New NASA Report Clarifies the Mission To Mars

NASA has released an intricate roadmap of its central manned spaceflight mission:"NASA's Journey To Mars:Pioneering Next Steps in Space Exploration."According to NASA Administrator General Charles Bolden,US Marine Corps Retired,the report,which was reviewed by this blog,consists of additional details about our journey to Mars and how we are aligning all of our work in support of this goal.The plan presents three thresholds of challenges,each more difficult than the last as the distance from Earth increases:
1.Earth Reliant Exploration is centered on the International Space Station,where the world class microgravity laboratory is testing technologies and advancing human health and performance research that will enable deep space,long duration missions.
2.Proving Ground:NASA will learn to conduct complex operations in a deep space environment that is just days from Earth.Primarily,this means cislunar space,or that volume of space which is around the Moon.Cislunar space features multiple possible staging orbits for future deep space missions.In this phase,NASA will advance and validate capabilities needed for humans living and working at vast distances from Earth,such as at Mars.This phase is linked to the upcoming Orion Exploration Mission flights and the Asteroid Redirect Mission.
3.The Earth Independent threshold builds on the previous two to enable Mars missions,possibly to low-Mars orbit or one of the Martian moons before an eventual landing on Mars.*
This strategy charts a course toward horizon goals,while delivering near-term benefits and defining a resilient architecture that can accommodate budgetary changes;political priorities;new scientific discoveries;technological breakthroughs;and evolving partnerships,said Dr.William Gerstenmeier,NASA Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations.The ultimate goal is enabling humans to thrive beyond Earth for extended periods of time,leading to a substantial presence in deep space.The near-term missions have a cadence of compelling and integrated human and robotic missions providing for an incremental buildup of capabilities for more complex missions over time.At least one crewed mission per year is envisioned for the Proving Ground,cislunar phase.
The Proving Ground phase begins in 2018 with Exploration Mission 1,the first integrated test of the new Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft,including the SLS launch performance;Orion's heat shield performance following return from deep space;and deep space navigation.
Exploration Mission 2 will be the first crewed mission for Orion,featuring the addition of the Exploration Upper Stage and the possibility of co-manifested payloads within the EUS-to-Orion launch vehicle adapter,such as pressurised modules for habitability.*
Beyond these initial cislunar missions,the Asteroid Redirect Mission introduces Solar Electric Propulsion,which utilises energy from the sun to accelerate ionised propellant to very high speeds,to provide thrust for months or years-transporting big loads with far less propellant than with chemical propellant,extending the deep space exploration capabilities critical for Mars and beyond.
Deep space acronyms mentioned in the report include EDL-Entry,Descent and Landing;ISRU-Insitu Resource Utilisation;SEP-Solar Electric Propulsion;EUS-Exploration Upper Stage;and ECLSS-Environmental Control and Life Support Systems.NASA emphasises that its Mission to Mars is for all of humanity and international in character, relying heavily on partners from the ISS missions and more,as well as space industry partners.For example,the European Space Agency is providing the test Service Module that is stacked beneath the Orion spacecraft.

Exploring Deep Space:NASA Admin Outlines Quest

Major General Charles F. Bolden,US Marine Corps Retired and Administrator of NASA,is directing the space agency on its challenging new path-and isn't taking any prisoners.The Obama administration has committed to the International Space Station for at least another 10 years,he told the audience at the Humans 2 Mars summit at George Washington University in April 2014.We have now been on the ISS continuously for almost 14 years.*
Astronauts in the Orion spacecraft will explore an asteroid and return samples to earth beginning in 2017.We've chosen an asteroid in lunar orbit as our proving ground.The Space Launch System that will get them there will be the most powerful launch system ever flown.*
Mars and its moons are probably not like low earth orbit.What we don't know is,what it is like flying out there.Then we will probably fly around the moons of Mars,and finally,figure out how to land humans on Mars.The data on radiation from Mars rovers will tell us how to protect astronauts on Mars.The challenge is huge,but we love huge challenges.*
The Space Launch System is already being manufactured in New Orleans.It will launch a Mars mission in the 2030s,GEN Bolden said.*
GEN Bolden is a graduate of the US Naval Academy.He became a Naval Aviator in 1970 and a Navy test pilot in 1979.In 1980,he was selected as an astronaut candidate.By 1992,he was the space shuttle commander of seven astronauts aboard STS-43.He left the astronaut corps to resume his Marine Corps career in 1994,with assignments as Deputy Commandant at the USNA and Commanding General,I Marine Expeditionary Force in support of Operation Desert Thunder,Kuwait.In 2009,President Barack Obama appointed GEN Bolden NASA Administrator.

New Astronaut Class Selected-could go to deep space

NASA has selected eight candidates for the new class of astronaut trainees.Chosen from a pool of more than 6100 applicants,the second largest pool in history,they will begin training at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston in August.
Most of the candidates are currently serving in the US military;another was formerly in the service.NASA said they will receive a wide array of technical training at space centers worldwide,preparing them for an array of missions from low-Earth orbit,to an asteroid and Mars.
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said the candidates applied because they know we're doing big,bold things here-developing missions to go further into space than ever before.They're ready to help lead the first human mission to an asteroid and then on to Mars.
Candidates from the sea services include Lt.Commander Victor J.Glover,US Navy,37;Major Nicole Aunapu Mann,US Marine Corps,35;and Josh A.Cassada,PhD,39,a physicist and former naval aviator.
There are also two US Army officers and a US Air Force officer.Four of the eight candidates are women.
Exploration Flight Test-1,an unmanned test flight of the new Orion spacecraft,which will carry astronauts to deep space destinations,is slated for 2014 on the Delta IV heavy rocket.This will be followed by another unmanned test flight in 2017 on the new deep space rocket,the Space Launch System.
Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for Orion and EFT-1.
Lockheed Martin(LMT).