Pioneering Challenges
Human-Robotic and Autonomous Mission Operations: Key features of
sustainable pioneering are pre-emplacing equipment, reusing infrastructure,
and relying on robotic capabilities to support humans. Robotic systems can
help deploy systems, provide assembly, and support maintenance both when
crew are present and during periods of dormancy. Robotic systems designed
to work with the crew increase productivity, support EVAs, and are critical to
crew safety.
Astronaut Karen Nyberg
conducts an eye exam on
herself on the ISS.
In-Situ Resource Utilization and Surface Power: NASA’s science
missions have long been searching for water beyond Earth, and they found
it: everywhere. Sustainable pioneering must leverage water and other
valuable in-space resources to break the logistical chain from Earth. ISRU
technology enables the use of local resources, such as water in the form of
ice crystals or hydrated minerals on the surface of Mars and carbon dioxide
in its atmosphere, to be used as the feedstock for propellant, radiation
shielding, and consumables for life support systems. Producing liquid oxygen
propellant provides a significant architectural advantage—more than half
of a 35 mt MAV mass is due to propellant, which could be produced locally.
However, ISRU production for pioneering missions will require significant
power to convert resources in an acceptable timeframe. ISRU systems will
leverage high-power generation systems, such as solar or fission power, to
produce ascent propellant.
Surface Habitat and Mobility: The most important challenge for human
pioneering missions is keeping the crew safe for long-duration missions up
to 1,100 days. Habitats and associated systems and supplies, including food,
clothing, atmospheric gases, and human interfaces, represent a significant
portion of any exploration architecture. Habitation includes both in-space
transit and Mars surface capabilities. NASA can reduce development costs,
increase reliability, and ensure crew safety over a series of missions by reusing
and maximizing commonality between the surface, transit, and Mars moons
habitats and subsystems.
Staying Healthy
Deep-space crewed missions will not have regular access to the Earth’s resources
or the ability to rapidly return to Earth if a system fails. As crewed