Sunday, November 15, 2015

NASA Progress on Deep Space Habitats for Lunar, Asteroid and Mars Exploration

A November meeting of the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) Advanced Exploration Systems division has discussed the progress made in Fiscal Year 2015 and upcoming FY16 milestones surrounding the development of long-duration habitats needed for astronauts on missions from cis-lunar flights to multi-year trips to Mars.

Overall, the Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) division established 72 milestones for Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15).

Of those milestones, over 60% included flight demonstration elements, according to the HEOMD AES status update.

Of the 72 milestones established, the AES defined an achievement goal of “at least 80%”. In total, 56 of the 72 milestones were met, a 78% achievement rate. The 56 accomplishments were overseen by 572 civil servants and 162 contractors.

Some of those accomplishments met the habitation systems requirements to provide crew a space to “live and work safely in deep space, including beyond earth orbit habitats [with] reliable life-support systems, radiation protection, fire safety, and logistics reduction,” notes the HEOMD AES presentation.

Furthermore, the AES presentation notes that deep space habitation modules must be capable of supporting crew with “systems sufficient to support at least four crew on Mars-class mission durations and dormancy” lasting 1,100 days.

No comments: