Future of NASA: ISS Focused (Constrained Budget)
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The Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee has drawn up several alternate architectures for NASA to pursue its mission of sending astronauts beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). For a more complete summary, see “Future of NASA: Program of Record“. The second architecture in the list is ISS focused, constrained to fit the projected budget. This architecture is not recommended by the committee because it does not provide for a meaningful exploration program.
2010- The first commercial cargo deliveries to the International Space Station (ISS) begin.
2011- In March, the Space Shuttle is retired after delivering all the currently planned components to ISS. Soyuz space capsules, provided by international partners, provide crew transportation to ISS for the next five years.
2016- In June, a commercial crew transportation service to ISS becomes operational. Utilization of ISS for R&D increases.
2020- ISS is retired in January. The budget provides funding for a propulsion module which will bring ISS to a controlled re-entry. Some of it will burn up in the atmosphere, the rest will be disposed of in the ocean.
2028- Orion and the Ares V heavy-lift vehicle become operational in March. Crews may launch aboard Ares V, or be shuttled to orbit on commercial rockets. Decades of investment in advanced spaceflight technology may allow for some exploration beyond LEO.
References
- “Integrated Options for Human Exploration Discussion“. Review of US Human Space Flight Plans Committee. 12 August 2009.
- Ride, Sally; Crawley, Ed; Greason, Jeff; Behmuk, Bo. “Scenario Affordability Analysis“. Review of US Human Space Flight Plans Committee. 12 August 2009.
More in this series:
- The Program of Record
- ISS Focused (Constrained Budget)
- ISS Focused (Increased Budget)
- ISS/Shuttle Extension
- Deep Space (Ares V “Light”)
- Deep Space (Commercial HLV)
- Deep Space (Shuttle Derived)
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Tags: exploration program, heavy lift, human space flight, international space station, low earth orbit, space capsules, space shuttle