This paper focuses on certain results of an ongoing NASA-sponsored study by Boeing, including (1) a series of representative space exploration scenarios; (2) the levels of effort required to accomplish each; and (3) a range of candidate transportation system as partial implementations of the scenarios. This effort predated release of the Synthesis report; the three levels of activity described are not responses to the Synthesis architectures. These three levels (minimum, median and ambitious), do envelope the range of scope described in the four Synthesis architecture models. The level of analysis detail was to the current known level of detail of transportation hardware systems and mission scenarios. The study did not include detailed analysis of earth-to-orbit transportation, surface systems, or tracking and communications systems. The influence of earth-to-orbit systems was considered in terms of delivery capacity and cost. Aspects of additional options, such as in situ resource utilization are explored as needed to indicate potential benefits. Results favored cryogenic chemical propulsion for low activity levels and undemanding missions (such as cargo and some lunar missions), nuclear thermal propulsion for median activity levels similar to the Synthesis architectures, and nuclear thermal propulsion with aerobraking or nuclear electric propulsion for high activity levels. Solar electric propulsion was seen as having an important role if the present high unit cost (i.e., dollars per watt) of space photovoltaics could be reduced by a factor of five or more at production rates of megawatts per year.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Transportation analyses for the lunar-Mars initiative


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    1991-10-01


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    Space Station Evolution Logistics Lunar/Mars Initiative Case

    Tucker, Michael / Thrasher, David / Davidson, Gordon | NTRS | 1990


    Utilizing Lunar Architecture Transportation Elements for Mars Exploration

    St. Germain, Brad / Olds, John / Bradford, John et al. | AIAA | 2007


    Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Transportation Systems for Lunar/MARS Exploration

    J. S. Clark / S. K. Borowski / M. C. Mcilwain et al. | NTIS | 1992


    Nuclear thermal propulsion transportation systems for lunar/Mars exploration

    Clark, John S. / Borowski, Stanley K. / Mcilwain, Melvin C. et al. | NTRS | 1992


    Utilizing Lunar Architecture Transportation Elements for Mars Exploration AIAA Paper

    Germain, B.S. / Olds, J. / Bradford, J. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2007