NASA Exploration Systems

Mission Directorate

Mars Society Conference

Scott “Doc” Horowitz
August
August 4,
4, 2006
2006
 A Bold Vision for Space Exploration
The Fundamental Goal of This Vision is to Advance U.S. Scientific,
Security, and Economic Interest Through a Robust Space
Exploration Program

• Implement
Implement aa sustained
sustained and
and affordable
affordable human
human and
and
robotic
robotic program
program to
to explore
explore the
the solar
solar system
system and
and
beyond
beyond

• Extend
Extend human
human presence
presence across
across the
the solar
solar system,
system,
starting
starting with
with aa human
human return
return to
to the
the Moon
Moon by
by the
the
year
year 2020,
2020, in
in preparation
preparation for
for human
human exploration
exploration of
of
Mars
Mars and
and other
other destinations;
destinations;

• Develop
Develop the
the innovative
innovative technologies,
technologies, knowledge,
knowledge,
and
and infrastructures
infrastructures both
both to
to explore
explore and
and to
to support
support
decisions
decisions about
about the
the destinations
destinations for
for human
human
exploration;
exploration; and
and

• Promote
Promote international
international and
and commercial
commercial participation
participation
in
in exploration
exploration to
to further
further U.S.
U.S. scientific,
scientific, security,
security,
and
and economic
economic interests.
interests.
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 The Moon - the 1st Step to Mars and Beyond….

• Extending operational experience in a

hostile planetary environment

• Developing capabilities needed for

opening the space frontier

• Preparing for human exploration of Mars

• Science operations and discovery

• Enabling international, commercial and

scientific goals for the development and
use of the moon

Next Step in Fulfilling Our Destiny As Explorers

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2005 -- The Year of Transportation Architecture
Definition and Refinement

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 Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV)

• Command Module
• Service Module
• Launch Abort System
• Ongoing Analysis

Human Missions to Mars –

consideration in the CEV architecture
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 Launch Vehicles

• Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) –

ARES I

• Cargo Launch Vehicle (CaLV)

– ARES V

• Earth Departure Stage

Human Mission to Mars –

consideration as part of the
decision to use HLLV
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2006 -- What We Do When We Get There

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 What is a ‘Global Exploration Strategy’?
• Kicked off in April 06 with a workshop
• A strategy for exploration with an initial focus on the
Moon, that encompasses the interests of many
participants including International space agencies,
academia, and commercial investors

• Not a definition of ‘how’ we will explore - but “what”

and “why”.

• A blueprint of exploration objectives.

• A plan that identifies the time-phasing of the
accomplishment of enabling and interdependent
objectives

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 Breadth of Review

Participants conducting a review of the global exploration

strategy include:
• International Space Agencies (14)
• Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG) Special Action
Team led by Jeff Taylor and Steve Mackwell
• Lunar Commerce Roundtable
• NASA Field Centers
• ESMD Lunar Architecture Team
• Space Enterprise Council
• Mars Exploration Planning and Analysis Group (MEPAG)
• Other

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Exploration Strategy Themes
Core
Core Themes
Themes ::
• Use
Use the
the Moon
Moon to
to prepare
prepare for
for future
future human
human and
and
robotic
robotic missions
missions to
to Mars
Mars and
and other
other
destinations
destinations
• Pursue
Pursue scientific
scientific activities
activities to
to address
address
fundamental
fundamental questions
questions about
about the
the solar
solar
system,
system, the
the universe,
universe, and
and our
our place
place in
in them
them
• Extend
Extend sustained
sustained human
human presence
presence to
to the
the
moon
moon to
to enable
enable eventual
eventual settlement
settlement

Crosscutting
Crosscutting Themes
Themes ::
• Expand
Expand Earth’s
Earth’s economic
economic sphere
sphere to
to
encompass
encompass the the Moon
Moon and
and pursue
pursue lunar
lunar
activities
activities with
with direct
direct benefits
benefits to
to life
life on
on Earth
Earth
• Strengthen
Strengthen existing
existing and
and create
create new
new global
global
partnerships
partnerships
• Engage,
Engage, inspire,
inspire, and
and educate
educate the
the public
public
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 Getting Ready for Mars

• The lunar program will help

prepare for human missions to
Mars

– Life Support

– Human Health Hazards

– Infrastructure

– Space/Surface Operations

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 Getting Ready for Mars

• Closed
Closed Loop
Loop Life
Life Support
Support
Systems
Systems will
will be
be required
required to
to
reduce
reduce the
the mass
mass ofof
consumables
consumables needed
needed for
for aa
Mars
Mars mission.
mission.
• Currently
Currently on
on ISS,
ISS, only
only
condensate
condensate is
is recycled,
recycled, with
with
urine
urine being
being discarded.
discarded.
• Future
Future systems
systems on
on ISS
ISS will
will
recover
recover water
water from
from urine,
urine,
closing
closing the
the ECLS
ECLS loop
loop more
more
completely,
completely, demonstrating
demonstrating this
this
vital
vital capability
capability

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 Getting Ready for Mars: Human Research Program

• Reduce
Reduce spaceflight
spaceflight risks
risks to
to humans,
humans,
focused
focused on
on the
the highest
highest risks
risks to
to crew
crew
health
health and
and performance
performance during
during
exploration
exploration missions
missions

• Enable
Enable development
development of
of human
human
spaceflight
spaceflight medical
medical and
and human
human
factors
factors standards
standards

• Development
Development and
and validation
validation of
of
technologies
technologies that
that serve
serve to
to reduce
reduce
medical
medical risks
risks associated
associated with
with
human
human spaceflight.
spaceflight.

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 Getting Ready for Mars

NASA is developing and

testing new surface EVA
suit technologies and
investigating how robotic
systems can interact with
humans to increase EVA
productivity

Desert Rats testing

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 Getting Ready for Mars

• Energy is key to the exploration of the Moon

and Mars

• While some goals can be accomplished on the

Moon using solar power, Mars would require
the high-power and reliability of nuclear fission
to support human exploration

• In the near-term, NASA is focusing on retiring

technical risks related to development of
fission surface power systems, and program
reformulation including development of
program strategies and draft technology plans

• In the longer-term, nuclear powered propulsion

system development to support the human
exploration of Mars will become more of a
priority

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 Summary

• The Vision for Space Exploration provides clear objectives for

NASA:
– Complete ISS
– Retire Shuttle by 2010
– Fly new vehicle by 2014
– Return to the Moon by 2020
– Prepare for Mars and Beyond

• The Earth to LEO part of the transportation architecture is

complete
– Ares I, Ares V, CEV
– 1stst Advanced Development Flight Test of the Ares 1 in 33
months

• The first draft of the Global Strategy and Lunar architecture

will be completed this December

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