NASA Announces Posting Of Space Exploration Workshop ChartsWASHINGTON -- Presentation charts for the opening-day briefings of NASA's Exploration Enterprise Workshop in Galveston, Texas, will be posted online at noon EDT, Monday, May 24.The two-day workshop brings together a broad community of space exploration stakeholders from government, industry and academia. The Exploration Systems Mission Directorate's plans for human and robotic space exploration and the administration's fiscal year 2011 budget request for the agency will be discussed.
The study shall identify and analyze multiple alternative architectures (expendable, reusable, or some combination) on which a Heavy Lift System addressing the objectives can be based
My favorite parts are the disclaimers.
Page 8 of the Heavy Lift presentation has 6 thumbnails of notional new HLVs. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th are common core designs, similar to Atlas V Phase 2. Interesting.
Quote from: OV-106 on 05/24/2010 05:54 pmMy favorite parts are the disclaimers.How so?
Quote from: neilh on 05/24/2010 07:30 pmQuote from: OV-106 on 05/24/2010 05:54 pmMy favorite parts are the disclaimers.How so?"In fact, not all proposed missions and investments fit the inbudget at this time."Grammar aside, this is actually reasonable, though I consider it quite likely that the disclaimer will be conveniently ignored by some FY11 budget proponents when it suits their aims. ("But look at all this neat stuff we can afford if Constellation is cancelled! In-orbit propellant transfer and storage! Lightweight/inflatable modules! Automated/autonomous rendezvous and docking! Aero-assist/entry, descent and landing! Closed loop life support! Advanced in-space propulsion (ion/plasma, etc)!")When in reality, the actual budget will only support a few of those.
Quote from: Jorge on 05/24/2010 07:44 pmQuote from: neilh on 05/24/2010 07:30 pmQuote from: OV-106 on 05/24/2010 05:54 pmMy favorite parts are the disclaimers.How so?"In fact, not all proposed missions and investments fit the inbudget at this time."Grammar aside, this is actually reasonable, though I consider it quite likely that the disclaimer will be conveniently ignored by some FY11 budget proponents when it suits their aims. ("But look at all this neat stuff we can afford if Constellation is cancelled! In-orbit propellant transfer and storage! Lightweight/inflatable modules! Automated/autonomous rendezvous and docking! Aero-assist/entry, descent and landing! Closed loop life support! Advanced in-space propulsion (ion/plasma, etc)!")When in reality, the actual budget will only support a few of those.The items you listed (inflatable modules, propellant transfer, ARRD, aero-assist, ECLLS, advanced ion propulsion) all fall under the initial set of ETDD and FTD missions, which already have funding allocated for them in the budget: http://www.nasa.gov/news/budget/index.htmlThe disclaimer is likely for follow-up missions/demonstrations missions which aren't already in the budget (e.g. multi-megawatt NEP, 23m inflatable decelerator at Mars, nuclear thermal propulsion, EVA tech, Mars medical suite demo, in-space VASIMR demo, building mega-Saturn and other HLLV construction), which will likely be prioritized on the basis of results from earlier missions/demonstrations. Of course, I suspect that won't stop anti-FY2011 folks from falsely claiming that it can't afford its initial missions and tech demonstrations.
As for what you specifically point one, none of them have any funding. The reason is because there is no budget for anything yet and that is the plain and simple truth.
I'd also like to point out that many of the items proposed in FY2011 have been worked in the past or are being worked. I point this out because I believe too many think that these are brand new or impossible to work with a more focused program. That is simply not the case. For example I will point out the following:1. Inflatable modules? The Bigelow designs are based off NASA's TransHab, which saw actual testing.2. VASMIR? Funded by JSC prior Dr. Diaz forming his own company.3. Lox/Methane engines? Fired at WSTF and funded by NASA. The most recent was a few weeks ago. http://www.aerojet.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=2214. Prop transfer? Hypergolic transfer from the orbiter to the ISS was near ready to be implemented (on the orbiter) nearly a decade ago until the ISS prop module was cancelled. Testing had been completed at WSTF and the design was through CDR (I believe anyway, it was a while ago).5. Inflatable aeroshells? Langley just completed a sub-orbital test launch a few months ago.I could go on but I thought it was time to bring this up. It simply does not have to be as black and white or binary as some, mainly pro-FY2011 supporters suggest unfortunately. That doesn't mean there will always be money for everthing but as has been stated the FY2011 proposals cited on this thread clearly say the same thing. In fact, TransHab was near cancellation but it was transferred to Bigelow and a whole new company was formed. As for VASMIR, it was difficult for JSC to fund and another company was formed. This is what NASA is supposed to do and it did it without sacraficing everything else.
I've got a proposal that will cost nothing in dev costs and can lift 65,000lbs, astronauts and bring back downmass. It can also support EVAs for assembly of hardware on orbit, and is reusable.It's a bit expensive to run, but the workforce is trained and seasoned, and we'll be ready for operational missions of your choosing in 2010.
Quote from: OV-106 on 05/24/2010 10:17 pmI'd also like to point out that many of the items proposed in FY2011 have been worked in the past or are being worked. I point this out because I believe too many think that these are brand new or impossible to work with a more focused program. That is simply not the case. For example I will point out the following:1. Inflatable modules? The Bigelow designs are based off NASA's TransHab, which saw actual testing.2. VASMIR? Funded by JSC prior Dr. Diaz forming his own company.3. Lox/Methane engines? Fired at WSTF and funded by NASA. The most recent was a few weeks ago. http://www.aerojet.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=2214. Prop transfer? Hypergolic transfer from the orbiter to the ISS was near ready to be implemented (on the orbiter) nearly a decade ago until the ISS prop module was cancelled. Testing had been completed at WSTF and the design was through CDR (I believe anyway, it was a while ago).5. Inflatable aeroshells? Langley just completed a sub-orbital test launch a few months ago.I could go on but I thought it was time to bring this up. It simply does not have to be as black and white or binary as some, mainly pro-FY2011 supporters suggest unfortunately. That doesn't mean there will always be money for everthing but as has been stated the FY2011 proposals cited on this thread clearly say the same thing. In fact, TransHab was near cancellation but it was transferred to Bigelow and a whole new company was formed. As for VASMIR, it was difficult for JSC to fund and another company was formed. This is what NASA is supposed to do and it did it without sacraficing everything else. Correct. The point of FY2011's tech development efforts isn't to somehow take completely new TRL1 technology and somehow stick it into TRL8 missions, but rather continually develop and test various types of technology and push it up the TRL stack. The attached image, taken from this presentation from today's meeting illustrates the approach well.The technologies you listed all have mid-level or mid-high TRLs, but have yet to be matured to the point that they can be tested in space and used in operational missions. That is what FY2011 seeks to do. It's also worth noting that none of the items you listed were pursued under CxP.
1. One of these were funded under the Exploration Technology Development Program. What's that you ask? I'll leave it to the "experts".
Quote from: OV-106 on 05/24/2010 10:45 pm1. One of these were funded under the Exploration Technology Development Program. What's that you ask? I'll leave it to the "experts".My mistake, I had forgotten about the LOX/methane work ETDP did with XCOR and Armadillo.