Technological Development

The design project concluded that no new technologies are required to begin human deep space exploration. However, a continued modest program of technology development would be beneficial. Some of the technologies that should be pursued include reusable and heavy-lift launchers, advanced propulsion and power systems, closed-loop life support systems, In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), and radiation protection.

Affordable and effective access to low Earth orbit (LEO) is highly desirable for any space activity. For the space transportation needs of the strategy, we recommend reusable launch vehicles for small to medium payloads and an Energia derived heavy-lifter for large cargoes.

A variety of propulsion options exist for interplanetary transfer depending on the mission. We recommend solar ionic propulsion for cargo delivery out to the distance of Mars. For human-rated vessels and fast-transit cargo requirements, conventional chemical propulsion is adequate. Once the safety and political issues have been addressed, nuclear thermal engines would be ideal for these missions.

For people to live permanently away from Earth, closed-loop life support systems will be required. While the International Space Station (ISS) uses a traditional open-loop system, it may be a suitable facility for flight qualifying closed-systems in the future.

The Moon, near Earth objects (NEO) and Mars all contain resources that may be used to leverage further space exploration. Water from the lunar poles or NEOs will be valuable both for life support and propulsion purposes. The mineral wealth of these bodies means they will be pivotal in the construction of future space-based infrastructure for the strategy. Mars possesses resources similar to these bodies, plus an atmosphere that may be exploited to produce propellant. The latter has been an important component of many recent Mars exploration plans.

Innovative Space Science Experiments

One of the rationales for space exploration is to further scientific knowledge. In fact, space itself may be used as a giant laboratory that can support some very innovative experiments. Two such proposals are outlined here:

• Baby Magnetosphere: This experiment proposes stationing a small spacecraft at one of the two stable Lagrangian points of the Earth-Sun system. It would study solar-magnetospheric interactions by creating its own magnetic field in which parameters such as the orientation of the dipole axis and the field intensity can be controlled. Such an experiment could also test the possibility of using magnetic fields to shield human crews from radiation.
   
• Space Billiards: This experiment proposes attaching propulsion systems to selected asteroids and colliding them with each other. Such an experiment would not only produce data about the composition of asteroids and the evolution of the early Solar System, but also test technologies that may be useful for the deflection of Earth-threatening objects. Much research has been achieved in the laboratory, but calibration of the scaling laws may improve the mathematical models.
  

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