THE EXPLORATION MISSION THEMES OF THE GLOBAL EXPLORATION ROADMAP

Paper number

IAC-14,B3,1,10,x22313

Author

Mr. Bernhard Hufenbach, European Space Agency (ESA), The Netherlands

Coauthor

Mrs. Kathy Laurini, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), United States

Coauthor

Mr. Naoki Sato, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan

Coauthor

Dr. Jean-Claude Piedboeuf, Canadian Space Agency, Canada

Coauthor

Dr. Christian Lange, Canadian Space Agency, Canada

Coauthor

Mr. Roland Martinez, NASA, United States

Coauthor

Dr. Juergen Hill, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Germany

Coauthor

Mr. François Spiero, Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), France

Year

2014

Abstract

The International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG) was established in response to “The Global Exploration Strategy: The Framework for Coordination” developed by fourteen space agencies  and released in May 2007. ISECG has published in August 2013 the 2nd  iteration of the Global Exploration Roadmap  (GER) (see IAC-13.B3.1,8). This roadmap reflects a common vision of space agencies participating to ISECG on a step-wise approach to human exploration, enabling agencies to advance their capabilities through cooperative international missions. Fundamental capabilities to permit humans to travel in space and work on planetary surfaces must be developed with exploration of multiple destinations in mind. Since its publication, space agencies have continued to advance the definition of the three near-term mission themes included in the long-range human exploration strategy: (1) Exploration of a Near-Earth Asteroid, (2) Extended Duration Crew Missions and (3) Humans to the Lunar Surface. Space agency’s work focuses on the definition of Design Reference Missions and is addressing strategic questions such as:

\begin{itemize}\item What are the next foundational capabilities (including elements, systems and technologies) which can be demonstrated with these mission themes? \end{itemize}
\begin{itemize}\item How can the value of early humans missions to lunar vicinity be optimised for advancing common exploration goals, such as science and participatory exploration goals?\end{itemize}
\begin{itemize}\item How do early human missions form an international pathway towards the implementation of human missions to Mars?\end{itemize}
\begin{itemize}\item Which concrete opportunities should be considered for advancing the concept of human-robotic partnerships?\end{itemize}
\begin{itemize}\item What opportunities result from the deployment of a staged transportation architecture supported by an evolvable deep space habitat in the lunar vicinity?\end{itemize}
\begin{itemize}\item What international strategy should be followed for assessing the usability of lunar resources (e.g. polar volatiles)? \end{itemize}

Space agency’s participating within ISECG are also engaging the broader stakeholder community in a debate on strategic questions as those listed above. For this purpose at least three such stakeholder community events are planned to be organised in 2014 in US, Japan and Europe. 

This paper will summarise interim results on the work to be conducted in 2014 for advancing GER mission themes.

Abstract document

IAC-14,B3,1,10,x22313.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-14,B3,1,10,x22313.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.