1. NASA Human Exploration Community Workshop on the Global Exploration Roadmap Summary to the FISO Telecon November 30, 2011
NASA/K. Laurini
NASA/R. Martinez

2. Human Space Exploration Workshop on the GER
November 14 – 16, 2011, in San Diego, California
Workshop Chair: Kathy Laurini
Objectives of the workshop
Introduce the ISECG GER to the community, highlighting importance of international cooperation and associated considerations
Begin the process of obtaining feedback from the community on the GER mission scenarios: Asteroid Next, Moon Next
Discuss ideas which build on SLS and MPCV to enable exploration preparatory activities and enable exploration missions represented in GER
Workshop timed to follow GER release in September
Community engagement before the ISECG meeting in January
Set the stage for the IAF/AIAA Global Space Exploration Conference next May in Washington, DC.
Over 100 participants in San Diego, 630 unique webcast lines established
Human Exploration Community Workshop on the GER

3. Summary of Panel Discussion Topics
Panel 1: Asteroid Next
Availability of suitable asteroid targets
Potential value of early, small, man-tended infrastructure at EML1/2
Potentially interesting for both GER scenarios
Role of the astronaut at the asteroid, and is the Space Exploration Vehicle really needed?
Robotic precursors were considered important
Phobos/Diemos as asteroids – they are very hard missions to pull off
Panel 2: Moon Next
Re-usable Lander
ISRU
Importance of dissimilar redundancy/architecture robustness
Tele-presence opportunities provided by an infrastructure at EML1/2
Science prioritization
Commercial opportunities
Human Exploration Community Workshop on the GER

4. Summary of Panel Discussion Topics
Panel 3: Near-Term Implementation Ideas
Importance of planning a transition from ISS
L1/L2 infrastructure
ETM concepts and approach to defining requirements
Importance of using ISS – investing in realizing its potential
Human Exploration Community Workshop on the GER

5. Summary
NASA appreciated the participation of JAXA, CSA and ESA at the workshop
Workshop presentations are available on the NASA website related to ISECG matters
Workshop minutes will be posted in the next week or so
NASA will discuss the results of the workshop and identify topics to discuss within ISECG in support of GER Iteration 2
Key objective for January ISECG Workshop in Montreal
Workshop set the stage for additional dialog at the IAF/AIAA Global Exploration Conference in May
Human Exploration Community Workshop on the GER

6. Findings Across Panels
Lots of good data being generated by HAT and ISECG; desire to see more of the data shared outside those communities
Our plans for the future shouldn’t abandon a capability along the way; we need to consider/plan transition to others, such as commercial, to continue advancing or using a capability when the focus of human exploration moves on to the next destination.
Affordability needs to be a driver for any and all future planning activities
Early alignment with scientific community objectives is important to any path forward
Human Exploration Community Workshop on the GER

7. Panel 1 Observations General Observations:
Human missions to Near-Earth Asteroids can serve as an analog for the crew transits to and from Mars orbit and its moons
Proper testing and validation of systems is needed prior to human missions which are truly beyond Earth’s grasp, such as NEA missions.
Humans exploration in-situ at the Near-Earth Asteroid improves the mission return, such as specifically science, operations, repair, etc.
There is substantial value in having a robust target set. Additional discovery of Near-Earth Asteroids prior to the human mission will improve the number of potential targets.
Define the role of human spaceflight in planetary defense
Human Exploration Community Workshop on the GER

8. Panel 1 (Asteroid Next) Findings
Near-Earth Asteroid Discovery and Characterization:
Issue 1: Currently there are few known Near-Earth Asteroids with low delta-v which also provide short mission duration
Issue 2: In order to reduce operational risk and maximize science, proper characterization of potential asteroids is needed prior to the crew mission
Impact to the GER:
Earth-based observational opportunities should be considered a part of the GER to increase discovery rate.
A prize based approach may also provide incentives to include more public participation
A space-based survey mission would increase the discovery rate of NEAs and should be considered part of the GER
The GER inclusion of robotic precursor missions increases the possibility of maximizing the value of sending humans to a NEA
If direct contact of the NEA by the crew is required, additional in-situ robotic precursor missions should be included in the GER to characterize multiple NEAs prior to the human mission. Multiple are required to provide adequate backup opportunities. The number of acceptable backups is future work.
Characterization pre-mission also enables better science (you know what type of science instruments to take with the crew)
Human Exploration Community Workshop on the GER

9. Panel 1 (Asteroid Next) Findings
Near-Earth Asteroid Exploration by the Crew:
Issue 1: There were two uniquely different strategies provided for exploration of the NEA with crew
Direct interaction by the crew – some suggested this maximizes science return by being able to bring the crew directly to the field with the ability to respond directly and quickly to the environment
Other approaches utilize tele-robotic/tele-presence exploration with the crew remaining at a distance from the NEA
Combination of all of the above
Impact to the GER:
Begin further assessments of the destination activities and capabilities required to effectively explore NEAs
Human Exploration Community Workshop on the GER

10. Panel 1 (Asteroid Next) Findings
Near-Earth Asteroid Mission Scope:
Mars is being used as the long-term goal for development of the GER
Issue 1: Constrained budget approaches tend to drive towards low technology, short missions which are less Mars-centric.
Issue 2: There is a strong desire to deploy elements to L1/L2 to show near-term progress.
Impact to the GER:
Suggest showing better linkages and growth path between near-term missions in cis-lunar space and eventual Mars missions.
Affordability is important. How can we structure the GER with fewer elements or more commonality? (e.g. Orion and MMSEV commonality)
Need to better refine the interactions relationship NEA mission duration, amount of advanced propulsion technology required and how that relates to eventual Mars missions including mission duration.
Address differences between multiple low-technology NEA missions with fewer crew versus larger crew with more technology
Human Exploration Community Workshop on the GER

11. Panel 1 (Asteroid Next) Findings
Strategic Pathway and Strategic Communication:
Issue 1: Better messaging is required to explain why humans should fly to a Near-Earth Asteroid
Issue 2: Carrying two different strategic paths has value in the early formulation phase (especially those areas where there is commonality), but that strategy carried too long can be counter-productive. Mission focus will eventually be required.
Impact to the GER:
Improve overall Near-Earth Asteroid message (Why NEAs? Why humans? Why robots? How does it lead to Mars?)
Establish additional strategies associated with Mars exploration which may include exploration of or from the moons of Mars.
Human Exploration Community Workshop on the GER

12. Panel 2 (Moon Next) Observations
General Observations:
There was convergence on L1/L2 based missions as achievable, affordable, and applicable to a lunar scenario.
The Moon offers unique commercial promise compared to other destinations
Good exploration value, including science on the Moon
Good test bed for sustainability and long durations
Human Exploration Community Workshop on the GER

13. Panel 2 (Moon Next) Findings
Message
Improve overall Moon Next message (Why the Moon? Why humans?Why robots? How does it lead to Mars?) What type of commercial markets are enabled? Short-term(10 yr) versus long-term (25 yr) strategy for the Moon?
And how do robotic and/or commercial endeavors fit those horizons?
Cost
Issue: Moon seems to be a location that we can get to early, affordably and is extensible to deep space operations for many capabilities, but the surface scenario as depicted is perceived as unaffordable
Impact to the GER:
Reevaluate the surface elements and their cost/necessity
Early opportunities
Issue: We need to accelerate ISS testing and first lunar missions
Use assets on hand to do some early near-term missions
Assess L1/L2 missions as ways to accomplish early missions including operating assets on the Moon (tele-presence?)
Human Exploration Community Workshop on the GER

14. Panel 2 (Moon Next) Findings
Habitat at L1/L2
Should deployment of a habitat and L1/L2 be included in the GER?
ISRU
Consensus that ISRU was important and relevant. Is worthy of demonstration to provide the data for further evaluation.
Consider being more explicit with respect to ISRU in the GER and how it will be tested/proven
Alternate assets
Assess alternative/additional capabilities for programmatic resiliency, e.g., transportation, ground-based assessments of existing core samples
Smaller CPS
Reusable landers
SEP for cargo
Human Exploration Community Workshop on the GER

15. Panel 3 (Near-Term Implementation, Strategies, and Plans) Observations
General Observations:
Too few missions in the GER prior to Need to develop new missions (i.e, E-M L1/L2) and show how they led to future exploration activities
Both GER scenarios should look to incorporate gateway at EM L1/L2
Economic challenges will persist
Focus on stakeholder values
Show benefit with what we have now
Strategy of prudence – focus on near-term achievability
Strong suite of key enabling capabilities exist today
First steps achievable with current and planned capabilities
Global leverage will take effort but will be key
Human Exploration Community Workshop on the GER

16. Panel 3 (Near-Term Implementation, Strategies, and Plans) Findings
Recognize Stakeholder Value
Continued congressional support is not a given and it is important to have early successes
Better define benefit of ideas to allow countries to obtain support
Large new starts are not reasonable, strategy needs to focuson affordability and near term achievements
Identified a first step for exploration that accommodates multiple future paths
Converging on L1/L2 using existing assets is a good step
Develop objectives and requirements to help focus investments
Use our existing capabilities to help guide development
Accept non-optimum solutions with the realization that once we get
systems in space, we will find additional activities to perform
Limit sustainment and operational costs – there is a potential to get
stopped at location paying for operations
Make decision about basic capabilities at L1/L2
What high priority science and other exploration activities should be accomplished at L1/L2 – what are the implications to precursor missions
Human Exploration Community Workshop on the GER

17. Panel 3 (Near-Term Implementation, Strategies, and Plans) Findings
Define a potential near-term strategy for using L1/L2 Gateway
Start as short term crew tended facility and evolve based on requirements
Need to utilize existing assets as much as possible including repurposing
ISS for testing
Existing ISS assets including transportation elements (both on orbit and on ground)
SLS and Orion
Habitat, EVA capabilities.
Commercial elements
Need to take systematic approach in identifying and developing technologies.
Develop capabilities for moving assets from LEO to EM L1/L2.
Human Exploration Community Workshop on the GER

18. Panel 3 (Near-Term Implementation, Strategies, and Plans) Next Steps
NASA to develop initial assessment of the strategy using an L1/L2 gateway
Need to differentiate between what we could be doing versus what we can do from a cost, partnership and policy perspective
Share information with partners and stakeholders to collect their interests and concerns
Human Exploration Community Workshop on the GER