NASA Outlines "Flagship" Technology Demonstrations

FleaPlus writes "As part of its new plans, NASA has outlined the initial series of large-scale 'flagship' technology demonstration (FTD) missions for developing and testing technologies needed for sustainable beyond-Earth exploration, complementing the smaller-scale ETDD missions outlined previously. The first four FTD missions (costing $400M-$1B each, about the cost of the recent Ares I-X suborbital rocket launch) are scheduled to launch between 2014 and 2016, demonstrating advanced in-space propulsion (next-generation ion propulsion and solar arrays), in-space propellant transfer and storage, a lightweight/inflatable mission module at the ISS (which will also test closed-loop life support), and an inflatable aeroshell for aerocapture at Mars. A multi-purpose robotic rendezvous and docking vehicle will also be developed to support these missions."

Comments

Finally some real technology development

[Larson2042]

Instead of blowing money on re-inventing the wheel, except much more expensively... *cough* Ares-1

Re:Finally some real technology development

[Larson2042]

Proven approaches to what? Orbital fuel depots and refueling, inflatable aero shells, tens of kW electric propulsion for manned missions, and inflatable habitats don't have proven approaches yet. That's the whole point of these kinds of programs. The only way NASA will be able to stay with "proven approaches" is to remain in LEO and build carbon-copy ISSs. Even then, I remain far from convinced that what NASA does today should be considered a "proven approach" to manned spaceflight. While they've done some amazing things, human spaceflight still remains rare and hideously expensive. I would prefer that not be the approach to such matters going into the future.

Re:Finally some real technology development

[Tekfactory]

I totally agree with new approaches and new development. But I want to mention two things you might not be aware of.

Bigelow Aerospace has flown 2 inflatable Habitats since 2006. The foam they are made of was originally developed for the ISS, and tech transferred to a private company to develop it further.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigelow_Aerospace
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TransHab
Heck their Sundancer manned habitat might BE the tech demonstrator for inflatable habitats.

The VASIMR 200kw electric propulsion system tested on the ISS, can only run for 10 minutes on batteries that have to trickle charge because the ISS only has 110kw of solar power available.

So while these things aren't man rated yet, I can see where the tech demonstrators for these would be quick to put together with little 'new' development time.

Re:Seems kind of quick?

[FleaPlus]

They couldn't have really developed all of this since the announcement of the cancellation of the Constellation program.

Seems more likely they just grabbed a bunch of already developed tech and slammed it together.

On the plus side, the fact that they're actually focusing on this tech which I heard they were developing years years ago, at least for the ion propulsion and inflatable structures, shows that NASA is finalyl getting off their feet and working on them.

Keep in mind all of these technologies have been on NASA's back-burner for a while (and most/all had their funding cut when Ares/Constellation started going over-budget). These "Flagship Technology Demonstrators" are also specifically targeted towards technologies which are already of mid-level maturity but have never been brought to the point that they could be tested in space before. There's a figure on page 2 of this document which does a pretty good job of explaining things:

http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/viewrepositorydocument/cmdocumentid=230964/Section1.pdf