International Industrial Cooperation: Key to an Affordable and Sustainable Space Exploration Program

Abstract

The Vision for Space Exploration is built on a number of underlying considerations designed to safeguard the viability and acceptance of space exploration activities over many years. These considerations include sustainability and affordability, two aspects closely inter related, and influential in decisions concerning infrastructure architecture and mission design. One way of assuring sustainability and affordability is to involve several stakeholders in the program. Traditionally, stakeholders in space programs are space agencies, but space agencies cannot always keep in step with each other, reflecting, as they must local political priorities. However the space industry has now matured to the point where the benefits of international industrial cooperation offer economic justification for crossing the traditional borders recognized by space agencies. Industrial cooperation enables companies with common goals to exploit the best available resources and assets, and to work together to provide an evolving infrastructure of s pace transportation and habitation able to support progressively ambitious missions of exploration. Business -to -business decision -making can cut through lengthy deliberations at Agency level, contributing to program affordability and sustainability. Lockhe ed Martin and EADS -ST will present the current status of their achievements, and their proposals for continuing an affordable and sustainable space exploration program based on international industrial cooperation. I. Introduction HE Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company and EADS SPACE Transportation (EADS -ST) are cooperating in the Vision for Space Exploration. The teaming of these two premier aerospace companies reaches across two continents and allows Lockheed Martin and EADS -ST to combine their si gnificant strengths and decades of experience and expertise in large, complex systems integration, innovation and advanced technology development, and operational reliability and performance – all of which are vital to helping NASA achieve its goal of demo nstrating a new CEV by 2008 and operational capability by 2014. Beginning with the participation of EADS ST as a subcontractor to Lockheed Martin in the Concept Exploration and Refinement (CE&R) study managed by NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directora te, EADS -ST will support Lockheed Martin by providing independent insights into potential concepts for exploration architecture and crew exploration vehicles. In addition, EADS -ST will carry out a survey of the European industrial complex. Another benefit of industrial cooperation is that cost effective solutions to problems in the area of space transportation can benefit programs not otherwise connected. For example, the need to support the International Space Station after space shuttle retirement will pr omote innovative, commercial solutions, which in turn will support the evolving needs of robotic exploration and human transportation to the moon and beyond. Sustained cooperation between Lockheed Martin and EADS -ST on Space Exploration programs will be de pendant upon a value added arrangement that proves itself out over the course of the program. Such cooperation is indeed consistent with The Vision for Space Exploration. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, headquartered near Denver, Colo., is one of t he major operating units of Lockheed Martin Corporation. Space Systems Company designs, develops, tests and manufactures a variety of advanced technology systems for space and defense. Chief products include space launch systems, defense systems, interpla netary and science spacecraft, spacecraft for commercial and government customers, fleet ballistic missiles and missile defense systems. Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin employs about