The space industry is based on an antiquated concept of disposable rockets, earth construction, and non‐repairable satellites. Current space vehicle concepts hearken from a time of Cold War animosity and expeditiousness. Space systems are put together in small, single‐purpose chunks that are launched with mighty, single‐use rockets. Spacecraft need to change to a more versatile, capable, reusable, and mission efficient design. The Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) that President Bush put forward in his space initiative on Jan. 14, 2004 is a small first step. But like all first steps, the risk of eventual failure is great without a complementary set of steps, a reliable handhold, and a goal, which are outlined in this paper. The system for space access and development needs to be overhauled to allow for the access to space to complement the building in space, which promotes the production of goods in space, which enhances the exploitation of space resources… and the list goes on. Without supplemental and complementary infrastructure, all political, scientific, and idealistic endeavors to explore and exploit the near solar system will result in quagmires of failures and indecision. Renewed focus on fundamentals, integration, total‐system consideration, and solid engineering can avoid catastrophe. Mission success, simple solutions, mission efficiency, and proper testing all seem to have been lost in the chase for the nickels and dimes. These items will increase capabilities available from a system or combination of systems. New propulsion options and materials will enable vehicles previously unachievable. Future spacecraft should exploit modular designs for repeatability and reduced cost. Space construction should use these modular systems on major components built in orbit. All vehicles should apply smart designs and monitoring systems for increased reliability and system awareness. Crew safety systems must use this awareness in alerting the crew, aiding collision detection and avoidance, damage control and mitigation, and crew ejection systems. These systems, working together, will greatly increase survivability of crewed systems. Implicit in this varied list of technology and integration is industry risk. Aerospace industry must relearn to accept risk in space technology development in order to advance capability. All of these items wrap up in a total system view that will allow for more advanced, reliable capability in space.
Concept for Space Technology Advancement
SPACE TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS INT.FORUM-STAIF 2005: Conf.Thermophys in Micrograv;Conf Comm/Civil Next Gen.Space Transp; 22nd Symp Space Nucl.Powr Propuls.;Conf.Human/Robotic Techn.Nat'l Vision Space Expl.; 3rd Symp Space Colon.; 2nd Symp.New Frontiers ; 2005 ; Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA)
AIP Conference Proceedings ; 746 , 1 ; 1353-1360
2005-02-06
8 pages
Conference paper
Electronic Resource
English
Concept for Space Technology Advancement
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2005
|Advancement of scramjet MHD concept
AIAA | 2000
|Advancement of Scramjet Magnetohydrodynamic Concept
AIAA | 2001
|Advancement of Scramjet MHD Concept
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2000
|Static Feed Electrolyzer Technology Advancement for Space Application
SAE Technical Papers | 1987
|