[FPSPACE] NASA Considers Manned Asteroid Mission

Mon May 12 12:51:33 EDT 2008

Don't want to get to wrapped up in defending current versions of lunar or NEO architectures as they are still in development.

My concerns are reduced if Orion-to-NEO truly follows lunar missions, instead of preceding them (which is how it was originally explained to me by a NEOphyte).

However, note that "sortie" missions may of necessity precede outpost missions, because the outpost may be built up of elements delivered by shorter sorties, until it is completed and habitable.  Unless a miracle occurs and the habitat is delivered pre-assembled--a fitting lesson learned from ISS experience.

John Charles
Houston, Texas

----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Law <robert_law at yahoo.com>
To: fpspace at friends-partners.org <fpspace at friends-partners.org>; Charles, John B. (JSC-SA2)
Sent: Mon May 12 09:39:20 2008
Subject: RE: [FPSPACE] NASA Considers Manned Asteroid Mission

My understanding is a mission to a NEO would be a goal for after the Moon landings?

That NASA has moved away from the "sortie missions" to going direct to construct the lunar outpost?. There was a lot of info on this on the web and articles in AWST last year.

I think there was a recent attempt to try to change the space policy with dropping the moon altogether and going direct to a NEO mission , then it turned out to be reduced to a unmanned robotic mission only- This would be a major mistake for the United States at a time when China , Russia and Europe are moving forward.

A mission to a NEO is the logical next step after the moon landings , we need to gain experience in operating the Orion space craft ,before committing to a long duration flight

A mission to a NEO would be a step forward before Mars exploration

Regards

Robert

--- On Wed, 5/7/08, Charles, John B. (JSC-SA2) <john.b.charles at nasa.gov> wrote:

	From: Charles, John B. (JSC-SA2) <john.b.charles at nasa.gov>
	Subject: RE: [FPSPACE] NASA Considers Manned Asteroid Mission
	To: robert_law at yahoo.com, fpspace at friends-partners.org
	Date: Wednesday, May 7, 2008, 9:22 PM

	Even if the lunar and NEO vehicle configurations are largely identical, insertion of a NEO mission into the flow of missions leading to a lunar landing will necessarily delay the lunar landing by at least one mission.  The fact that NEO mission would last months, vs. less than 2 weeks for the early lunar sortie mission, indicates that vehicle modifications will be required both in the Orion vehicle and in the modified Altair lander that would function as the habitat for the NEO mission.  Such modifications will cause delays in the lunar program because such vehicle modifications must be developed and implemented by the same engineers andd technicians who would otherwise be doing the same for the lunar versions of those vehicles.  And, delays are usually more long-lasting than initially assumed.
	John Charles
	Houston, Texas

________________________________

		From: Robert Law [mailto:robert_law at yahoo.com] 
		Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 3:08 PM
		To: fpspace at friends-partners.org; Charles, John B. (JSC-SA2)
		Subject: Re: [FPSPACE] NASA Considers Manned Asteroid Mission

		Don't understand how this would delay a return to the moon ?, as the dates I have seen for several types of NEO missions using Orion are in the in the 2020s to 2030s there are early opportunity's in 2012 etc but Orion wont be ready it makes sense to do the moon landings first , to get experience and reliability before going on long flights to NEO's

		Robert
		--- On Wed, 5/7/08, Charles, John B. (JSC-SA2) <john.b.charles at nasa.gov> wrote:

			From: Charles, John B. (JSC-SA2) <john.b.charles at nasa.gov>
			Subject: Re: [FPSPACE] NASA Considers Manned Asteroid Mission
			To: fpspace at friends-partners.org
			Date: Wednesday, May 7, 2008, 8:00 PM

			Articles like this one by O'Neill give me concern because the term
			"planning" implies a serious possibility of implementing the mission.
			In fact, this is a study of one of several possible future
			options--which would probably delay humans' return to the Moon--and (as
			far as I know) nothing more.  In fairness, the quoted text says
			"planning" only  once, and the more accurate "consider" 
			twice.

			Likewise, I wish writers would use the conditional tense (..."astronauts
			would travel...") instead of the future tense("...astronauts will
			travel...") in describing such highly-conditional cases. 

			John Charles
			Houston, Texas

			>-----Original Message-----
			>From: fpspace-bounces at friends-partners.org 
			>[mailto:fpspace-bounces at friends-partners.org] On Behalf Of LARRY KLAES
			>Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 1:39 PM
			>To: fpspace at friends-partners.org
			>Subject: [FPSPACE] NASA Considers Manned Asteroid Mission
			>
			>NASA Considers Manned Asteroid Mission
			>Written by Ian O'Neill
			>...
			>Actually, NASA is planning a mission to an NEO, but not 
			>because it's aimed at us.
			>An asteroid named 2000SG344 (which threatened the Earth in the 
			>year 2000) is being considered as the destination for the 
			>first manned asteroid mission. 
			>...
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