A Flexible Path for Human and Robotic Space Exploration

Korsmeyer, David J.; Landis, R.; Merrill, Raymond G.; Mazanek, Daniel D.; Falck, Robert; Adams, Robert B.

doi:10.2514/6.2010-2272

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 3 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Destination access 5. Destination systems This list can be shortened to only the first three capabilities for initial missions defined in the Flexible Path for exploration [2] through Mars orbit access and the exploration of Phobos and Deimos. This allows phasing of Mars surface systems while continuing a cadence of compelling missions.…”

Section: Application Of High Technology Readiness Levelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mars conjunction crewed missions with a reusable hybrid architecture

Merrill

Strange

Qu³

et al. 2015

2015 IEEE Aerospace Conference

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A new crew Mars architecture has been developed that provides many potential benefits for NASA-led human Mars moons and surface missions beginning in the 2030s or 2040s. By using both chemical and electric propulsion systems where they are most beneficial and maintaining as much orbital energy as possible, the Hybrid spaceship that carries crew round trip to Mars is pre-integrated before launch and can be delivered to orbit by a single launch. After check-out on the way to cis-lunar space, it is refueled and can travel round trip to Mars in less than 1100 days, with a minimum of 300 days in Mars vicinity (opportunity dependent). The entire spaceship is recaptured into cis-lunar space and can be reused. The spaceship consists of a habitat for 4 crew attached to the Hybrid propulsion stage which uses long duration electric and chemical in-space propulsion technologies that are in use today. The hybrid architecture's con-ops has no in-space assembly of the crew transfer vehicle and requires only rendezvous of crew in a highly elliptical Earth orbit for arrival at and departure from the spaceship. The crew transfer vehicle does not travel to Mars so it only needs be able to last in space for weeks and re-enter at lunar velocities. The spaceship can be refueled and resupplied for multiple trips to Mars (every other opportunity). The hybrid propulsion stage for crewed transits can also be utilized for cargo delivery to Mars every other opportunity in a reusable manner to pre-deploy infrastructure required for Mars vicinity operations. Finally, the Hybrid architecture provides evolution options for mitigating key long-duration space exploration risks, including crew microgravity and radiation exposure.

show abstract

Section: Application Of High Technology Readiness Levelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mars conjunction crewed missions with a reusable hybrid architecture

Merrill

Strange

Qu³

et al. 2015

2015 IEEE Aerospace Conference

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…from a flight vehicle or deep space habitat). 1,2,3,4,5 These assumptions include estimates of technology maturity, existing technology gaps, and operational risks. These assumptions, however, have not been grounded by experimental data.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surface Telerobotics: Development and Testing of a Crew Controlled Planetary Rover System

Fong

Bualat

Allan

et al. 2013

AIAA SPACE 2013 Conference and Exposition

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

During Summer 2013, we conducted a series of tests to examine how astronauts in the International Space Station (ISS) can remotely operate a planetary rover. The tests simulated portions of a proposed mission, in which an astronaut in lunar orbit remotely operates a planetary rover to deploy a radio telescope on the lunar farside. In this paper, we present the design, implementation, and preliminary test results.

show abstract

“…[1,2,3,4,5,6] The transportation systems that enable NEA and Mars exploration by humans must be considered; in particular with respect to decisions that initiate multidecadal investments. These investments in near term capabilities must be stepping stones or small steps [7] toward shared long term goals rather than singularly focused to accomplish one particular mission.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An initial comparison of selected Earth departure options for solar electric propulsion missions

Merrill

Komar

et al. 2012

2012 IEEE Aerospace Conference

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Earth departure options such as the location for deployment, aggregation, and crew rendezvous as well as the type of propulsion leveraged for each mission phase effect overall mission performance metrics such as number of critical maneuvers, mass of propellant to achieve departure, and initial mass required in low Earth orbit. This paper identifies and compares a subset of tactical options for deployment, crew rendezvous, and Earth departure that leverage electric propulsion and hybrid chemical electric propulsion with a goal of improving system efficiency. Departure maneuver specific limitations and penalties are then identified for missions to specific targets for human interplanetary missions providing a better understanding of the impact of decisions related to aggregation and rendezvous locations as well as Earth departure maneuvers on overall system performance.

show abstract

A Flexible Path for Human and Robotic Space Exploration

Cited by 12 publications

References 3 publications

Mars conjunction crewed missions with a reusable hybrid architecture

Mars conjunction crewed missions with a reusable hybrid architecture

Surface Telerobotics: Development and Testing of a Crew Controlled Planetary Rover System

An initial comparison of selected Earth departure options for solar electric propulsion missions

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About