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| ID No : | 566 Edit | Title: | Mission and Implementation of an Affordable Lunar Return |
| Summary / Review : |
This report challenges both the process and the conclusions of the NASA bureaucracy its US government oversight, by showing how we could establish a lunar polar base to produce water and other products, starting with a variety of current day launch vehicles, initial basic robotics and equipment, and culminating in a human settlement, within certain budget thresholds set by the US government.
The paper starts by reviewing the official NASA 2004 Vision for Space Exploration (VSE), the Exploration Systems Architecture Study (ESAS), and the questionable process which resulted in the conclusions of the Augustine Commission in 2009 and cancellation of the return to the Moon goals by President Obama due to the extremely high cost. MEP |
| Author(s) : |
Spudis, Paul D., [Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston TX 77058] Lavoie, Tony, [NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville AL 35812] |
| Publication Type : | Paper within a Parent compilation, or Presentation at a Professional conference |
| Parent Publication : | Space Manufacturing 14, Space Studies Institute, Princeton NJ |
| Publication Date: | 2010 |
| Pages : | 30 |
| # of References : | 16 |
| Copyright By : | Authors |
| Category(s) : |
Business plans Government and politics Missions / Lunar Bases, industry and manufacturing / Mining / Lunar |
| Progress Type: | A ( A=Analysis only, D=Design, T=Testing, C=Completed or Commercial product ) |
| Web URL : |
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20110004368
If this link is broken, please Add Comment below. We try to keep author contact details, and a backup copy in our offline library. |
| PERMANENT code(s) : | L,U |
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(Explanation of the last 3 rows above) |
In the row above, there are up to 4 possibilities: U = URL you can click on to get a copy instantly from another source on the internet, or request it from that source D = Downloadable from PERMANENT (such as because no other URL known...) L = LAN copy, PERMANENT has a digital copy but not downloadable from our website P = Paper copy in the PERMANENT office Typically, only 0 to 3 methods are available. |
| NTRS : | 20110004368 |
| Submitted by : | MEP |
| Comments: |
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| MEP | January 2, 2013, 4:52 am | The authors are government contractors, and the aim of this paper appears to be to offer an alternative to the above mentioned ESAS in cost and timeline. This alternative is still a ridiculously high priced < $88 billion and drawn out 10-15 year process, as a government contractor scenario, which results in production of 150 tons of water plus 100 tons of propellant per year. However, it does take a more reasonable approach of using robots to build the lunar base and establish infrastructure before the expensive humans arrive. Of course, the private sector normally produces things at a fraction the cost and on much shorter timelines. Various elements of the project are discussed, which are useful for reviewing for any analysis and plan. |