Space Exploration Activities Past and Future

Transcript

Space Exploration Activities
Past and Future
E.Vallerani
Accademia delle Scienze di Torino
Giornata dello Spazio - 23 Maggio 2008
50 Years of Space Activities .
The first “Fifty Years” of Space Acti vities
have reported a remarkable number of
successes that have opened to Humanki nd
New Horizons and provi ded perspecti ves
of expansions of Our Civilization beyond
the boundaries of the Earth.
l Space Appl ications have changed our way
of life, and Scientific Space Missions have
increased our knowl edge of the Uni verse.
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E.ValleraniE.Vallerani- Giornata dello SpazioSpazio- Accademia delle Scienze -TorinoTorino- 23/5/08
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Space Exploration
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The advent of Spaceflight has opened the
possibility of close and direct Observation
and Exploration of the Bodies of the Solar
System.
Space Explorat ion Missions are by far the
most unique and challenging opportunities to
better understand the secret of the Universe.
First Lunar Probes Missions: Pioneer (US)
and Luna (USSR), were attempted as early
as end of 1958, only one year after Sputnik
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Steps of Space Explor ation
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The Strategy of Exploration of the Bodi es
of the Solar System foresees essenti ally
the sequence of five steps :
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FLYBY ROBOT IC PROBES
ROBOTIC ORBITERS
ROBOTIC LANDERS
ROBOTIC SURFACE SURVEYORS
HUMAN SURFACE EXPLORATIONS
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Exploration at a Glance
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Missions to the Moon
The Moon has been for al most fifteen years
(1959 -76) the Strategic Battlefield of the
USSR -USA competi tion in Space Acti vities.
l So far 60 successful missions have occurred:
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USSR - 3 Flybys-6 Impacts-7 Orbiters-3 Landers
7 Sample Returns- 2 Rovers - Total 28
l U.S.A-2 Flybys- 4 Impacts- 8 Orbiters -5 Landers
2 Crewed Orbiter-6 Crewed Landings - Total 27
l Japan (2), ESA (1), China (1), India (1) – Total 5
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The USSR-U.S.A Competition was indeed
head to head:
Flyby: Luna1 (1/1959)- Pioneer 4 (3/1959)
l Impact: Luna 2 (9/1959)-Ranger 4 (4/1962)
l Orbiter: Luna 10 (3/1966)-Lunar Orb. (8/1966)
l Lander: Surveyor 1 (5/1966)- Luna 13 (12/66)
l Probe Return: Zond 5 (9/1968)
l Crewed Orbiter: Apollo 8 (12/1968)
l Crewed Landing : Apollo 11 (7/1969)
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Unmanned Ameri can Missions.
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Lunar Missions,1958, were assigned by
the D.o.D to the Air Force Ballistic Missile Div.
and to the Army Ballistic Missile Agency.
l All early attempts failed - Pioneer 4 attempted
first flyby 3/ ’59, not close enough for data.
l NASA -JPL Ranger Program, after six failures,
succeeded with Ranger 7-8-9 to impact the
Moon (1964 -65) and to transmit 17.267 images
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Ranger 9 - Crater Alphonsus
Surveyor 1- Ocean of Storms
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In preparation of Apollo Mission,
five “Lunar
Orbiters” conducted
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Moon observations with very
high resolution photographs of
the planned landing sites; also
the dark side was photographed.
Later five “Surveyor
Landers ”
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conducted tests on descent and
landing dynamics and made soil
observations and temperature
measurements.
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Unmanned USS R Missions
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first probes (Luna 1 & 2) detected the non
existence of a noticeable lunar magnetic field
and of a radiation belt around the Moon.
l Luna 3 and Zond 3 photographed the dark side.
l Luna 9 & 13 soft landing tested the soil firmness.
l Luna 14-19 & 22 orbiting probes detected the
gravitational and magnetic cislunar fields and
the radiation and meteorite surface environment.
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Mission to the Moon
l Luna
17 & 21 carried Lunokhod 1 & 2 rovers
and studied mechanical and chemical soil
composition investigating lunar morphology
over a range of 10, and of more than 37 Km.
l Luna 16-20 & 24 brought back to the Earth a
fraction of a kilogram of lunar rocks taken on
the surface and at a depth of 0.4 and 2 meters
These soil particles allowed early mineralogy,
petrography and geochemical researches.
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Human Missions to the Moon
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July 20,1969 -hr 4:17 E.D.TApollo XI -Eagle touched
down in Mare Tranquillitatis.
Six hours later Armstrong
took his famous” one giant
leap for mankind”
After more than 20 hours on
the Lunar surface the two
astronauts returned with 20
Kg of lunar samples.
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Apollo XI- Descent of E.Aldrin
N.Armstrong back to the Lander
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The American APOLLO P rogram in the
period 1969 -72 achieved seven mi ssions,
six of which successful ly brought to the
Moon and back 12 Astronauts .
l Time spent on the Moon 301 hr (12. days)
l Extra Vehicular Activities, walks and rides
on board of the Rovers, l asted in total 80 hr
l Samples returned wei ghted 388 Kg.
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Apollo 17-Last Mission
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Mercury
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Missions to Mercury
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MARINER 10.
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First Flyby March 74, other two
flybys on Sept. 74 and March 75.
Photographs sent of the heavily
cratered surface, Lunar similar.
Discovery of weak magnetic f ield
and of traces of argon, neon and
helium atmosphere.
Ongoing and Next Missions:
NASA -MESSENGER (2004 -2011)
and ESA - Bepi Colombo (2019 ).
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Venus
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Missions to Venus
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The planet Venus has been the target of a very
intense scientific exploration performed, in the
period 1961 -85, by the Soviets with 16 Venera
Spacecrafts (Flyby, Orbiters, Descent Probes,
Landers) and 2 Vega Spacecrafts (Landers and
Balloon Probes).
The U.S Missions in the period 1962 -78 included
5 Spacecrafts: 3 Mariner (Flyby) and 2 Pioneer
Venus Probes (Orbiter and Descent Probes).
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Missions to Venus
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These missions discovered
the hydrogen corona, and
measured pressure and
temperature profiles of the
very dense carbon dioxide
Venusian atmosphere.
At ground level pressure is
about 100 atmospheres and
temperature 450 ° Celtius.
The soil composition was
examined, finding it similar to
terrestrial basalts.
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Missions to Venus
NASA-CNES Magellan probe
orbited around Venus i n 1990 and
performed in four years, six radar
observation cycles at progressi vely
lower altitudes.
ESA -Venus Express launched
in 2005, with seven experiments
arrived in 2006 still properly working.
Wind fields at different altitude and
surface temperatures are being
accurately measured.
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Mars
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Missions to Mars
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Since 1960 Mars has been the target of as
many as 39 Missions , out of which only 17
have been successful.
l U.S
obtained 13 successes out of 19 attempts
l USSR –Russia only 2 successes - 16 failures
l Japan and Europe each 1 success no failures
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Successful Missions include:
3 Flybys – 6 Orbiters - 4 Orbiter/Landers.
1 Lander -1 Lander/Rover -2 Rovers.
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Missions to Mars
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Successful Missions:
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4-6-7 Flybys 1964 and 1969
l Mars 3 (USSR) Orbiter-Lander 28/5/1971
l Mariner 9 Orbiter 30/5/71
l Mars 5 (USSR) Orbiter 1973
l Viking 1-2 Orbiter-Lander 1975
l Mars Global Surveyor Orbiter 1996
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Missions to Mars
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Pathfinder - Lander -Rover 1996
l Nozomi (Planet B) Japan Orbiter 1998
l Mars Odyssey -Orbiter 2001
l Mars -Express ESA -Orbiter-Lander 2003
l Spirit and Opportunity- Rovers 2003
l Mars Reconnaisance Orbiter 2005
l Phoenix Scout Lander 2007
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Missions to Mars
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Mariner Flybys and Orbiters
provided thousands of images of
the Martian surface and detected
the thin atmosphere composition
formed mainly by carbon -dioxide
Many craters were identified and
evidence was reached that water
once flowed across the surface
etching valleys and flood plains
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Missions to Mars
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Viking Landers , carried three
experiments to search for traces
of organic materials and for faint
evidences of life.
The landscape found was bleak
rusty-red, littered with rocks and
marked by rippled sand dunes.
Observations were made as well
of the two Martian satellites:
Phobos and Deimos .
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Mission to Mars
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Mars Express : First European
Mars Orbiter/Lander. June 2003
High resolution image global
coverage of the planet.
Search for water and life.
Map mineral composition.
Map atmosphere composit ion.
Determine subsurface structure.
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Mars Express - ESA
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Mission to Mars
Mars Express- Prometheus Plan.
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Mission to Mars
Mars Express Hebes Chasma Valles Marineris
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Mission to Mars
Mars Express-Grand Canyon of Mars
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Mission to Mars
Mars Express-Crater in Vastitas Borealis
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Mission to Mars
Mars Express Deadallia Planum
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Asteroids
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Missions to the Asteroids
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The Asteroid Belt between Mars
and Juppiter is populated by a
large number of Minor Planets.
Spacecrafts (Galileo and Cassini )
on the way to Juppiter and Saturn
have observed these primordial
bodies.
Missions NEAR and Muses C
planned for Rendezvous and
Sample Returns
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Missions to the Asteroids
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Spacecraft on the way to Comets
performed fly-bys of Asteroids.
Stardust 1999 has met asteroid
Anne Frank.
Rosetta launched 2004 will meet
9/2008 asteroid Steins and later
Lutetia.
Future Missions: Dawn, to orbit
Ceres and Vesta, and NEAP, to
rendezvous asteroid Nereus .
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Juppiter
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Missions to Juppiter
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Exploration begun 1973 -74 with
the flyby of Pioneer 10 and 11
at 130.000 and 43.000 Km.
Pioneer 11 continued to Saturn.
In 1979 Voyager 1 and 2 were
launched, they passed close t o
Juppiter taking pictures and then
continued to Saturn ( 1980 -81)
with Voyager 2 reaching Uranus
(1986) and Neptune (1989).
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Io and Europa satellites around Juppiter
Ganymede satellite around Juppiter
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Mission to Juppiter
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Pioneers : main scientific results
l Magnetic
Field several times greater than the
Earth one was detected.
l Energy emission almost twice the amount
received from the Sun. Internal Energy source.
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Voyagers : main scientific results
l Meteorological
characteristics of the Red Spot.
l Temperature of 1000° K were measured.
l Volcanic eruption of the moon Io was observed
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In 1989 NASA performed the GALILEO Mission
made up by an Orbiter and a Descent Probe ,
with the purpose to study:
the chemical composition and physical state
of the atmosphere of Juppiter.
l the magnetic field and its interactions with the
Solar Wind energetic particles.
l the surfaces, chemical composit ion and
physical state of the Galileian satellites .
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Galileian Satellites
Callisto , Europa , Io and Ganimede
Callisto
Europa
Io
Ganimede
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Saturn
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Missions to Saturn
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The Pioneer 11, Voyager 1&2
after their Juppiter’s encounters
performed flybys meeting Saturn
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Observed in detail the known rings
and discovered a new Ring G.
Detected a Magnetic Field
generated by electric currents
flowing in the metallic mantle.
Detected an core consi sting of
heavy elements, as large as Earth.
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Missions to Saturn
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Voyager 2 discovered myriads of small rings
composed of thousands of millions of ice and dust
particles.
Seventeen moons, some just discovered, were
examined
Observation of Saturn surface confirmed, as in
the Juppiter case, that the atmosphere
composition is hydrogen and helium.
The composition of the Titan atmosphere was
observed to be similar to the Earth one
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Missions to Saturn.
The NASA/ESA/ ASI Cassini-Huygens
Spacecraft l aunched Oct 1997 arri ved at
Saturn in June 2004.
l Cassini Orbiter (NASA) injected Huygens
Probe (ESA) in a descent traj ectory to Titan
l Huygens Probe made a 21 days de-orbiting
reaching the surface, sl owed down b y a set
of parachutes.
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Missions to Titan
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Titan has an extraordinarily Earth
like meteorology and geology.
Evidences of precipitations, erosion
mechanical abrasion and other
fluvial activities have been found.
The fluid is not water but methane !!
Soil instead of silicate rocks is dirty
water-ice at 100°K, covered by
deposits of organic haze (methane)
that shroud the planet.
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Uranus, Neptune and Pluto
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Missions to Uranus, Neptune, Pluto
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Uranus was visited 1986 by the
Voyager 2 coming from Saturn.
Neptune was reached 1989 by
the Voyager 2 continuing beyond.
An Orbiter around Neptune is
foreseen in the years to come.
Pluto has been visited 2006 by
New Horizons in a flyby .
Uranus
Neptune
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Comets
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Missions to the Comets
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The outermost members of the Solar System
Asteroids and Comets, occasionally pay a visit to
the inner planets, getting close to Earth.
Comets are ice debris remnants of the very early
formation of the Solar System.
The Comets’ nucleus is made by water-ice, with
methane and ammonia that boil off when getting
closer to the Sun forming the “tail” as a result of the
interaction with the Solar wind.
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Several Spacecraft have fl own by Comets,
the first mission was NASA Int’l Cometary
Explorer ICE (19 85).
l Comet Halley in 1986 was observed b y an
Armada of 5 Spacecraft ( Two Japanese,
Two Soviet and One European)
l Giotto performed the fi rst close flyby with
an approach of 596 Km from the nucl eus.
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Giotto- Halley Comet Nucleus
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Space Exploration Activities
Past and Future
Visions and Strategies
for the Future
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Visions and Strategies for the Future
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After the initial twenty years of acceleration a
slow down took place in the Space Exploration ,
until the turn of the Century, when challenging
robotic exploration missions, that enhanced
largely our knowledge, were again performed.
The interests for Space Exploration have just
recently considerably increased after the
announcement of the “Vision
for U.S. Space
“
Exploration” made by President G.W.Bush in
Jan.2004.
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U.S. Space Exploration Vision
The fundamental goal of the Vision is to advance
U.S. scientific, security and economic interests .
To fulfill the new Spirit of Discovery U.S will:
l Implement affordable Human and robotic programs
to explore the Solar System and beyond.
l Extend Human presence , starting with a Human
return to the Moon by 2020 , in preparation of Human
exploration of Mars and other destinations.
l Develop innovative technologies and infrastructures.
l Promote international and commercial part icipation.
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The Space Agencies , and in particular ESA, have
as well intensified Exploration Studies to properly
support the future decisions.
But Governments of several leading Nations have
not yet clearly defined their contribution to Space
Exploration International Initiatives.
The “Strategic
Nature” of the decisions to be taken
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by the Governments, has to prevail on the to-day
shortage of interests expressed by Stakeholders.
Space Exploration is an Investment for the Future.
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Considering the complex panorama of the very
many options on which to base an Exploration
Vision, three alternatives have been identified:
Scientific Vision- Space Scientific Exploration
Grand Vision- Space Extended Exploration,
Inhabitation, Development and Exploitation
Pragmatic Vision - Space Exploration, Initial
Inhabitation and Development
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The Scientific Vision
“Space Scientific Exploration Visions” are usually
based on Scientific Missions essentially Robotic,
aimed at the understanding of the formation and
evolution of the Solar System.
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particular to Mars and recently also to the Moon,
the Scientific Vision, has to foresee an aggregation
of “Multipurpose Missions” to optimize the research
infrastructures, to limit the transportation burden
and to create networks of supporting services.
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The Scientific Vision
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In essence the identified “Scientific Vision”, that is
based just on “ Space Exploration Missions
supported by Scientific Objectives”, turns out to
be a continuation and a systematic extension , but
with recourse to new advanced technologies, of
the past approach adopted so far, that has been
founded mainly on some isolated, limited duration
exploration “Robotic
Missions ”.
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The involvement of Humans in this type of yet
“Sectorial Space Exploration Vision” is expected
to be increasing over time.
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The Grand Vision
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The upper extreme of the Space Exploration
Visions, the “Grand Vision”, considers the
Exploration just the initial phase of a much
wider process of deep penetration of Human
Civilization in the regions beyond the Earth.
The permanent Human presence is giving
rise to a Progressive Development of the
explored territories and to a Systematic
Exploitation of their Resources .
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The Grand Vision
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The distinguishing main features of the Grand
Vision are:
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“Long Term Perspectives ” from which the structure
of the integrated over all infrastructure architecture of
the Vision has to be derived,
“Plurality of Primary Major Objecti ves” originated
from concurrent coexistence of several categories
of different Stakeholders representing a variet y of
mixed interests,
“Large Involvement of Humans ” since the earl y
phases in the activities to be performed at the
various destinations.
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The Grand Vision
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The Grand Vision embraces a very large array
of activities, resulting from the extension of
the Objectives, whose temporal horizon is
moved far downstream the decades to come.
Aside the traditional “Scientific Objectives”
are contemplated “Other
than Scientific
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Objectives” that are originated from the mix
of a wide variety of industrial, commercial,
social and political initiatives that all together
provide the justification of a relevant effort.
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The Grand Vision
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As always has happened Exploration comes
first and the Development and Settlement of
the explored territories are going to follow.
With “Space
Development and Settlement”
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it is intended the spreading over the various
regions beyond Earth of the many activities
associated with the presence of Humans.
The Development of the Moon, will indeed
be accomplished when we could consider
our natural satellite to be the Eight Continent
of the Earth.
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The Grand Vision:
Space Extended Exploration
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The Extended Space Exploration Objectives
characterizing the Grand Vision comprise:
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on one side the activities to support a coherent
set of systematic scientific initiatives responding
to the “Grand Challenges ” that the International
Scientific Communit y has recently identified for
the “ Human Space Scientific Exploration ”, and
on the other the diversified Human activit ies that
considerabl y expand the traditional Objectives of
the Exploration, to include the ones derivi ng from
other realities; Objectives that so far have never
been mixed with the Scientific ones.
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The Science Grand Chal lenges
Humankind has since ever posed itself
“Several Fundamental Questions” to which
now-a-day “Scientific Space Exploration” can
provide some responses.
Question 1-Where did we come from?Goal 1 Determine how the Galaxies began and evol ved
Goal 2- Determine the Origin and Evolution of Earth
and its Biosphere .
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The Science Grand Chal lenges
Question 2-What will happen in the Future?
Goal 3- Determine the Nature of Space Environment
and the Occurrence of an y Cosmic Hazard to Earth .
Goal 4- Determine the Potential for Establishing one
day Human Permanent Presence in Space .
Question 3- Are We alone in the Universe?
Goal 5- Determine if there is or ever has been Life
Extra-Terrestrial in the Solar System .
Goal 6- Determine if there are Life -Bearing Planets
around Other Stars.
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The Grand Vision:
Extended Scientific Exploration
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The activities of Space Extended Exploration
resulting from the above Goals, are going to
involve several Bodies of the Solar System.
Starting with the easiest to reach, Exploration
begins with the Near-Earth Objects, such as
Asteroids/ Comets, the more primitive ones.
Their stud y, in addition to the understanding of the
formation of the Solar S ystem, will also provide us
information on their potential for suppl ying useful
resources either for future space exploration or for
export to Earth .
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The Grand Vision:
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There are many reasons to go back to the
Moon, both for science of the Moon, to read
the history of the Earth -Moon system, as well
as for science from the Moon.
The Human fieldwork for samples selection
and analysis in-loco, will require extended
activities, and in case of the construction and
operation of large Observatori es on the Moon
surface, an extensive continuous Human
presences w ill be needed.
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The Grand Vision:
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The next step would be the exploration of Mars
mainly linked to the search of past or present
life, exploration that has to be extended below
the planet surface, with very deep drills to
detect the ice and water in the subsurface.
Intense Human fieldwork needs to be therefore
executed, with long permanence of very large
groups of people for extended periods of time.
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The Grand Vision:
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Progressively, in addition to Mars, the search
for life will be extended also to the Satellites
of the Planets of the Outer Solar System.
To the large Juppiter’s Galileian Satellites:
Europa , Ganymede and Callisto, and
To the Saturn’s moon Titan.
The basic scientific researches on all the
other Planets and on their moons, will be
continued and expanded.
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The Grand Vision:
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To carry out such engaging advanced exploration
campaigns on the surface of Planets and their
moons, new developments of very advanced
“Robotic Colonies” have to be envisaged.
A Robotic Colony is a remote “ Research Center ”
similar to a Human Colony, but operating fully
autonomousl y, using only Robots to extend the
Human senses into the Solar System prior to the
onset of the Human presence.
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The Grand Vision
“Other than Scientific ” Exploration
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Aside and concurrent with the Scientific Exploration
a number of different activities have as well to be
performed, leading to a Complex of Other than
Scientific Exploration Missions aimed at preparing
the future Development of the explored territories.
The search for the “Natural
Resources” has to be
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conducted systematically in parallel with the other
scientific activities, utilizing, as much as possible
the same “Orbital and Surface Infrastructures”
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The Grand Vision:
Space Inhabitation
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The Involvement of Humans in the Space
Exploration Activities has been very much
controversial, since the beginning of the
Space endeavors.
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The large majority of the Scientific Space
Community has opposed to the participation
of Humans in the Exploration Campaigns,
not identifying and recognizing significant
advantages compared to the” Robotic Only
Missions”, that usually imply much reduced
times and costs of development.
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The Grand Vision:
Space Inhabitation
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The controversial point has been overcome
as a consequence of the clear statements
announced in the Presidential Vision for the
U.S. Space Exploration, that underlines the
fundamental role of Humans in the future
Exploration Initiatives.
To day significant involvements of Humans
in the future activities are a well recognized
feature of Extended Exploration Initiatives.
We can speak to-day of “Space
Inhabitation”
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as a significant part of the broader Vision of
the Future Space Activities.
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The Grand Vision:
Space Inhabitation
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For this reason the “Grand Vision” foresees,
after the establishment of the initial “Human
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Outposts ”, located either in orbit around the
visited celestial bodies or on their surfaces,
and visited at intervals by the Explorers, the
advent of “Permanent
Human Settlements ”.
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A network of Laboratories and Factories in
which the advanced research and the initial
industrial activities will be performed, is thus
foreseen to grow around these Human Bases .
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The Grand Vision:
Space Developments
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To support the presence of a large number of people
several activities w ill be initiated leading to the full
Development of the New Extraterrestrial Territories.
The Human Settlements will be connected b y an
Integrated System of Vehicles for the transport of
people and cargo.
These innovati ve Surface S ystems, formed b y Rovers
to cover short distances and by “Flying
Hoppers ” for
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the larger distances, w ill need to be operated and
serviced large Man -tended supporting infrastructures
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The Grand Vision: Colonization
and Resources Exploitation
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The “Permanent Inhabitation of Space” is the
presupposition and the premise for a real
“Development of Space ”, that is to say for
the inclusion of the new celestial territories
in the” Sphere of the Interest and Action of
the Terrestrial”.
Such a “Colonization
Process ”, expected to
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last several decades, and in some extreme
cases even centuries, largely relies on the
“Exploitation of the Local Natural Resources ”
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The Grand Vision:
Resources Exploitation
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The process of “ Exploitation of the Local
Resources ” will allow, on one side the needed
progressive achievement of the almost total
independence of the “Extraterrestrial Human
Settlements ” from the Earth,
And on the other side, it will in part contribute,
with the transfer of valuable materials to Earth,
to the dramatically increasing needs of
resources of Humankind.
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The Grand Vision:
Resources Exploitation
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Particularl y relevant in the process of utilization of
local resources is the “In-Situ
Propellant Production ”,
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that on the Moon would lead to the Liquid Oxygen and
Liquid Hydrogen extraction from the soil, and on Mars
to the Methane and Ox ygen generation utilizing the
Carbon Dioxide of the atmosphere.
New Transportation S ystems properly designed to
utilize extraterrestrial Resources, stored in Cislunar and
Cismartial Orbits Depots, w ould allow considerable
reduction in the mass and costs of the connections w ith
the Earth, and would considerabl y increase the Pa yload
Mass for Missions to the Far Planets.
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The Grand Vision
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The “Grand
Vision”, encompassing all these
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diverse aspects of Human activities is clearly
to be considered ,first of all, a kind of a “great
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revolution of our perspecti ves”, that projects
the actual Human horizons very far, beyond the
traditional natural boundaries of our Old Earth .
Space Exploration, Inhabitation ,Development
and Exploitation are Challenges for the Future
of Humankind. We must get prepared for them
to occur in the coming future.
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The Grand Vision
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Once Terrestrial, stepping out of the Earth
Gravitational Well, will learn how to benefit of
the Moon position and of its resources to
project themselves far into the Solar System,
the Access to Space will be facilitated.
Also a large number of “Space
Tourists” will
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have the possibility to reach far destinations.
And the dream will be finally accomplished
of reaching Mars, and initiating the visionary
process of transformation of its inhospitable
environment to render it habitable for the
Humans.
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The Pragmatic Vision
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The two Visions, at one extreme the“Scientific
Vision”and at the other extreme the far looking
“Grand Vision”, for reasons naturally quite
opposite, are not to day sustainable and viable
The “Scientific
Vision” notwithstanding the
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considerable support enjoyed within Scientific
Communities, especially for the missions to
Mars, is difficult to be widely justified and
accepted, lacking a more wide support for its
ambitious Exploration Plans based uniquely
on Scientific Objectives.
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In the other extreme case of the “Grand
Vision”,
“
the complexity of the Space Architectures, the
very Long Term perspectives, the difficulties to
achieve a coherent amalgam of the interest of
the different potential Stakeholders, and the
astronomic investment needed , are such that to
day, in a situation of worldwide deep economy
recession, it cannot be considered but utopian,
useful only at the limit as a reference model
for comparisons.
86
l
l
l
In order to find out an actual viable solution a
“Pragmatic Vision” has to be identified that,
still preserving the far looking strategic nature
of a global vision, is indeed somehow an
intermediate way:
on one side a going beyond the limitation of
the “Science Vision” and
on the other side a significant reduction of the
“Grand Vision”.
87
The Pragma tic Vision
l
l
In the “Pragmatic Vision” thus the” Scientific
Objectives” have to be mixed and balanced
by the “Other than Scientific Objectives”,
leading to new forms of “Space Exploration
Architectures” that offer the benefits of being
as much as possible “Multipurpose” and
“Long Lasting” over time.
Their continuous refurbishments, repairs,
reconfigurations will require the irreplaceable
presence of Humans.
88
The Pragmatic Vision:
Exploration and Development
l
l
Exploration and Development have indeed
to proceed hand to hand to achieve a well
balanced and progressive expansion of the
Humankind presences, starting initially from
the Moon but targeted to Mars.
Robots and Humans have to be both utilized
in a highly cooperative way in order to obtain
from their mutual interaction and from their
combination the best performances.
89
Exploration and Development
l
The utilization of the Extra-terrestrial Local
Natural Resources has to be an integral part
of the” Fundamental Extended Objectives”
of the “Pragmatic Vision”, to ensure, as a
minimum, the progressive even still partial
independence of the Human and of the
Robotic Outposts, and to help reducing the
costs of the transportation.
90
l
l
l
A Distinguishing feature of the “Pragmatic
Vision” is undoubtedl y the march side by side
of the Public and of the Private Sectors.
The Initial Investments, covering the very
large costs of the development of the Space
Infrastructures needed to support the Space
Exploration and Development Initiatives, have
to be made by the Governments.
The Private Sector has to be encouraged to
participate to the relevant investments.
91
l
l
The Implementation Plans of the Exploration
and Development Initiatives have to be such
to encourage, since the early phases, the
direct involvement of the Private Sector.
The possibility must be ensured to the
Private Sector to further expand and exploit
by itself the various opportunities that are
going to be originated by the initial efforts.
92
The Pragma tic Vision
l
The development of “ Commercial Activities”
aside of the execution of the “Scientific
Researches”, or as a fall-out of their findings,
has to be resolutely pursued since the very
initial phases of the Exploration Initiatives,
without reticence and inferiority complexes
deriving from a hierarchy of priorities that so
far has been favoring the scientific activities.
93
94

Space Exploration Activities Past and Future

Transcript

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