Technical programme
IAC-17 — 68th International Astronautical Congress
D4. 15th IAA SYMPOSIUM ON VISIONS AND STRATEGIES FOR THE FUTURE
This 15th Symposium is organized by the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). In Space Activities the focus is usually kept on the short term developments, at the expense of future goals. The Symposium will discuss topics with at least 20 to 30 years prospective lead time and identify technologies and strategies that need to be developed. These developments will be examined with the goal to support also short/medium term projects and to identify priorities required for their development. The Sessions in the Symposium will address innovative technologies and Strategies to develop Space Elevator as well as Interstellar Precursor Missions. A session will address also how Space activities can contribute to the resolution of World Societal Changes as well as to increasing the countries engaged in space activities.
- Coordinator
Giuseppe Reibaldi
Moon Village Association (MVA) — AustriaYu Lu
China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology(CALT) — China
D4.1. Innovative Concepts and Technologies
In order to realize future, sustainable programmes of space exploration and utilisation, a focused suite of transformational new system concept and supporting technologies must be developed during the coming decade. The technical objectives to be pursued should be drawn from a broad, forward looking view of the technologies and system needed, but must be sufficiently focused, to allow tangible progression and dramatic improvements over current capabilities. This session will address cross cutting considerations in which a number of discipline research topics and/or technologies may be successful developed to support transformational new system concept. Papers are solicited in these and related areas
- Co-Chair
Roger X. Lenard
LPS — United StatesGiorgio Saccoccia
European Space Agency (ESA) — France
- Rapporteur
Xiaowei WANG
China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) — China
D4.2. Contribution of Space Activities to Solving Global Societal Issues
The session will discuss the contributions, in the future, of space exploration and utilisation to the solution of global challenges (e.g. energy, population, sustainable development) and how the space systems will support the understanding of the global societal issues. The session will include also the identification of the related technologies that needs to be developed. The definition of a roadmap will be encouraged. Environmental issues including global climate change will not be covered in this particular session
- Co-Chair
Giuseppe Reibaldi
Moon Village Association (MVA) — AustriaYu Lu
China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology(CALT) — China
- Rapporteur
Paivi Jukola
Aalto University — Finland
D4.3. Conceptualizing Space Elevators and Tethered Satellites
The development of a system concept for space elevators [and tethered stallites] requires systems engineering and architecture approaches. IAA study (3-24) entitled "Road to Space Elevator Era" is pulling together initial steps for a new look at space elevators. This study will show how to approach mega-projects with engineering dicipline leading to the initial phase of a program - Concept Development. The members of the study are all focusing on the early engineering and operational steps towards an operational capability, such as defining the missions and laying out the top-level requirements. This session will suggest strategies to illustrate the space elevator development leading to a phenomenal low cost to space infrastructure. In addition, the session can accept the strategies to leverage space tethers as a viable tool for space systems.
- Co-Chair
Peter Swan
Teaching Science and Technology, Inc (TSTI) — United StatesAkira Tsuchida
International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) — Japan
- Rapporteur
Robert E Penny
Cholla Space Systems — United States
D4.4. Strategies for Rapid Implementation of Interstellar Missions: Precursors and Beyond
Knowledge about space beyond our solar system and between the stars—that is interstellar space —is lacking data. Even as IBEX, NASA’s Interstellar Background Explorer, studies the edge of our solar system, it still is confined to earth orbit. Arguably, some of the most compelling data to understand the universe we live in will come from sampling the actual environment beyond our solar system as Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft are on the threshold of doing. In the 36 years since the Voyager probes’ launches, significant advances in materials science, analytical chemistry, information technologies, imaging capabilities, communications and propulsion systems have been made. The recently released IAA study: “Key Technologies to Enable Near-Term Interstellar Scientific Precursor Missions” along with significant initiatives like the DARPA seed-funded 100 Year Starship, signal the need, readiness and benefits to aggressively undertaking interstellar space missions. This session seeks to define specific strategies and key enabling steps to implement interstellar precursor missions within the next 10-15 years. Suggestions for defined projects, payloads, teams, spacecraft and mission profiles that leverage existing technological capacities, yet will yield probes that generate new information about deep space, rapidly exit the solar system and which can be launched before 2030 are sought.
- Co-Chair
Mae Jemison
100 Year Starship — United StatesGiancarlo Genta
Politecnico di Torino — Italy
- Rapporteur
Louis Friedman
The Planetary Society — United States
D4.5. Space Mineral Resources, Asteroid Mining and Lunar/Mars insitu
Exploitation of space mineral resources is becoming a commercial space endeavor for the benefit of humanity and profit. In 2012, the IAA approved a broad study of the technology, economics, legal and policy aspects of identifying, obtaining, and using these resources. The question on the table is not “how” to leverage space minerals resources, but ”how best” to leverage them. The purpose of this session is to provide the current state of the art of the technology, economics, law & policy related to Space Mineral Resource (SMR) opportunities. Our objective will be to put a developmental roadmap anchored in realities of engineering, economics and legal/policy. In addition, the IAA has initiated a second study on the topic entitled: Space Mineral Resources II, Considerations and Recommendations on National Legislation Relevant to Extraterrestrial Resource Utilization and Benefication.
- Co-Chair
Roger X. Lenard
LPS — United StatesPeter Swan
Teaching Science and Technology, Inc (TSTI) — United States
- Rapporteur
Susan McKenna-Lawlor
Space Technology (Ireland) Ltd. — Ireland