Exploration Gateway:

With a return to the Moon’s surface returning to the table mid-way through 2011, during NASA evaluations into the new exploration plan, the concept of building a Gateway Platform at the International Space Station (ISS) and hosting it at a Lagrange point has become a large item of interest – not least since the Global Exploration Workshop last November.

Using the Gateway approach – the meeting concluded – utilizes “Near term focus on guiding capabilities, technologies and leveraging ISS,” prior to expanding to “Long term focus (on) Discovery Driven – and Enhanced by – Emerging Technologies.”

While the opening two missions of the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion (Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle) are currently manifested for trips around the Moon, the bulk of the schedule for the 2020s remains undefined, bar indicators that the roadmap would include missions to Near Earth Asteroids (NEA) and eventually Mars.

A Gateway would provide numerous supporting elements to a wide-ranging roadmap, not least an initial target of the Moon’s surface, but also via the potential for international collaboration, as overviewed in documentation into a crewed return to the moon – part of an ambitious plan put forward under the Boeing banner.

Such a deep space platform would be located at Earth-Moon Lagrange (EML) point 1 or 2, after being built from pre-launched hardware, providing the host station for a Lunar Lander (potentially reusable) – which would also be launched by the SLS.

The Gateway would first be constructed at the ISS, mainly using the Node 4/DHS (Docking Hub System), an orbiter external airlock, an MPLM (Multi-Purpose Logistics Module) habitat module, and an international module.

Once constructed, a space tug – powered either by solar electric or chemical propulsion – would be utilized to raise the platform to the EML point.

Such a proposal claims to have the platform ready for the arrival of crewed missions via the SLS by 2022.

While questions remain on the schedule of SLS’ availability, a potential solution to some of the challenges of enabling a space platform in the first place have been forwarded by Aerojet, promoting their current Solar Electric Propulsion technology – the same technology which enjoyed a staring role in the rescue of the Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite (AEHF-1).

Despite a nominal launch atop of an Atlas V – incidentally aided by three of Aerojet’s strap on solid rocket boosters – in August, 2010, a failure of the satellite’s subsystem resulted in the AEHF-1′s hydrazine-fueled liquid apogee engine (LAE) failing to carry out the required burns to place it correctly into Geostationary Orbit.

Thanks to some clever work via the satellite’s United States Air Force controllers and AEHF-1 teams, the $2 billion bird was saved via the ingenious use of the two smaller engines – namely the hydrazine-fueled Reaction Engine Assemblies (REAs) and later by the xenon-fueled Hall Current Thrusters (HCTs) – despite their primary role being one of positional stability on orbit.

The HCT thrusters – small motors that use electricity and xenon gas as propellant – do not have a large thrust level, but sport some amazing stamina, allowing them to fire over and over again for thousands of times.

While these motors can look forward to providing positional stability for upcoming satellites, along with long-distance trips with deep space spacecraft – a role Aerojet’s electric propulsion has successfully carried out on a huge range of spacecraft (a large amount remain operational today – click image for larger graphic) - a potential marriage between SEP and the Exploration Gateway plan has been promoted by the Californian company.

“We believe that Aerojet’s current Solar Electric Propulsion technology, such as that used to rescue AEHF, is immediately applicable to a key role in Human Space,” noted Julie Van Kleeck, Aerojet Vice President, Space & Launch System in an interview with NASASpaceflight.com.

“For example, a 25-40 kW SEP vehicle using current technology can pre-position a human-tended habitat at L-2 to support initial Orion missions. This approach would provide an immediate deep space destination for astronauts, and L-2 is an excellent way-station to the rest of the solar system.”

Playing to one of SEP’s strengths, such a vehicle would be relatively low in mass – when compared to its liquid propellant counterparts – aiding the launch vehicle used to loft such a vehicle en-route to its in-space role, while reducing the need for numerous refueling stations to assist thirsty spacecraft – otherwise known as propellant depots.

“In addition to delivering habitat modules to L-2, this 25-40 kW SEP vehicle enables an affordable and sustainable logistics transportation system for an L2 human outpost,” added Ms Van Kleeck. “Additionally this same vehicle supports a wide range of other potential destinations such as L-1, a 70,000 km way-station and lunar orbit. 

“The dramatic reduction in in-space propellant requirements enabled by SEP results in a 2X reduction in launcher delivery requirements to complete a mission, which will reduce the need for architectures like propellant depots.”

In recommending SEP technology for a role in NASA’s opening salvo of exploration missions, Aerojet believe they can assist as a facilitator towards enabling and supplying a platform, which itself would provide a key element of a viable exploration plan.

“A near-term operational SEP mission using current technologies serves three critical functions for human spaceflight,” Ms Van Kleeck noted.

“First, it provides an affordable transportation approach for the first deep-space destination for Orion.  Second, it establishes mission operation techniques and capabilities necessary for deep-space exploration.  Third, it provides a low-risk platform on which to validate subsystem/component technologies for follow-on vehicles. 

“These three critical outcomes, which follow the building block approach used over the past 50 years in the human spaceflight program, are why Aerojet recommends this near-term use of current technology Solar Electric Propulsion.”

Aerojet also have ambitions with the key component of the current exploration plan, via the upcoming evaluations into the advanced boosters which will provide the long-term assist of SLS’ ride uphill during first stage.

An article on Aerojet and SLS, along with other items of interest, will be forthcoming.

(Images: Via Aerojet, NASA and L2 content, driven by L2′s fast exapanding SLS specific L2 section, which includes, presentations, videos, graphics and internal updates on the SLS and HLV, available on no other site.)

(L2 is – as it has been for the past several years – providing full exclusive SLS coverage, available no where else on the internet. To join L2, click here: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/l2/)

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Design Reference Mission – Roadmap Work:

As the plan currently stands, 14 Design Reference Missions (DRM) have been created as part of the ongoing SLS Concept Of Operations (Con Ops) process and Exploration Roadmap evaluations, under what is known as “Cycle C” evaluations. (Update Area – L2 Link).

Opening with the politically-requested support for the International Space Station (ISS) – which would result in the overkill of using the Space Launch System (SLS) Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (HLV) being used to send what is now a Beyond Earth Orbit (BEO) Orion to the orbital outpost, in the event of a major failure of the commercial ISS support contracts – the plan quickly moves on to the Moon.

With SLS-1 and SLS-2 trips to Lunar Orbit effectively being the test flights for the uncrewed and crewed opening missions, refinements have been made to bring the Deep Space Hab (DSH) earlier into the roadmap, pointing once again at the ambitious “Gateway Platform” potentially becoming part of what is tagged as the CIS_LP1_1A/B/C DRMs.

Again showing its strength of late, the push to return humans to the lunar surface are listed as LUN_SOL_1A for Polar Access and LUN_CRG_1A for cargo to be sent to the surface of the Moon.

It is hoped that such missions could be enabled by the early 2020s, with an eye on setting up a lunar base, likely via international cooperation and commercial ambitions.

“Minimum” to “Full” capability missions to a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) have five DRMs currently under evaluation, likely ahead of being traded down.

These missions would all require its own giant leap in planning – not least from the aspect of life support and contingency evaluations – as the flights would result in crews traveling the great ever distance from Earth in human history.

These DRMs will be expanded on in future articles during the evaluations to solidify the roadmap.

Design Reference Mission – Mars:

By far the greatest challenge, Mars is not being shown as part of the Cycle C evaluations, as much as they are listed under “Forward Work” – with the DRM tags of MAR_PHD_1A and MAR_SFC_1A.

However, these DRMs alone provide clues into the thinking of the Exploration Roadmap team, which appears to be following the Flexible Path approach – a presentation which remains the most recent and comprehensive outline into achieving a crewed mission to Mars, built out of the recommendations from the Augustine Committee into Human Space Flight.

“A human Mars Orbit/Phobos Mission represents an intermediate step between human exploration missions in near-Earth space and human missions to explore the surface of Mars,” opened the expansive section on the manned missions to Mars/Phobos in the 65 page NASA internal “Flexible Path” presentation (available to download in L2 – Link).

“Key features could include demonstration of in-space hardware elements designed for Mars missions while accomplishing scientific and exploration objectives both at Mars and on Phobos.”

The debut manned mission to the Mars region would likely use a “short stay” trajectory (“opposition class”). Total mission durations for the short-stay missions range from 550-650 days, with 30 to 40 days in the vicinity of Mars.

During this scenario, over 95 percent of the total mission time is spent in the deep-space interplanetary environment with the balance spent in the vicinity of Mars. Duration of the transit legs ranges from a minimum of 190 days and maximum in excess of 400 days.

Conjunction-class missions (about 20-40 percent longer in total but with over 12 times the stay) are also feasible for a Phobos mission.

A Phobos mission – used as a precursor to a crewed mission to Mars – may be the main initial focus by proxy, primarily from two standpoints; a learning curve for a future mission to Mars, and the Mars science that can be gained from Phobos.

Phobos also presents a number of Mars-like challenges to a manned mission, allowing NASA engineers and astronauts to learn how to approach a subsequent Mars mission.

“One of the significant advantages a Phobos mission would be to demonstrate many of the technical and operational approaches needed for Mars missions without yet having all the required systems, or committing the crew to a full-duration surface stay,” added the presentation. 

“A Phobos mission could drive and demonstrate solutions of these items.”

The Phobos element is reviewed in greater detail via the previous article covering this element of the Flexible Plan.

For additional Flexible Path articles – See also:
Part 1: Battle of the Heavy Lift Launchers – Monster 200mt vehicle noted
Part 2: Manned mission to construct huge GEO and deep space telescopes proposed
Part 3: NASA Flexible Path Evaluation of 2025 human mission to visit an asteriod

Multiple Launches and Challenges For Mars Surface Mission:

A fleet of SLS’ would be required for a single crewed mission to Mars mission, including other numerous vehicles, most of which are very much at the conceptual stage of design.

NASA Glenn teams are understood to be reworking a baseline video into a Mars mission (Nine minute CGI video available on L2 – Link), in order to provide a general baseline using SLS – a video which already shows the challenges of an actual crewed mission to Mars.

Currently, there is no agreed baseline approach for setting up a mission to Mars, with the Flexible Path noting the requirement of 10-15 HLV launches – via the use of chemical (LH2/LOX) rockets, while the video shows a launch campaign using seven HLVs, sporting nuclear propulsion stages.

“Due to the wide variability of the short stay class trajectories the number of propulsive stages varies with opportunity, as will the number of HLV launches. Assuming hydrogen-oxygen in-space propulsion, the number of HLV launches varies between 10 and 15,” noted the Flexible Path approach.

The Mars campaign video shows seven HLVs launching the major elements of three vehicles using NTR (Nuclear Thermal Rocket) propulsion, namely the MLV Cargo Vehicle – created from two HLV launches, the MLV Habitat Vehicle – created from two HLV launches, and the MTV Crew Transfer Vehicle – created from three HLV launches. All three vehicles are assembled in Low Earth Orbit.

Via the mission campaign outlined in the video, the first two HLV launches are focused on sending up the two major elements known as propulsive stages. These stages are placed into Low Earth Orbit (LEO), in order to wait for the rest of the vehicle elements to arrive for rendezvous.

HLV launches 3 and 4 are used to deliver the Habitat and Cargo Landers, large elements of hardware which are depicted as sitting on top of the HLV without the need for a fairing.

Each of these elements rendezvous and dock with their propulsion stages in LEO and depart enroute to Mars, each displaying one large solar array and two smaller arrays.

According to the video, these two vehicles both arrive at Mars, with the cargo lander separating from its propulsion stages ahead of a decent to the Martian surface aided by three large parachutes and six descent engines – as much as this is all via a notional design via NASA Glenn teams.

Numerous vehicles are hosted on the cargo lander, including Space Exploration Vehicles (SEV) which may debut during a Moon surface mission.

As seen in the video, a robotic cart can be seen leaving the cargo lander and setting up the deployment of the Fission Surface Power System (FSPS) and radiators, again working under the notion of a mission utilizing nuclear power.

As noted by NASA, power requirements for human-tended surface outposts and bases are expected to range from 25 to 100 kWe during the early build-up phases. As the base becomes fully operational with in-situ resource production and closed-loop life support, power requirements could approach 1 MW.

The most mass-efficient means of providing high power for surface missions is through the use of nuclear fission systems.

With the stage set on the Martian surface for the arrival of the crew, three HLVs are tasked with launching the major elements of the Mars Transport Vehicle (MTV), with the hardware deployed and rendezvous in LEO.

This vehicle includes a Deep Space Hab and the Orion the crew will eventually splashdown in upon their return to Earth.

The crew is then launched to the assembled vehicle on another Orion, which is undocked as the crew ingress the MTV.

Ahead of departing LEO, the MTV is seen deploying four large solar arrays for the transit to Mars.

This mission profile does concur with the Flexible Path approach, as much as it is obvious: “Once all of the in-space propulsive stages are assembled in LEO, the crew is launched via Orion and the crew departs for Mars.”

However, with no Ares I available – since its cancellation – and the HLV being mainly used to launch the large MTV/Cargo elements, a potential change may be to launch the Orions via a Delta IV-H, for example.

Arriving at the Red Planet aft first – to allow for deceleration – the MTV carries out a propulsive Mars Orbit Capture manuever.

The crew then enter the attached Orion, undock from the MTV and dock with the orbiting Habitat Lander waiting for them in Mars orbit.

The Orion then undocks unmanned and redocks with the MTV, as the Habitat Lander – now containing the crew – begins its descent to the Martian surface.

Using Hypersonic Aero-assisted Deceleration, the lander enters the Martian atmosphere, separates its aeroshell and carries out Supersonic Retro-Propulsive braking – again deploying three large parachutes prior to a powered landing.

Under this mission profile, the crew spend 500+ days exploring Mars (Surface Exploration Phase) via EVAs both on foot and via the use of SEVs – stationed at a Martian base consisting of the two landers, and other erected support structures, including – per the video – an inflatable habitat linked by an airlock and hooked up to one of the landers.

The other lander is staged at a distance from the base structures, which is where the astronauts will translate to during their final moments on the planet.

This lander hosts their means of leaving the Martian surface, as they launch via what is again a notional vehicle known as the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV).

Per the video, this vehicle uses three large engines to launch the crew off the surface and back into Mars orbit where they rendezvous and dock with the MTV.

Shortly after docking, the MAV – along with any contingency consumables – are jettisoned whilst still in Mars orbit.

The MTV again fires its three engines and the crew begin their trip back to Earth.

Upon arrival back in the vicinity of Earth, the crew leave the MTV’s DSH for a final time and ingress into the Orion, which undocks and re-enters Earth’s atmosphere for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean under parachutes.

Again, the above mission is likely to occur after a mission to one of the Martian moons, with the Flexible Path citing a shorter duration stay for a Phobos mission that also includes a unique return element in the flight profile, specifically a fly-by of Venus.

“On arrival at Mars the crew propulsively captures into orbit and eventually maneuvers to Phobos rendezvous. After a 40 day stay in the vicinity of Mars, the crew departs for Earth return. The return leg is targeted for a Venus flyby to reduce the propulsive requirement,” added the Flexible Path approach.

“Since this leg likely passes inside the orbit of Venus, such a mission would include the closest approach to the Sun by a human crew. Small asteroid flyby opportunities may also exist on such trajectories. The crew can participate in science investigation of flyby objects from a unique perspective.

“The Orion used to launch and board the crew is also used to return them to Earth via direct entry. The Crew Transfer Vehicle (or MTV) is targeted to flyby Earth and is expended in deep space.”

Making the case for Phobos first, the Flexible Path again stresses the challenges with a Mars surface mission, and the need to learn how to safely carry out such an ambitious deep space missions before taking on the ultimate challenge of the Red Planet itself.

“Our choice to include a short-stay human visit to Phobos as a step toward humans-on-Mars is outside the framework of missions extensively analysed by recent agency Mars mission planning, which have focused on Mars surface missions themselves.

“Such a mission is suggested by the Augustine Committee as a possible element of a Flexible Path strategy, so it bears examination.

“Assessment of the value of such a mission compared to the risk of sending crew on a multi-year, deep-space mission is a function not only of the potential science return, inter-operation with parallel robotic Mars surface missions, and direct feed-forward to human Mars surface missions, but also of the unique technical challenges and risks it would impose, and also how “fast” the program intends to get to the surface of Mars.”

As such, it appears that the 2011-2012 effort to create an Exploration Roadmap via the use of SLS has initially sided with recommendations made at the Augustine Committee review, placing a Martin mission to one of its moons ahead of a Mars surface mission.

“A human Mars Orbit/Phobos Mission represents an intermediate step between human exploration missions in near Earth space and human missions to explore the surface of Mars. Key features could include demonstration of in-space hardware elements designed for Mars missions while accomplishing scientific and exploration objectives both at Mars and on Phobos.

“At the completion of this mission, design solutions for and demonstrations of in-space hardware elements designed for human Mars surface mission will have been accomplished, as will significant scientific and exploration objectives at Mars and Phobos. Significant such objectives include gathering and preliminary analysis of samples from both Mars and Phobos, including samples from candidate landing site for future human crews.

“This mission could build on prior deep space missions by human crews in Earth-Moon space and to NEOs. It would leave a legacy of better understanding of both Mars and Phobos, along with a foundation for human missions to the surface of Mars. Achieving that legacy through such a mission would require meeting some unique challenges not needed for subsequent Mars surface missions.”

However, given the sad fact NASA’s continued funding uncertainty provides its own challenge for missions which may be two decades away, any outline of a human mission to Mars remains tightly locked up in fancy powerpoints and videos.

It is also possible that by the time a crewed mission to Mars is ramped up, new propulsion concepts may be available to improve the approach.

Either way, a crewed mission to Mars requires political support via solid funding over several Presidencies, many of whom would no longer be in office by the time the mission was carried out. That may prove to be the biggest challenge of all.

Images: Via L2 content, NASA and John Frasanito & Associates inc.)

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EFT-1:

The mission was initially targeting for July, 2013 – before slipping to October, 2013 – per Lockheed Martin updates relating to the EFT-1 launch date (L2 Link). However, it was noted at that time that Orion/MPCV (Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle) teams outside of JSC were speaking of December, 2013 at earliest, with a likely slip into 2014.

When NASA officially announced the mission, an “early 2014″ date was listed, as much as no definitive reason was given to the new placement on the schedule, although it is likely to be related to spreading program costs over a longer period.

The latest launch date now appears to be Q2 (Second Quarter) or Spring, 2014 – as is expected to be manifested at the conclusion of the contract negotiations.

While it is understood the schedule is not being impacted by the Orion set to fly – an uncrewed vehicle which continues to be manufactured at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans – the entire EFT-1 deal has a large amount of in-built complexity due to the numerous cross-partnership deals in place for this mission.

For the purchase of the required Delta IV-Heavy, Lockheed Martin have had to work a deal with NASA for purchasing one of the launch vehicles, a deal which is then updated to one between Lockheed Martin and the United Launch Alliance (ULA). Lockheed Martin and Boeing make up the ULA, the joint company is the body responsible for the Delta IV-H.

For the actual mission, a Joint Test and Mission Operations Team – consisting of NASA MOD (Mission Operations Directorate) and Lockheed Martin personnel – has already been approved, supporting the development phase of the mission, through the real-time test flight support operation and post test flight vehicle processing.

Lockheed Martin are the contractor for Orion under a multi-billion dollar NASA deal, which has also undergone a huge amount of stress via the Constellation Program (CxP), its cancellation, and then the subsequent reinstatement of Orion into the new exploration program, which is mainly tasked with building the Space Launch System (SLS).

SLS won’t be ready by at least 2017, meaning Orion – which was initially designed to ride atop of the much-different Ares I launch vehicle, a vehicle which caused numerous design changes to the spacecraft and visa versa – will have waited nine years to actually fly into space since its announcement as the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), on a mission which will be at least five years before its debuted crewed mission with SLS-2.

It has been argued that the main reason Orion has suffered from a troublesome childhood is due to political/funding issues, as was intimated during the Augustine Commission’s review into NASA’s Human Space Flight program, which deemed Constellation to be technically sound, but lacking in funding to achieve pre-scheduled milestones.

Although Orion has been re-tasked as a Beyond Earth Orbit (BEO) spacecraft, it is likely its commercial sister, SpaceX’s Dragon – which also has BEO ambitions – will have already travelled to the ISS several times by the time Orion launches on its debut.

This mission – involving two orbits to a high-apogee, with a high-energy re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere on what is a multi-hour test, testing critical re-entry flight performance data and demonstrating early integration capabilities – is required, as outlined in a released document setting out the “Justification for other than full and open competition” for awarding the contract for EFT-1 to Lockheed Martin Space Systems Corp.

“NASA has a one-time requirement for critical performance data from an integrated flight test of the Orion spacecraft as part of the Orion Design, Development, Test and Evaluation (DDT&E) phase,” noted the opening remarks. “The EFT-1 is an early test flight required by early 2014, of the Orion spacecraft that is currently being developed by Lockheed Martin.

“The EFT-1 flight test of the Orion spacecraft is required to facilitate earlier and more robust testing of critical Orion systems that contribute to 10 of the 16 highest risks to crew survivabilitu and exploration mission failure, including parachutes, back shell and heat shield Thermal Protection System, Forward Bay Cover separation contact and flight software.”

The document also points out that the EFT-1 schedule is directly associated with the milestone of Orion’s Critical Design Review (CDR), which is currently set for April, 2015.

Click here for recent Orion articles: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/tag/orion/

“The CDR is a critical DDT&E milestone, where the contractor discloses its complete spacecraft system design in full detail, identifying areas where technical problems and design anomalies have been resolved,” the document states.

“Successful completion of the CDR will validate that the contractor’s spacecraft design maturity is at an acceptable level that justifies the decision to initiate fabrication/manufacturing, integration and verification of the flight hardware and software.”

With the support of EFT-1 for the CDR process, those testing elements which cannot be conducted on the ground or via simulations will provide NASA with “significant risk reduction” whilst “providing an opportunity to identify technical problems and design anomalies” – directly feeding into the EM1 (Exploration Mission-1) Orion which will launch on SLS’ debut mission in 2017.

The document went on to focus on the contract, noting both Boeing and SpaceX did respond to the original solicitation. However, they were only in a position to offer the launch vehicle capability, as opposed to the full “end-to-end EFT-1 effort” required by NASA.

Several Orions were – and continue to be – in various stages of testing and manufacture across the States in 2011 and through to 2012 – such as the vibration testing at Lockheed Martin’s Denver facilities and the water drop tests at NASA’s Langley Flight Research Center (LaRC), since completed – along with the EFT-1 work at MAF.

(Images: Via L2 content, NASA and ULA). L2′s new Orion and Future Spacecraft specific L2 section includes, presentations, videos, graphics and internal updates on Orion and other future spacecraft.

(L2 is – as it has been for the past several years – providing full exclusive future vehicle coverage, available no where else on the internet. To join L2, click here: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/l2/)

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KSC Improvements:

The most iconic launch site in the world has fallen silent since the end of the Space Shuttle Program (SSP), but it at least hopes to transition into vitally important future role – one which will not only provide a home base for a number of commercial launch companies, but one which will eventually host crewed missions to Mars.

Although NASA is at the mercy of the ever-changing political climate, and a lot of NASA’s future ideas tend to remain as powerpoint presentations, actual work towards the future is already taking place at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), part of the 21st Century Space Launch Complex drive.

One of the largest projects involves the revitalization of the KSC Water and Wastewater Systems, which have been in place since the spaceport’s initial construction, back during the drive towards the Apollo moon missions.

This effort is now into phase 3 of a multi-phased effort which will – through various enhancements – improve water quality, reduce water consumption and required flushing, replace or repair ageing pipes that are susceptible to breaks or leaks, and increase overall water and wastewater system reliability.

Despite its less-than-glamorous name, the Water and Wastewater system are vital arteries to operations throughout the center for restrooms, food preparation, fire protection and sound suppression at the launch pads – and can be seen stretching the entire length of the Crawlerway, before forking to both Pad 39A and Pad 39B.

“Upcoming activities of particular interest to the KSC population include parallel replacement of the 16-inch and 12-inch asbestos cement water mains with new ductile iron pipe along NASA Parkway from Kennedy Parkway to the Roy D. Bridges Bridge (aka Banana River Bridge); and segregation of fire and potable water supplies from the Turn Basin out to Launch Complex 39 with 4-inch and 3-inch PVC mains, respectively,” noted a construction update via L2 (L2 Link to presentation).

“There are several ways in which this construction will affect our workplace, including temporary roadway, lane and shoulder closures, temporary water outages or reduced water pressure for certain facilities, closed sidewalks or parking lot entrances, increased construction traffic, and temporary restroom closures.”

The work – contracted to Speegle Construction II, Inc – is set to be completed in the Spring of 2013.

Currently, Pad 39B is preparing to host the Space Launch System (SLS), following its conversion from a Shuttle pad into what is known as a “Clean Pad”. Such a design is required to create the space for the use of the Mobile Launcher (ML) on site, which made its debut trip to the pad at the end of last year.

Pad 39A is currently mothballed as a Shuttle pad, as much as it will never host one of the iconic shuttle stacks ever again. It is likely that the pad will be leased to an unnamed commercial suitor, who may in turn convert the pad for their needs.

Some of the old infrastructure remains at 39B – such as the the giant water tower – remain in place at the converted pad, and will live on with the SLS program.

The Water Tower holds hundreds of thousands of gallons of water, which rushes down a plumbing system into the zero level deck of the Mobile Launch Platform, providing the required rush of water to supply the Sound Suppression System – which protects the launch vehicle from acoustical energy reflected from the platform during lift-off.

As noted in the construction update, the tower at 39B is also receiving a facelift, both internally and externally.

“A construction contract was recently awarded to RUSH Construction, Inc. to perform repair work on the Pad B Water Tower and Sound Suppression System. The scope of work includes repairs to the interior of the 300,000-gallon, 285-foot elevated water tank (constructed in the late1970s), repairs to the piping system, and sandblasting and recoating of the exterior of the tank, piping and associated supports.

“Scaffolding is being erected around the structure to provide access to perform the necessary refurbishment. Pad B remains a construction zone with access restricted to official business coordinated through the Pad B Operations Office. The area around the water tower is designated a construction site and access is coordinated through the construction management team.”

The Tower is expected to be revamped by July of this year.

Fire protection deficiencies in various high-value facilities at KSC are also being rectified and upgraded, which involves the installation of new wet pipe, dry pipe or pre-action fire suppression systems inside various KSC facilities; new underground water mains; and modifications to existing fire alarm systems to support the new fire suppression systems.

“Many KSC facilities were built prior to the development of NASA and KSC fire protection standards that require fire suppression systems in offices and areas containing critical systems or hardware,” added the update. “These projects are part of a phased, multi-year plan designed to provide a safer working environment for KSC employees and improve mission reliability for future programs.”

Numerous buildings at KSC are listed, from fire stations to the Operations and Checkout (O&C) building – with the latter currently undergoing a large renovation effort, which is now into Phase 5 of the work.

“This is the final phase of the O&C office area revitalization – to modernize the entire first floor – and is being executed in two stages, with the eastern half of the building currently in work,” noted the update on the building, most famous to the public as the facility from where the astronauts appeared in their flight suits ahead of boarding the Astrovan. Astronauts were housed inside the O&C building ahead of launch.

“The renovation includes new modular offices and furniture, modernized conference rooms and centralized pantries and break rooms. It also incorporates  significant upgrades to the facility infrastructure, including a new fire sprinkler system, new energy-efficient lighting, new HVAC systems, and new communications and data networks.

Upgrades to the lobby, sundry store, elevators, stairwells and bathrooms also are included.

“In addition to the interior work, all parking lots at the O&C will be resurfaced and reconfigured for improved traffic flow. The north parking lot is complete. Work to resurface the west parking lot began in November.

“The north, south, east and west parking lots will be completed separately to minimize parking congestion. Exterior work will include replacement of windows and a covered seating area adjacent to the cafeteria.”

The work is set to be completed in April, 2013 – and is being carried out by Sauer Construction, via design work by Jacobs Engineering.

KSC is also preparing to host the new Orion crew vehicle, with work conducted inside the Multi-Payload Processing Facility (MPPF).

The first Orion set to arrive in Florida will be the Exploration Flight Test (EFT-1) Orion, which is currently being constructed at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans. This Orion will be launched by a Delta IV-Heavy in early 2014.

“This project was designed to equip the Multi-Payload Processing Facility (MPPF), M7-1104, with reliable HVAC infrastructure to support future program needs, and specifically was developed to enable use of the facility in support of Orion processing operations,” the update added.

Given the work – carried out by Precision Mechanical – was only due to last a month, this phase of renovation has now been completed and is now into the turnover operations.

“The scope of work included the replacement of the existing chilled-water system, chilled-water pumps and make-up air units.  In order to maximize energy conservation during low-load scenarios, a smaller chiller was installed, along with the necessary controls modifications.”

(Images via L2 and NASA).

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The Basics: Setting the stage and making sure we’re ready:

As has always been the case with NASA, getting humankind to an asteroid will involve a phased approach beginning with utilization of the premiere science laboratory NASA and its international partners have spent the last 13 years constructing in Low Earth Orbit (LEO): the International Space Station.

According to a NASA presentation at the Human Space Exploration Community Workshop on the GER, “Targeted utilization of the ISS to advance capabilities needed for human exploration” is the first step in making the “Asteroid Next” path a reality.

An initial focus on the ISS is a logical step in the process to moving humanity beyond LEO as the science lab provides an excellent platform for continuous learning – in both a technological and human experience sense – for the types of long-duration missions that will be needed to execute a mission to a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA).

However, equally as important as using the ISS will be NASA’s ability to adequately reach and utilize the Space Station – something that will rely on the new commercial development contracts NASA has with certain burgeoning commercial space companies as well as the development of NASA’s new SLS (Space Launch System) rocket.

In fact, Commercial Crew and Commercial Cargo Servicing and Support Systems are listed as the two most immediate and important/decisive factors in making the “Asteroid Next” plan a reality.

But it cannot be overlooked that while commercial contracts, vehicles, and services are deemed significantly important to the “Asteroid Next” philosophy, so too are numerous robotic precursor missions prior to 2020 on the part of the NASA, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), ESA (European Space Agency), CSA (Canadian Space Agency), and Roscosmos (the Russian Federal Space Agency) – some of which are already in flight and some of which have yet to launch.

In fact, these five major space agencies are all on track to complete NEA fly-bys and samplings before the end of the decade, missions that would eventually lead to two robotic precursor missions to two NEAs in 2024 and 2027.

If the development side of the equation does in fact come to fruition (from a vehicle, technology, and precursor standpoint), the “Asteroid Next” presentation demonstrates an ability to launch the first crewed NEA mission by 2028.

Click here for other NEO Articles: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/tag/neo/

Phase I: ISS utilization and initial capability development/demonstration:

Under this first phase of the plan, which would begin in 2012 and continue through 2019, the development of the technology and knowledge necessary for NEA missions would be created both in orbit on the ISS and on the ground.

For the ground side of development, significant resources would be devoted to the development of the next generation of space vehicles, including the SLS rocket, a new Russian rocket, an Exploration Test Module, and robotic servicing and support systems.

Specifically, the presentation outlines NASA’s SLS rocket, the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), Roscosmos’s Next Generation Space Launch Vehicle, Roscosmos’s Next Generation Spacecraft (“Crew vehicle capable of delivering a crew to exploration destination and back to Earth” – 500mb of Russian documentation available in L2), and a new Cryogenic Propellant Stage (CPS) – an “in-space stage that provides delta V to architecture elements using traditional chemical rocket engines, cryogens, and storables and may include the capability for propellant transfer.”

Moreover, the presentation also outlines the Servicing Support Systems, defined here as “systems and tools to enable crew and robots to service in-space systems and assemble larger capabilities, including extravehicular activity suits.”

Under this plan, the “Mission Scenario: Asteroid Next” presentation notes that “advancing in-space habitation capability for long duration” missions, developing “Subsystem high reliability and commonality and advanced extravehicular activity and robotics capabilities,” as well as developing “long-term storage and management of cryogenic fluids” technologies are all necessary in the coming decade to accomplish a 2028 crewed NEA mission.

Moreover, in the arena of in-space technology development, the presentation specifically notes the Deep Space Habitat, an “in-space habitat with relevant subsystems for the purpose of advancing capabilities and systems requiring access to a deep space environment.”

Also beginning the development process at this time would be the Advanced In-Space Propulsion Stage – a “nontraditional propulsion technology, such as high-power electric and nuclear propulsion” that would eventually be used in place of traditional chemical propulsion to deliver crew and In-Space Destination Systems (“systems [that] have the capabilities that enable humans to effectively complete in-space destination objectives by enabling access”) to NEAs.

This stage of the developmental process would also include “technology demonstrations” on the ground and in orbit from 2012-2017 leading up to the launch of the Exploration Test Module in 2018.

This Exploration Test Module would then be the host of at least three crewed mission in 2020 and 2021 via the SLS and MPCV. These three missions would be designed to fundamentally increase our knowledge of human living outside of Low Earth Orbit and develop our robotic capabilities.

Phase II: Cis-Lunar servicing and deployment:

Following the first stage of the plan, the second phase would see crewed missions to the Exploration Test Module in the initial years of the 2020 decade.

As related by the “Asteroid Next” presentation, these mission would be “In-space habitation for long durations in the appropriate radiation environment” to gain further knowledge and information on “radiation protection and measurement techniques; demonstration of beyond Low Earth Orbit re-entry speeds; subsystem high reliability and commonality [and] repair at the lowest level [while] living without a supply chain” – something which is extremely important for eventual multi-month/year missions away from Earth.

Additional milestones for this phase of “Asteroid Next” include development and activation of “Automated delivery and deployment of systems, long-term storage and management of cryogenic fluids, and simulations of near-Earth asteroid mission operational concepts.”

Moreover, the Exploration Test Module would quickly be replaced by the Deep Space Habitat (DSH) to be launched by the SLS rocket and delivered to the Earth-Moon 1 Lagrange point – which gives the added benefit of practicing operations in a gravitationally null point in the Earth-Moon system.

For the DSH, a total of six crewed mission would be planned. While the missions would be tailored in terms of duration to fit specific mission requirements, opening assessments point to an initial 2023 flight to the DSH lasting 14 days with 4 crew members.

This would be followed by an un-crewed resupply mission to DSH by the SLS rocket in preparation for a second crewed mission the following year. This second crewed mission would also fly with 4 people and last for 30 days. The third mission would be flown a year after the second and consist of a 60-day mission with four crewmembers.

The next year would see a four-person crew staying for 90 days at the DSH before a 180-day mission the following year.

This would all lead up to a full year (365-day) mission to DSH in the sixth year.

Under this plan, six crewed SLS rockets would be needed, as would two cargo SLS rockets and two resupply SLS rockets. The missions would result in 739 days of crewed habitation on the DSH.

However, the option would also exist to execute a myriad of missions. As noted by the “Asteroid Next” presentation, “Multiple options available for crew duration depending on the type and number of cargo launches committed to support resupply for increasing mission duration.”

In all, the option exists to conduct five 30-day missions followed by a 365-day mission (resulting in 515 days of crewed habitation at DSH and two SLS resupply rockets); a 30-day, 90-day, 180-day mission followed by three 365-day missions for a total of 1,395 days of crewed habitation with three SLS resupply rockets and a total of 11 SLS launches; or six straight 365-day missions resulting in 2,190 days of crewed habitation at DSH, four SLS resupply missions, and 12 total SLS rocket launches over six years.

Simultaneous to the crewed missions to DSH would be two robotic precursor missions to the NEAs that would be targeted for the crewed NEA missions.

As noted by the “Asteroid Next” presentation, “Some NEAs are solid, some are an aggregation of particles, and all rotate at various rates. Precursor robotic missions to the eventual human mission targets will allow us to refine destination systems performance that will be required to explore the chosen NEA.”

Under this plan, the robotic precursor mission would arrive between three to five years ahead of the crewed mission so that mission planners, engineers, and scientists could discuss and examine any and all options, system designs, and scientific experiments that would need to be in place for the follow-on crewed mission.

In particular, these robotic precursor missions would be sent to identify precise “orbital position, system type (e.g. binary or ternary), spin rate, debris field, internal structure, near-surface structure and regolith, gravitational field, mineralogical/chemical composition, thermal properties, and radiation environment” – all necessary items to have cataloged before the arrival of humans.

At this point, the stage would be set for a crewed mission to a NEA.

Phase III: Deep Space Exploration:

With Phase III comes fruition.  During this phase of operation, humankind would make its first two crewed trips to NEAs.

Under this part of the “Asteroid Next” philosophy, demonstrations of “in-space habitation capability for long durations and advanced in-space propulsion systems” would be tested – knowledge and technologies that would eventually be used to take humans to Mars.

In addition, a continued focus on “long-term storage and management of cryogenic fluids, automated delivery and deployment of systems, subsystems high reliability and commonality [and] repair at the lowest level [while] living without a supply chain, and demonstration of Mars mission transportation operational concepts” would be had.

Under this plan, the first crewed mission to a NEA would begin in 2028 and conclude around 2030, with the second crewed NEA mission beginning in 2033 and concluding in 2035.

During the missions, the crews would spend approximately seven, 14, or 30 days at the NEA of choice, conducting surface EVA missions to deploy “probes (radar, acoustics, seismometers, etc.), experiments, and planetary defense devices.”

These surface missions would be accomplished with small utility craft while the main “mothership stack” – consisting of the In-Space Enhanced Propulsion unit, the DSH, and the MPCV – remained at a standoff distance from the NEA of approximately 1-2 kilometers.

(Images: L2 Content, NASA)

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EFT-1 Orion Construction Update:

Scheduled to be the first Orion to fly into space, EFT-1 spacecraft is taking shape at MAF, as engineers weld the panels of the cone section together.

The first welds – marking the start of construction efforts on the EFT-1 Orion – were completed in September, using an innovative new friction stir welding process, developed especially for Orion construction.

This new approach is proving to be a learning curve, as seen this month, when welding was put on hold due to some out-of-family observations on the composite panels – as much as this was not related to the welding operation itself.

“The Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) hardware processing continues to uncover new technical issues. The composite panels being fabricated are experiencing a “curling” effect. Some modifications to the process have been implemented, while analysis is ongoing to expand the requirements for flatness,” noted information in L2′s Orion production update section.

“The EFT-1 flight tunnel post-fabrication material analysis is indicated reduced material properties. A change in the rib height to stiffen the tunnel is in work.

“The pathfinder tunnel to forward bulkhead weld NDE (Non Destructive Evaluation) passed with no issues. However, when cutouts were made (for analysis) cracks in the weld were created. Analysis is ongoing at this time, and further welding is on hold.”

This issue appears to have been resolved, as the update notes which followed confirmed the continuation of welding operations, as the milestone of the hatch becoming part of the vehicle was reached.

“Successful Weld of the Hatch Panel: At the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana, the build-up of the EFT-1 flight vehicle continued with the prepping, tack welding and final welding of the cone hatch panel to Longeron #6,” added the notes for the second week in November.

“The next scheduled weld to take place will be Cone Panel D to Longeron #4.”

The notes added that the fabrication of the inboard panel #3 was also completed, and is currently being tested. This is one of the Service Module panels which will be assembled at KSC.

“EFT-1 Service Module Inboard Panel #3 started Non-Destructive Evaluations and was placed in the test tool at the Michoud Assembly Facility.”

While no humans will ride on the crew-capable EFT-1 spacecraft, access to the inside of the vehicle will be important throughout the flow. However, it is unlikely to match the pre-launch procedures which will be seen ahead of its ride with the Space Launch System (SLS), given EFT-1 involves the use of a Delta IV-Heavy launch vehicle.

This test flight will launch from Cape Canaveral, which will result in access to Orion being lost when the Mobile Service Tower (MST) retracts several hours ahead of launch.

SLS/Orion launches will take place from Pad 39B, which will have access to the vehicle until the final few minutes of the countdown – as much as the pad will be clear several hours beforehand, bar an emergency – via the Mobile Launcher (ML), which is set to undergo a test rollout this week.

As noted by this site last week, EFT-1 was officially approved by NASA this month, as much as the subsequent release of confirmation by the Agency opted to note a 2014 launch date.

Notes on L2′s EFT-1 section did point towards this possibility, as much as the Orion MPCV (Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle) office at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) had aligned to a October 2013 launch date target, per Lockheed Martin’s contract for the EFT-1 launch date.

However, it was noted at that time that MPCV teams outside of JSC were speaking of December, 2013, and a likely slip into 2014.

There hasn’t been an official reason for the decision to release a 2014 date, although it can be assumed such a date does remove some of the pressure of having to inform the media of slipping launch dates, as was seen with the last major test of new vehicle hardware – namely the Ares I-X test flight. The early 2014 date is understood to be relatively achievable.

EFT-1 will fly two orbits to a high-apogee, with a high-energy re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere on what is a multi-hour test into critical re-entry flight performance data and demonstrate early integration capabilities for Orion.

“The entry part of the test will produce data needed to develop a spacecraft capable of surviving speeds greater than 20,000 mph and safely return astronauts from beyond Earth orbit,” noted Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations Bill Gerstenmaier on NASA’s official release on the test flight’s confirmation.

“This test is very important to the detailed design process in terms of the data we expect to receive.”

Orion’s EFT-1 flight will also involve a Delta IV-H Upper Stage, which is also involved in the opening Space Launch System (SLS) configurations for Orion’s debut runs to the Moon, which start in 2017.

“President Obama and Congress have laid out an ambitious space exploration plan, and NASA is moving out quickly to implement it,” NASA Associate Administrator for Communications David Weaver added. “This flight test will provide invaluable data to support the deep space exploration missions this nation is embarking upon.”

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Orion GTA Testing Update:

All Orion testing at Lockheed Martin’s Denver base is proceeding to plan, as their vehicle configuration provides a much clearer overview of how Orion will look when sat on top of the SLS.

As much as the Service Module (SM) design is still undergoing evaluation – which includes discussions about utilizing hardware from the European Space Agency’s ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) – the test vehicle includes an Orion Ground Test Article (GTA), in a Launch Abort Vehicle (LAV) configuration, with installed ogives and a mock SM.

“Production: The GTA Acoustic Test Case 3 LAV configuration with fillets and ogives installed and SM Closeout assembled was completed at Lockheed-Martin’s Reverberant Acoustic Lab (RAL) at Denver,” noted information in L2′s Orion production update section.

“Three test runs were performed at -9dB, -3dB and 0dB (149.1 dB) that represent the nominal launch acoustic environment. All data was reviewed with nominal performance. There will be much future model correlation work focused on the understanding of these three interfaces.”

This marked the completion of acoustic testing on the various configurations involving the Orion GTA, allowing the hardware elements to move into the next phase, known as Modal Testing – which includes vibration tests.

“The Loads & Dynamics team gave an OK to break configuration to re-configure for Modal Testing which is scheduled to start in mid November,” added the notes.

“GTA moved to High Bay. The Crew Module/Launch Abort System Ground Test Vehicle stack was moved from the test chamber to the high bay floor in order to changeover from the acoustic test configuration to the modal test configuration. Modal testing is set to begin on November 14.”

(Images: Via L2 content and NASA. This article was collated from L2′s new Orion and Future Spacecraft specific L2 section, which includes, presentations, videos, graphics and internal updates on Orion and other future spacecraft.

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Related posts:

1. Orion PDR delay could stretch into 2010 The requirement to carry out an additional Design Analysis Cycle...
2. Orion weight saving refinements continue – focus on ISS access The Lockheed Martin Orion spacecraft has received a new set...
3. Saving spaceship Orion – Zero Base Vehicle task complete NASA Constellation and Lockheed Martin engineers have completed the first...

Want To Become An Astronaut?:

As one of the most popular career choices as a young child, wanting to be an astronaut still holds the same lofty excitement as it always has, despite the retirement of the Space Shuttle fleet from NASA missions.

While there has been a level of negative impact to the public’s perception that NASA has given up on the Human Space Flight game, NASA is working on the awareness of the future roadmap for domestic human launches – set to begin no earlier than 2015 - even within their own centers.

“Even as we prepare KSC to support human exploration beyond our home planet, NASA is still in the human space flight business, with a permanent crew on the International Space Station (ISS) until at least 2020,” noted a memo sent to the KSC workforce.

“That means NASA is going to continue to require astronauts to support ISS operations and provide crew support for development of the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) – otherwise known as Orion - and the Space Launch System (SLS) Programs.

Orion’s 2017 debut mission will be unmanned, with the first crewed mission on the new NASA vehicle not expected to take place sooner than 2018, and maybe as late as 2021 – depending on the ongoing schedule evaluations.

The first domestic launch of a crew into space from US soil will likely be via one of the commercial vehicles, with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 set to launch humans via their Dragon crew capsules by the middle of the decade via the maturing of the NASA’s Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) contracts, which currently has four crewed transport vehicles aiming to transport crews to the International Space Station.

Fighting it out with Dragon is Blue Origin’s biconic-shape capsule, which will initially launch with the Atlas V launch vehicle, prior to hitching a lift uphill via its own Reusable Booster System (RBS). While one of the more popular proposals comes from the Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), with their Dream Chaser (DC) Space System (DCSS), given its appearance of a small orbiter.

Boeing’s CST-100 capsule, which – like Dream Chaster – is also set to ride atop of an Atlas V launch vehicle, is also in the mix at the CCDev-2 stage, and recently signed a deal to take over one of the Shuttle Orbiter Processing Facilities (OPF-3) to assemble and process the vehicles in a deal with Space Florida.

Although the bulk of astronaut training takes place at the Johnson Space Center (JSC), the encouraging of KSC employees to apply is no surprise, especially with KSC Center Director Bob Cabana being a former astronaut himself.

Former US Marine Corp Colonel flew four times into space, twice with shuttle Discovery during STS-41 and STS-53 as pilot, prior to flying with Columbia’s STS-65 mission and finally with Endeavour during STS-88 – the latter two as mission commander.

“As you may have heard, NASA will begin accepting applications in early November for another astronaut class to provide that support,” added the address. “We’ve had a number of folks from KSC selected in the past, and I would encourage you to apply if you’re at all interested.”

Requirements To Become An Astronaut:

A list of requirements were also listed in the memo, showing what remains strict rules on being able to apply to the astronaut class – barriers which will soon be broken down via the onset of commercial space flight, especially in the area of suborbital space tourism.

However, if you want the honor of flying as a NASA astronaut, which will also come with the history and esteem that was enjoyed by US citizens over the past 50 years, education, experience and good health are the three key drivers.

“Here are some of the basic qualifications: U.S. citizenship. Education: Undergraduate degree in engineering, physical or biological science, or math (may be computer science),” added the memo.

“Experience: Non-Pilot – 3 years of professional experience (this means after your qualifying degree, and it must be technical – graduate degrees may be substituted for experience). Pilot – 1,000 hours of flying time in jet aircraft.”

The requirements become even stricter if a candidate wishes to fly on the Russian Soyuz – noted as anthropometric requirements.

“Ability to pass NASA flight physical; some specifics: Distant and near visual acuity must be correctable to 20/20. Blood pressure not to exceed 140/90 in a sitting position,” the requirements continued. “Standing height between 62 and 75 inches (have to meet anthropometric requirements of a Soyuz capsule).”

“Competition is within the following discipline groups: Non-Pilot. Physical Sciences. Biological Sciences. Engineering/Operations. Flight Test Engineering. Education. Pilot. No further breakdown.”

Applications for the latest class will be accepted from this month for an unspecified period of time.

(Images: L2 Content, NASA, ULA/SNC)

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EFT-1:

Known previously as the Orion or Orbital Flight Test (OFT-1), the recent change of name for the test relates to Orion’s refocused role of Beyond Earth Orbit (BEO) exploration missions, which opens with the 2017 uncrewed “lap of 8″ mission around the Moon.

The crewed debut of Orion could occur any time between 2018 and 2021, depending on the outcome of funding projections and the ongoing roadmap evaluations, which are being worked on by a team lead by former Space Shuttle Program (SSP) manager John Shannon.

Both missions – as with all future flights – will see Orion launched on top of the Space Launch System (SLS). Given this vehicle won’t be ready until the second half of this decade, managers made an early decision to utilize the Delta IV-Heavy launch vehicle for the EFT-1 mission.

Under this scenario, Lockheed Martin – who also are the main contractor for Orion – will work a deal with NASA for purchasing one Delta IV-Heavy, which will then be updated as a deal between Lockheed Martin and the United Launch Alliance (ULA). Although Lockheed Martin and Boeing make up the ULA, the joint company is the body responsible for the Delta IV-H.

The contracting element should be a relatively easy part of what is now an approved mission, due to the long-term relationship NASA, Lockheed Martin and ULA have enjoyed.

The future mission also confirms Orion’s transition back from the depression of Constellation’s cancellation. It was only just last year when the demise of the Constellation Program led to only a promise of job cuts and program cancellations.

“Cx (Constellation) funding is being pulled back, that was going to JSC (Johnson Space Center) engineering, and being sent to Denver to support LM similar facilities/services,” noted a NASA memo at the time.

“Given the revised interpretation of how to account for termination liability, LM and its subs will be moving 600 people off the contract. Also LM has halted several key procurements.”

However, since the unpopular FY2011 budget proposal was reversed by the approval of the 2010 Authorization Act, Orion found itself back in NASA’s future plans, with October, 2010 information first revealing Orion’s opening trip into space via Flight Test.

By early 2011, a Joint Test and Mission Operations Team – consisting of NASA MOD (Mission Operations Directorate) and Lockheed Martin personnel – was approved, supporting the development phase of the mission, through the real-time test flight support operation and post test flight vehicle processing.

“The team approach will be utilized for all aspects of the test flight including subsystem and integrated testing as well as the flight execution,” added Mr Geyer after the decision was made. “The team approach will also be utilized for the development of all products required for support of the mission (e.g. test scripts, test procedures, LCCs (Launch Commit Criteria), Flight Rules, timelines, etc.).”

By August of this year, it was confirmed the mission would be a “multi-hour” test flight of a “human capable” Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV – Orion), with a preliminary launch date of July, 2013. It was also decided that Orion would be riding on the Delta IV-H Upper Stage – one without Solar Panels, instead running off its own internal batteries. (Image left: Actual scenario would be without crew access gantry and maybe the LAS)

With several Orions in various stages of testing and manufacture across the States – such as the vibration testing at Lockheed Martin’s Denver facilities and the water drop tests at NASA’s Langley Flight Research Center (LaRC) – it was the welding of two panels at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans which would prove to the a major milestone for the new vehicle.

These first welds – marking the start of construction efforts on the EFT-1 Orion – were completed in September, using an innovative new friction stir welding process, developed especially for Orion construction.

As Orion Program Manager Mr Geyer, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston, described it, “the Orion team has maintained a steady focus on progress, and we now are beginning to build hardware for spaceflight.”

It was shortly after this time when further details of the make-up of the vehicle’s test objectives were revealed, with this Orion tasked with avionics tests through to heat shield and parachute performance – validating many high risk systems for the Orion spacecraft.

With work pressing through to the completion of the Orion cone section welds at MAF, further refinements to the mission noted the launch date was more likely to be set in late 2013.

No official launch date has been finalized at this stage, and it is unlikely to be set until after the contracting for the use of the Delta IV-H has been completed.

EDIT: However, NASA since confirmed the news, citing early 2014 as the launch date.

(Images: Via L2 content and NASA. This article was collated from L2′s new Orion and Future Spacecraft specific L2 section, which includes, presentations, videos, graphics and internal updates on Orion and other future spacecraft.

(L2 is – as it has been for the past several years – providing full exclusive future vehicle coverage, available no where else on the internet. To join L2, click here: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/l2/)

Related posts:

1. Orion PDR delay could stretch into 2010 The requirement to carry out an additional Design Analysis Cycle...
2. Orion weight saving refinements continue – focus on ISS access The Lockheed Martin Orion spacecraft has received a new set...
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NEEMO 15:

Owned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and managed by the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Aquarius operates 3.5 miles off Key Largo in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. It is deployed next to deep coral reefs 19 meters below the surface.

While it is in regular use by numerous scientists – such as marine biologists – 14 missions had already been conducted by NEEMO, which involves NASA crews – known as aquanauts – spending up to three weeks living underwater.

However, the 15th NEEMO mission ended earlier than planned, due to the predicted path of Hurricane Rina. The NOAA, which operates the Aquarius Undersea Laboratory and the agency determined Rina posed a risk to the safety of the mission.

According to NASA, the six aquanauts of the NEEMO crew left the facility, where they lived for five days, and returned to the surface of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in Key Largo on Wednesday. NASA only released the information some time later.

The NEEMO 15 mission was led by NASA astronaut and former International Space Station (ISS) crew member Shannon Walker. The crew included Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takuya Onishi and Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques from the 2009 NASA astronaut class.

Steven Squyres of Cornell University was joined by James Talacek and Nate Bender of the University of North Carolina, Wilmington – who are both professional aquanauts, while NASA astronauts Stan Love, Richard Arnold and Mike Gernhardt, all veteran spacewalkers, participated in the NEEMO mission from the DeepWorker submersible, which they piloted.

Starting on October 20, the NEEMO crew conducted six underwater spacewalks and one day of scientific research inside the Aquarius habitat.

They also completed four days of scientific asteroid exploration analog operations using the deep worker submersibles that stood in for the Multi Mission Space Exploration Vehicle (MMSEV).

This year’s mission was the first NEEMO to focus on operational concepts that would be used in human exploration of an asteroid – currently part of NASA’s exploration plan, likely to take place in the mid-2020s.

Mission scenarios included using a grid of “excursion lines”, accompanied by the submersibles acting as MMSEV (Multi Mission Space Exploration Vehicle).

“Despite the length, we accomplished a significant amount of research,” said NEEMO Project Manager Bill Todd. “We’re already learning lessons from working in this environment.”

NEEMO’s mission included a remote Mission Control Centers (MCC) – established both in Key Largo and building 30 room 211 at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) – which exercised time delay communication protocols, along with advanced planning and timeline development tools.

This involvement, led by NASA’s Mission Operations Directorate (MOD), mirrored their exploration training used for NASA’s Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS) and the international Pavilion Lake Research Project (PLRP) simulations – which also have NEO and Mars mission focus.

The next mission – NEEMO 16 – is tentatively set for the summer of 2012, which will build on the content for an exploration mission to a Near Earth Object (NEO).

Also see NASASpaceflight.com’s Flexible Path Review:
Part 1: Battle of the Heavy Lift Launchers – Monster 200mt vehicle noted
Part 2: Manned mission to construct huge GEO and deep space telescopes proposed
Part 3: NASA Flexible Path Evaluation of 2025 human mission to visit an asteriod
Part 4: Taking Aim on Phobos – NASA outline Flexible Path precursor to Man on Mars

As previously noted in other pre-NEEMO coverage by this site, no actual NEO destination has been chosen at this time, as much as a roadmap for exploration is currently being worked on by NASA.

The most likely candidates can be found via NASA’s Flexible Path presentation, which cited a mission to Near Earth Object 1999AO10, requiring a launch date of January 2, 2026. NASA managers continue to note that a NEO mission would likely occur in the middle of the next decade, making this target a viable example.

This deep space mission would last 155 days, around half of the mission length for the other candidate mentioned – 304 days – for NEO 2001 GP2.

With a robotic precursor mission launched four years in advance, the 1999AO10 mission is portrayed as requiring two Space Launch System vehicles being readied to launch.

The first HLV launch – per the Flexible Path approach – would place the Earth Departure Stage (EDS) and an “inflatable design Habitat” – otherwise known as the Deep Space Hab (DSH) into orbit first.

The higher propellant load Orion/SM (Service Module) – and likely the MMSEV – would then placed in LEO on the second launch. This is a different sequence to that proposed in other presentations, showing how such mission sequences remain undefined at this time.

(Images: L2 Content, NASA, NEEMO)

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NEEMO:

The mission was set to begin on October 17. However, poor weather in the region delayed “splashdown” to NET (No Earlier Than) Thursday, with the teammembers currently under a tornado watch. The team have still been working through their pre-mission “training week”, taking advantage of all the assets now at the location.

NASA astronaut and former International Space Station (ISS) crew member Shannon Walker will lead the 15th expedition. The Crew includes Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takuya Onishi and Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques from the 2009 NASA astronaut class.

Steven Squyres of Cornell University and scientific principal investigator for the Mars Exploration Rover Project, will join James Talacek and Nate Bender of the University of North Carolina, Wilmington – who are both professional aquanauts.

NASA astronauts Stan Love, Richard Arnold and Mike Gernhardt, all veteran spacewalkers, will participate in the NEEMO mission from the DeepWorker submersible, which they will pilot.

The DeepWorker is a small submarine used as an underwater stand-in for the Multi Mission Space Exploration Vehicle (MMSEV), which is currently the leading concept to be the main NEO exploration vehicle on site at the asteroid, utilizing its robotic arms and crew airlock.

These submarines arrived at the Key Largo local via the Liberty Star, one of the ships which was tasked with recovering the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) from the Atlantic after a shuttle launch.

All elements of the underwater mission will mirror what is currently planned for a deep space mission, involving the Space Launch System (SLS) superior lift capability to loft any of all of the hardware into orbit, the Orion (MPCV) crew vehicle (x2), the MMSEV, and a Deep Space Hab (DSH).

The DSH is a required element of the mission, as the crew will expect – at least via the “Flexible Path” NEO mission examples – to spend half a year in space, of which around 14 days will be spent conducting the mission goals at the asteroid.

Also see NASASpaceflight.com’s Flexible Path Review:
Part 1: Battle of the Heavy Lift Launchers – Monster 200mt vehicle noted
Part 2: Manned mission to construct huge GEO and deep space telescopes proposed
Part 3: NASA Flexible Path Evaluation of 2025 human mission to visit an asteriod
Part 4: Taking Aim on Phobos – NASA outline Flexible Path precursor to Man on Mars

With NASA’s Mission Operations Directorate (MOD) involved in simulating their role of “Plan, Train, Fly” (PTF) – which starts with mission outline planning, right through to working the mission proper – a graphical representation of the deep space mission was made available via their outline presentations (L2).

Mission scenarios are portrayed in graphics showing a spacewalker using a grid of “excursion lines”, accompanied by the MMSEV, whilst an Orion loiters in close proximity, itself attached to a DSH module and a second Orion.

NEEMO 15 will work on three major elements of a NEO mission, such as how to anchor to the surface via the “excursion lines”; how to move around; and how best to collect data.

This will allow for the evaluation of different anchoring methods and how to connect the multiple anchors to form pathways. The aquanauts and engineers will evaluate different strategies for deploying instruments and moving along a surface without gravity.

Per MOD documentation, four asteroid mission scenarios are being studied at a planning level, listed as Condition 4 through 7, opening with three crewmembers heading out into deep space – one remaining in the Deep Space Hab (DSH), while the remaining two conduct an EVA on the NEO, prior to moving up to the involvement of a MMSEV hosting the two crewmembers excursion to the asteroid’s surface.

The Condition 6 and 7 mission profiles are based on a crew of four, with one scenario seeing three crewmembers work inside the SEV at the asteroid, whilst one remains in the DSH. The other scenario involves all four crewmembers heading to the asteroid, in two SEVs.

While the underwater environment provides the nearest training scenario possible – with deep coral reefs 19 meters below the surface - enforced simulation scenarios will include the expected delay in real-time communications between the crew in deep space and Mission Control.

NEEMO’s mission includes a remote Mission Control Centers (MCC) – established both in Key Largo and building 30 room 211 at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) – which will exercise time delay communication protocols, along with advanced planning and timeline development tools.

The remote MCC is the same equipment trailer as that being used for NASA’s Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS) and the international Pavilion Lake Research Project (PLRP) simulations, which are also focused on NEO training, along with Mars surface missions.

Jeremy Hansen and Jeanette Epps, members of the 2009 astronaut class, are the capsule communicators for the mission. Hansen is from the Canadian Space Agency, and Epps from NASA.

“NEEMO 15 will require complex choreography between the submarines and aquanauts living and working in their undersea home,” said Bill Todd, NEEMO project manager.

“Researching the challenges of exploring an asteroid surface in the undersea realm will be exciting for fans of exploration pioneers Cousteau and Armstrong alike.”

While SLS and Orion mission architecture remains under design at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) – which may now include more of an initial interest in the Moon - NASA’s overall plan continues to note a mid 2020s mission to a NEO, which would provide deep space evaluation of the hardware ahead of an eventual mission to Mars or one of its moons - such as Phobos.

The NEO mission will involve humans travelling further into space than ever before.

(Images: L2 Content, NASA, NEEMO)

(As the shuttle fleet retire, NSF and L2 are providing full transition level coverage, available no where else on the internet, from Orion and SLS to ISS and COTS/CRS/CCDEV, to European and Russian vehicles.)

(Click here to join L2: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/l2/ )

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