Support (34%)
Advanced Propulsion (EP or Nuclear) (45%) Aerobraking (42%)
1.0 0.0
HW
Consumables
â&#x20AC;&#x153;As for the future, your task is not to foresee it, but to enable it.â&#x20AC;&#x153; Antoine de-Saint-Exupery