International Space University 2004 Summer Session Program

Response to NASA Strategic Roadmap Request for Information

Robotic and Human Lunar Exploration Strategic Roadmap Committee Meeting

March 31, 2005

David BroniatowskiCindy Mahler

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Agenda

• ISU Project Overview

• Enabling Elements

• Missions

• Q & A

• Back Up Slides

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ISU Project Overview• Two RFI responses (Missions and Lunar Surface

Operations & Testing) were based off of the 2004 ISU exploration team project– 47 post-graduate students from 17 countries

– Sponsored by NASA, ESA, and Optech

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1. Conflict resolution

2. Advanced spacesuit capability

3. Precision landing

4. Soft landing

5. Isolation-related medical strategies

6. Radiation management

7. Crew workload and spare time

8. Psychological countermeasures and treatments9. Group structure and interactions10.Habitat airlocks

Ten Key Enabling Elements

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Enabling Elements• Identify key technical and scientific enabling elements

(technology or concept) for human Martian exploration that are best tested on the Moon

• Process1. Comparison of Moon and Mars environments2. Analysis of human Moon and Mars mission differences3. Identification of human Mars mission enabling elements4. Selection of elements for lunar rehearsal

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Ranking Procedure• 7 criteria

weighted with a Grade 1, 2, or 3

• Relative weighting by importance between criteria

• Focus is on safety, then on sustainability

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Psychological Stressor: Isolation• Validate crew selection

criteria• Study group interaction

– Hierarchy structures– Conflict resolution

• Develop psychological countermeasures• Entertainment needs

• Emotional health

• Sleep patterns

• Mood changes

• Privacy and personal space

Picture sourced from: http://www.greatdreams.com/moon/darkmoon.htm

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Environmental Factors: Gravity and Radiation

• Extrapolate surface-stay medical countermeasures for Mars mission

• Gain operational experience with medical procedures that may be affected by reduced surface gravity (e.g., CPR)

• Research and develop radiation management plans

• Gain experience with maintenance, repair, and construction operations

• Gain experience performing science experiments

Picture sourced from http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/GRACE_Revised/Images/astronaut_jump.jpg

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Living and Working• Develop technologies for Mars suit with:

– Regenerative systems

– Resistance to soil, rock, abrasion, and tearing

– Improved flexibility for walking, bending, gloved-hand manipulation

• Develop habitats and test: – Airlock technology

– Greenhouses

• Test new construction options:

– Advanced materials

– Inflatable structures

– Pre-deployed habitatsPicture sourced from

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/space-suit-apollo14-eva-suita.jpg

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Navigation and Control

• Develop three types of landing:– Precision landing: For

consistent targeting– Soft landing: For safety

reasons– Heavy landing: For cargo

delivery• Utilize surface localization

and navigation systems for exploration outside of the base– Vision based navigation– GPS-like location system

Picture sourced from

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/a11/AS11-44-6581.jpg

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Mission Definition Process

Enabling Technologies

Classification

Robotic

FINAL ROADMAP

Existing Missions

Long StayShort StayPreparation

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Enabling Elements Classification

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Preparation Short-Stay Long-Stay MarsRobotic

Heavy Landing

Nuclear Reactor

ISRU

Test mission critical elements for upcoming

long-stay mission

450-day mission to demonstrate enabling

elements and building-blocks for

Mars mission

Precursor missions (soft &

precision landing)

Automatic Sample Return

Inflatable Structures

Greenhouse

Communications &

Support Infrastructure

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(I) Robotic (II) Preparation (III) Short-Stay (IV) Long-Stay

Demonstrate soft and precision landing automatic sample return practicality of different ISRU processes usability of inflatable structures on the lunar surface automated plant growth in the lunar polar environment

Investigate use of unprocessed lunar regolith

Demonstrate heavy, soft, and precision landing

Test capabilities and technologies needed for heavy landing inflatable structures, nuclear reactor, ISRU reactor, habitation module, and a greenhouse

Test all space elements for a long-stay human mission to the Moon mission critical elements

Landing a human crew on the Moon around 2020 for a mission duration typical to long stay Mars mission scenario (450 days) and return them safely afterwards, ensuring planetary protection for both Earth and Moon Demonstrate enabling elements needed to support a human presence on Mars Continuation of lunar base construction (after short-stay mission) Testing of the vehicle building-blocks that will be used in a Mars mission

Mission Objectives

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Timeline: Short-Stay Human Missions

Autonomous Landing, Soft Landing, Precise Landing with Crew

Life Science, Surface stay countermeasures, Radiation, Mission Operation

Skill Training, Surface Stay (Crew Comfort)

Mission TimeT=1 day T=14 days

Act

iviti

es

Safe Haven, Advanced Planetary Suits , Airlocks, Decontamination, Containment, and Sterilization

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Timeline: Long-Stay Human Missions

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Back Up Slides

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Mission Statement

Select, among the identified key concepts, technologies, and systems that will enable

human Martian exploration, those that can best be tested on the Moon, and suggest a

framework for international lunar missions that can be carried out to validate them by 2020.

Include the enabling policy, legal, societal, and economic aspects.

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11. Surface stay countermeasures

12. Regolith caves (radiation)13. Prophylactic medical and

surgical measures14. Maintenance and repair15. Emergency training16. Safe haven17. Planetary science18. Human transport19. Earth/Mars relay satellite20. Decontamination21. 3/8 g medical procedures

22. Containment (planetary protection)23. Sterilization24. Mission procedures25. Pre-deployed habitat26. Surface water extraction27. Construction28. Life sciences29. Nuclear reactor30. Contingency training31. Sexual management strategy32. Skills training33. Advanced construction materials…

Enabling Elements

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1. Conflict Resolution

The Moon is a better analog than LEO or terrestrial facilities since it includes the two crucial stressors of complete isolation and reduced gravity.

– Group interactions, hierarchy structures and conflict resolution must be studied under such conditions. The results obtained can then be used for a Human Mars Mission (HMM) for better crewmember and group selection, as well as for training.

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2. Advanced Spacesuit Capability

An EVA suit and life support system for human Mars exploration must be greatly advanced with respect to overall capability, terrestrial considerations, and external interfaces.

– Development of regenerative systems

– Improve data and communication system

– Design efficient airlock depressurization

– Resistant to soil, rock, abrasion, and tearing.

– Improved flexibility for walking, bending, gloved-hand manipulation

– Development of “zero pre-breathe” techniques to reduce EVA timeline overhead.

– Decontamination procedures

– Development of new EVA-friendly tools and equipment

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3. Precision Landing

Setting up a human base on Mars requires the development of GNC technologies for precision landing. – Precision landing is difficult on another planet due to the

lack of navigation precision by standard means (Deep Space Network or Inertial Systems).

– Test hazard-avoidance, autonomous and vision based piloting and navigation, precision landing, and abort strategies.

– Investigate the use of an optimized 3D imaging LIDAR system.

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4. Soft Landing

Human transport capabilities have to be developed for carrying a relatively large crew (6-8 people) on a long trip to Mars. – Upon arrival at Mars, human crews have to perform soft

landing for safety reasons.

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5. Isolation-related Medical Strategies

• By conducting human, animal, and cell biology research on the Moon, data on physiological deterioration and its prevention in 1/6g will be obtained. When combined with data from 0g, the situation for 3/8g may be extrapolated. This can then be used to help provide appropriate surface-stay countermeasures for a Mars mission.

• The Moon offers the best scenario to research, develop and validate medical procedures that will be affected by reduced surface gravity and/or associated physiological changes, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the management of hemorrhage.

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5. Isolation-related Medical Strategies

• Management of medical issues particularly related to total isolation (e.g., critical care resources, crew member death), and the management of sexual relations (including contraception and pregnancy).

• The Moon offers the best analog for researching and developing radiation management.

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6. Crew Workload and Spare Time

Crew workload and spare time provision will be affected by the combination of isolation, confinement, and reduced gravity.– The crew will have to perform maintenance, repair,

and construction operations that will be necessary on the habitat, rovers and other equipment.

– The astronauts will also have to train in various skills to perform activities in a reduced gravity-environment, including performing science experiments.

– The astronauts will have to receive emergency training, to be able to react if something goes wrong, without the support of a mission control center on Earth (communication delay problem).

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7. Psychological Countermeasures and Treatments

Psychological countermeasures and treatments developed for long-stay lunar missions will be distinct from those for LEO or Earth analogs, and may be transferable to a HMM.

• To help the crew deal with isolation and confinement and to maintain performance

• Includes addressing entertainment needs, emotional health, sleep patterns, and mood changes

• Provision of adequate privacy and personal space are elements that must be developed for an isolated and confined crew

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8. Group Structure and Interactions

The selected crew must be able to function effectively as a team and fulfill mission objectives.

– Criteria must be applied to select individuals who are best suited for functioning in a group under isolated and confined conditions. • Psychological “select-in” and “select-out” criteria

• Lack of any previous psychiatric disease

• Gender mix

• Nationality mix

• Age

• Multi-skilled individuals to provide redundancy in expertise

– Social Activities

– Communication with family/friends on Earth

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9. Habitat Airlocks

Airlocks, living and working areas, and greenhouses will have to be developed to accommodate the crew and provide food.

– The constructions of these habitat systems will have to be performed using the lightest materials possible.

– Testing of new construction options will have to be done on a lunar mission: advanced construction materials, inflatable structures, pre-deployed habitat.

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10. Surface Navigation and Localization

Rovers and humans will have to have surface localization and navigation systems to be able to explore the environment around the base.

– Vision-based navigation

– Deployment of a GPS-like satellite system.

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Robotic Missions

• Lunar Sample Return Mission• Lunar Precursor Family

– Lunar Soft-Lander Demonstrator

– Inflatable Structure Experiment

– Automated Plant Growth Experiment

– Construction Rover

– Subsurface water and ice detection

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Preparation Missions

• Lunargo– Support spacecraft for all preparation missions in a

permanent Earth-Moon orbit

– Contains life support and orbit maintenance systems

• Taxi Missions - Service module that contains the payload– Heavycargo - heavy robotic and structures landing

– Nucargo - nuclear reactor

– ISRUcargo - ISRU unit

– HABcargo - habitation modules

– ECOcargo - low pressure greenhouse modules

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Lunar Surface Operations & Testing

• Opportunity to test and verify operational experience with medical topics, construction, and operational procedures

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Lunar Surface Ops & Testing

• Surface stay countermeasures• Inflatable structures• Building construction using regolith• Food production and storage using the

greenhouse• Emergency training• Life science experiments• Surface exploration• Social activities

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Recommendations

• Test on the Moon those elements of a human Mars mission identified as best suited to lunar rehearsal.

• Investigate further potential for lunar rehearsal of human Mars mission elements as mission designs and technologies progress and as new information on the martian and lunar sites becomes available.

• Design the lunar rehearsal program with four mission types: robotic missions, preparation missions, short-stay human missions, and long-stay human missions.

• Rehearse only one innovative technology during each mission, and assign each mission according to the particular capability that it is demonstrating.

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Recommendations

• Demonstrate both operational and technical implementation of in situ resource utilization (ISRU) on the Moon while paying special attention to the aspects that are transferable to Mars and favoring approaches that support a sustained presence on the Moon.

• Conduct lunar science that yields knowledge useful to preparation for a human Mars mission, contributes to sustainability by attracting public support, or promises significant scientific return at a relatively small additional cost.

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Recommendations

• Prioritize operational issues in the lunar rehearsal program.

• Develop an optimized 3-D imaging LIDAR system for descent and landing procedures. To the extent possible, demonstrate the applicable capabilities of this technology on the Moon.

• Develop radiation shielding as well as methods to monitor its efficiency. Improve methods of prevention and treatment procedures for the effects of radiation.

• Evaluate during lunar missions the utility of quadrupolar probes, ground penetrating radar, and orbital sounding radar instruments for examining the water content of the martian subsurface.

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Recommendations

• Conduct studies on the Moon to determine the effects of reduced gravity on human physiology. Validate potential countermeasures on the Moon.

• Validate reduced-gravity medical procedures on the Moon.

• Conduct studies to help ascertain psycho-social effects of isolation on the lunar surface. Develop countermeasures for these effects, and design management strategies for handling psychiatric emergencies.

• Emphasize human-driven mission elements, including psycho-social issues, medical factors, and operations.

• Rehearse planetary protection procedures and technologies.