February 26, 2010, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

February 26, 2010, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Ares V Unpressurized Cargo: Enabling Low-Cost Science & Technology with NASA’s Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle

Ron Mink (Goddard Space Flight Center)

The GSFC Exploration Systems Project, in its role as Unpressurized Cargo (UPC) Lead for NASA’s Constellation Program, led a joint GSFC-ARC Phase 1 study in 2009 to assess the feasibility of launching science and technology payloads as UPC on the Ares V Launch Vehicle. This study included systems, mechanical, thermal and avionics engineering as well as the definition of a preliminary operations concept involving release of a 1,000kg-class UPC Payload from the Ares V after the trans-lunar injection burn which sends the Lunar Lander and Crew Exploration Vehicle to the Moon. Preliminary trajectory studies were completed to understand the capability of UPC Payloads released from the Ares V to reach multiple inner solar system destinations, including the Moon, the Sun-Earth L2 Libration Point, heliocentric orbit, and asteroids. The results of this study will be presented. These results, as well as the Constellation Program’s inclusion of requirements in the human spaceflight architecture for manifesting UPC on Ares V, expand the utility of the United States’ next generation Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle in providing missions of opportunity for science and technology customers.