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Posted by on July 9, 2008, 8:33 pm
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July 9, 2008
Michael Braukus
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1979
michael.j.braukus@nasa.gov
RELEASE: 08-171
NASA AND ESA COMPLETE COMPARATIVE EXPLORATION ARCHITECTURE STUDY
WASHINGTON -- Over the last 6 months, representatives from NASA and
the European Space Agency, or ESA, have been engaged in a detailed
assessment of potential programs and technologies that when conducted
cooperatively could one day support a human outpost on the moon.
Findings from the study included a significant mutual interest in the
potential development of lunar cargo landing systems, communication
and navigation systems, lunar orbital infrastructures, and lunar
surface systems, such as habitats or mobility systems. The study also
identified the significant value gained from redundant human crew
transportation capability.
"We are very pleased to have worked with ESA on this comparative
architecture assessment," said Geoff Yoder, director of NASA's
Exploration Systems Mission Directorate Integration Office in
Washington. "Since the announcement of the U.S. Space Exploration
Policy, NASA has sought and welcomed input from its international
partners on NASA's lunar architecture plans in areas of mutual
interest. As future exploration plans mature around the world, it is
becoming increasingly important that we seek compatibilities between
NASA's plans and those of its potential future partners. The work we
did with ESA will serve as a model for discussions with other
potential partners as we begin to implement this very exciting
mission."
NASA and ESA experts briefed the results of their Comparative
Architecture Assessment this week during an ESA sponsored integrated
architecture review held at ESA's European Space Research and
Technology Centre in Noordwijk, The Netherlands.
"ESA is preparing itself for a round of decisions that will mark
Europe's role in human spaceflight and exploration for the decades to
come," said Bruno Gardini, manager of ESA's Exploration Program.
"After the satisfaction of the successful deployment of the Columbus
module and Automated Transfer Vehicle, we are looking forward to
enhancing our role in the partnership for a sustained and robust
space exploration program, where human spaceflight is the
cornerstone. The moon is surely an important case study and useful
test bed to thoroughly prepare for more distant destinations. This
architecture work is very useful to prioritize our proposals to
European decision-makers and define a European strategy."
The study assessed the degree to which NASA and ESA's lunar
exploration architecture concepts could complement, augment, or
enhance the exploration plans of one another. Technical teams from
each agency engaged in a series of joint, qualitative assessments of
the potential scientific and exploration benefits from collaboration
transportation systems and lunar surface exploration architecture
concepts.
NASA is studying lunar surface exploration architecture concepts to
support humans returning to the moon before 2020. Consistent with the
principles of the Global Exploration Strategy -- a framework for
coordinating space exploration plans of 14 participating agencies
from around the world -- NASA is pursuing its lunar exploration plans
under an "open architecture" approach. This approach will maximize
opportunities for international and commercial participation. NASA's
architecture concept calls for the transportation of astronauts and
hardware to the moon using the Ares I and Ares V launch vehicles, the
Orion crew exploration vehicle, and the Altair lunar lander, which
are all currently under development by NASA.
ESA is studying scenarios and associated architectures for human
space
exploration, building upon its extensive human space flight
experience, including its contributions to the International Space
Station program. While ESA's studies are currently at a conceptual
stage, some of the scenarios assessed as part of this joint study
included potential future use of an automated, Ariane 5-based lunar
cargo landing system; European developed communication and navigation
systems; and ESA-developed human-rated systems, such as a crew
transportation system and orbital outposts.
For more information on NASA's plans to explore the moon, Mars, and
beyond, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/exploration
For more information about ESA's exploration program, visit:
http://www.esa.int/esaHS/exploration.html
-end-
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