Human Space Transportation Research Articles

Deep Space Exploration Strategy Based on Distant Retrograde Orbits Space Station

To improve the utilization rate of DRO, reduce the cost of human lunar and human mars exploration mission, and exploit space between earth and moon, this paper studied human lunar and mars exploration flight modes based on DRO space station. Firstly, the mission profile of human lunar and mars exploration flight mode based on DRO space station is analyzed by comparing with the direct round-trip lunar flight mode. The human lunar and mars exploration mission can be decoupled into the human space transportation mission and the lunar or mars landing mission by the DRO space station. Then, a flight mode evaluation model is established to analyze and evaluate quantitatively the advantages and disadvantages of the flight modes based on the DRO space station. The evaluation results show that the flight mode based on the DRO space station is a optimal flight mode.

Europe in Space: Partner, Competitor, and Model for Asia

Europe in Space:Partner, Competitor, and Model for Asia Kai-Uwe Schrogl (bio) and Christina Giannopapa (bio) Europe regards itself as the second-greatest global space power after the United States, possessing all space capabilities except human space transportation. Investments in autonomous access and other operations demonstrate recognition of the strategic importance of space for European policy, economy, security, and society. This standing consequently leads to a large spectrum of interrelations and interactions with other space powers internationally. In this context, Asia is the region of highest interest. Its key space powers—Japan, China, and India—for decades have been associated with Europe through cooperation, competition, and conflict. While cooperation has so far prevailed, competition is growing, and conflict could easily turn from rare and punctual to severe and dominant. This essay describes Europe's ambitions in light of its achievements in space. In addition, it provides a special focus on Europe's contributions to international regulatory efforts in this field, since the status of outer space as a global common requires international interaction, with European and Asian states playing important roles. This is followed by a close look at the direct interactions between the two regions. Finally, the essay presents a comparison between the efforts in Europe and Asia to establish possible regional cooperative mechanisms to coordinate and integrate their space efforts, providing more opportunities for Europe to serve as a partner, competitor, and model for Asia in space. The Achievements and Ambitions of Europe In 2016, Europe manifested its ambition toward space. This was done through a joint statement by the European Union and the European Space Agency (ESA), which had previously been approved by 30 member states [End Page 50] in total. The document "Joint Statement on Shared Vision and Goals for the Future of European Space" develops three pillars of strategic relevance for Europe: (1) to maximize the integration of space into European society and economy, by increasing the use of space technologies and applications to support public policies, providing effective solutions to the big societal challenges faced by Europe and the world, strengthening synergies between civilian and security activities in the fields of navigation, communication and observation, including through monitoring borders, land and maritime security conditions; (2) to foster a globally competitive European space sector, by supporting research, innovation, entrepreneurship for growth and jobs across all Member States, and seizing larger shares of global markets; and (3) to ensure European autonomy in accessing and using space in a safe and secure environment, and in particular consolidate and protect its infrastructures, including against cyber threats.1 One of the most prominent keywords in this strategic outline is "autonomy." Since starting its joint efforts in the 1960s, Europe has been striving to reach autonomy in almost all aspects of space activity. These are access to space (with the Ariane and Vega rockets), satellite telecommunications (Eutelsat operations), meteorology (Eumetsat meteorological satellites), navigation and positioning (Galileo navigation system), and operational Earth observation (through data provided by the Copernicus Programme). The next step is reaching autonomy in the Space Situational Awareness Programme and its Space Surveillance and Tracking segment.2 Europe is also advancing in the field of military and security applications both on the national level and in coordination among member states.3 It is notable among Europe's achievements that the region collectively has a long tradition in space science and human spaceflight (albeit decidedly not with the objective of autonomous human access to space). Many firsts, such as the landings on Saturn's moon Titan and on the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, are prestigious examples. The European setup in space governance is characterized by four elements: (1) national programs by the member states of the EU [End Page 51] and the ESA, (2) the multilateral cooperation of the ESA's 22 members,4 (3) the supranational cooperation of the EU's 27 member states, and (4) a space industry that matches traditionally complex but globally competitive large-system integrators with agile small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups to compete in an ever-growing sector. These four elements have always been dynamic in their relationships and developments. However, the European states have usually managed to find a...

U.S. Human Space Transportation Failures

Non-U.S. human space transportation history from 1961 through 2007 is reviewed. Past and present non-U.S. human space programs and human space launch vehicles and spacecraft are briefly discussed. Category and chronological list of non-U.S. human space missions are presented. The emphasis of the study is on the investigation of mission failures and major anomalies encountered in non-U.S. human space transportation history. Failures and major anomalies by part, root cause, element, function, domain, and component are analyzed. Failure outcome, failure mode, time of failure, and mission reliability relevant to flight safety analysis are examined. Findings and failure mitigation strategy are summarized.

Non-U.S. Human Space Transportation Failures

Non-U.S. Human Space Transportation Failures

A space transportation architecture for the future

This paper summarizes the results of recent studies by Orbital to significantly reduce NASA's future launch costs and improve crew safety through the implementation of a low-risk, evolutionary space transportation architecture. These studies were performed as a part of NASA's Space Transportation Architecture Studies (STAS). The STA studies were commissioned by NASA Headquarters to advise NASA and the Executive Office of the President on the future direction of U.S space transportation. A large number of vehicles and architecture approaches were examined and evaluated. Orbital's recommended architecture includes a small, multifunctional vehicle, referred to as a Space Taxi TM, which would serve as: an emergency crew return vehicle for the International Space Station (ISS), a two-way human space transportation system, a small cargo delivery and return vehicle, and a passenger module for a future Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV). The Space Taxi would initially be launched on a heavy-lift Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV), currently under development by U.S. industry and the U.S. Air Force. Together with a small cargo carrier located behind the Space Taxi, this combination of vehicles would be used to meet future ISS servicing requirements. Later, a two-stage, commercially developed RLV would replace the EELV in launching the Space Taxi system at a significantly lower cost. This RLV system will provide NASA and other customers with unprecedented reductions in cost and improvements in reliability, safety, and performance.