An artist’s concept of the Earth, Moon, and Mars.
Credit: NASA
As NASA develops a blueprint for space exploration throughout the solar
system for the benefit of humanity, the agency released several new documents
Friday updating its Moon to
Mars architecture.
The roadmap sets NASA on course for long-term lunar exploration under the
Artemis campaign in preparation for future crewed missions to Mars.
Following an Architecture Concept Review, the 2024 updates include a revision of NASA’s Architecture Definition Document which details technical approaches and processes
of the agency’s exploration plans, an executive overview, and 12 new white papers on key Moon to Mars topics.
“NASA’s Architecture Concept Review
process is critical to getting us on a path to mount a human mission to Mars,”
said NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free. “We’re taking a methodical approach
to mapping out the decisions we need to make, understanding resource and
technological trades, and ensuring we are listening to feedback from
stakeholders.”
One newly released white paper
highlights NASA’s decision to use fission power as the primary source of power
on the Martian surface to sustain crews — the first of seven key decisions
necessary for human Mars exploration. Fission power is a form of nuclear power
unaffected by day and night cycles or potential dust storms on Mars.
New additions this year also
include a broader, prioritized list of key architecture decisions that need to
be made early in NASA’s plans to send humans to the Red Planet. Two new
elements are now part of the agency’s Moon to Mars architecture — a lunar surface
cargo lander and an initial lunar surface habitat. The lunar surface cargo
lander will deliver logistics items, science and technology payloads,
communications systems, and more. The initial surface habitat will house
astronauts on the lunar surface to extend the crew size, range, and duration of
exploration missions and enable crewed and uncrewed science
opportunities.
The newest revision of the
Architecture Definition Document adds more information about NASA’s decision
road mapping process — how the agency decides which decisions must be made
early in the planning process based on impacts to subsequent decisions — and a
list of architecture-driven opportunities that help technology development
organizations prioritize research into new technologies that will enable the
Moon to Mars architecture.
“Identifying and analyzing
high-level architecture decisions are the first steps to realizing a crewed
Mars exploration campaign,” said Catherine Koerner, associate administrator,
Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington.
“Each yearly assessment cycle as part of our architecture process is moving us
closer to ensuring we have a well thought out plan to accomplish our
exploration objectives.”
NASA’s Moon to Mars architecture
approach incorporates feedback from U.S. industry, academia, international
partners, and the NASA workforce. The agency typically releases a series of
technical documents at the end of its annual analysis cycle, including an
update of the Architecture Definition Document and white papers that elaborate
on frequently raised topics.
Under NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will establish the foundation
for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the next Americans and
first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for
human expeditions to Mars for the benefit of all.
For NASA’s Moon to Mars
architecture documents, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/moontomarsarchitecture
Source: NASA Outlines Latest Moon to Mars Plans in 2024 Architecture Update - NASA
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