This paper proposes communication architecture to support data and command communication for future space missions to moon, Mars and beyond. It postulates a set of satellites placed in halo orbits at Earth-Moon, Sun-Earth and Sun-Mars Lagrangian points and a couple of relay satellites in a heliocentric earth orbit as the base of this architecture. This arrangement is robust to loss of service problems because of the redundancy built into the system. Also, the system significantly reduces the distances over which communication has to be achieved and thus lessens the demands on the communication hardware to be employed. This also results in power saving. The architecture is scalable and can be extended to missions farther out into space. As in the development of any infrastructure, some initial investment has to be made which however will provide returns in the form of simplifying communication procedures and protocols for the many space missions to come.

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The Vision for Space Exploration dictates retiring of the aging Space Shuttle and replacing it with a newer spacecraft, the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). The CEV should be able to travel to low Earth orbit, to the Moon, to Mars and beyond. We formulate the requirements needed for the optimal design and configuration of the CEV using systematic design methodologies of Need Analysis, Function Structure generation and evolution of conceptual designs based on them. Three different concepts are formed that cater to the Need Statement and only one concept is finally selected based upon evaluation parameters, taking the Space Shuttle as the datum. NomenclatureCEV = Crew Exploration Vehicle CM = Command Module of Apollo Spacecraft ERV1 = Earth Return Vehicle 1 ERV2 = Earth Return Vehicle 2 GCR = Galactic Cosmic Radiation ISS = International Space Station LEO = Low Earth Orbit LM = Lunar Module of Apollo spacecraft MIV = Mars-orbit Injection Vehicle MRV = Mars-orbit Rendezvous Vehicle NTR = Nuclear Thermal Reactor RCS = Reaction Control System SM = Service Module of Apollo spacecraft STK = Satellite Tool Kit SS = Space Shuttle