NASA Vision and Mission

NASA Vision and Mission
The NASA Vision

To improve life here,
To extend life to there,
To find life beyond.
The NASA Mission

To understand and protect our home planet,
To explore the universe and search for life,
To inspire the next generation of explorers
. . . as only NASA can.

RTF Planning Process
Columbia Accident Investigation
Board (CAIB) Recommendations
Space Shuttle
Proposes Plan
Space Flight Leadership

Council Approves Plan
Stafford Covey Task

Group Validates Plan
Space Shuttle Team

Returns to Flight
The Vision for Space Exploration
THE FUNDAMENTAL GOAL OF THIS VISION IS TO ADVANCE U.S. SCIENTIFIC,
SECURITY, AND ECONOMIC INTEREST THROUGH A ROBUST SPACE
EXPLORATION PROGRAM
Implement a sustained and affordable human and

robotic program to explore the solar system and
beyond
Extend human presence across the solar system,

starting with a human return to the Moon by the year
2020, in preparation for human exploration of Mars
and other destinations;
Develop the innovative technologies, knowledge, and

infrastructures both to explore and to support
decisions about the destinations for human
exploration; and
Promote international and commercial participation in

exploration to further U.S. scientific, security, and
economic interests.
The Vision
1. Return the Shuttle to safe flight as soon as practical, based on CAIB recommendations
2. Use Shuttle to complete ISS assembly; retire the Shuttle after assembly complete (2010 target)
4. Focus ISS research to support exploration goals; understanding space environment/countermeasures
5. Meet foreign commitments
6. Undertake lunar exploration to support sustained human and robotic exploration of Mars and beyond
7. Series of robotic missions to Moon by 2008 to prepare for human exploration
8. Expedition to lunar surface as early as 2015 but no later than 2020
9. Use lunar activities to further science, and test approaches (including lunar resources) for exploration
to Mars & beyond
10. Conduct robotic exploration of Mars to prepare for future expedition
11. Conduct robotic exploration across solar system to search for life, understand history, search for
resources
12. Conduct advanced telescope searches for habitable environments around other stars
13. Demonstrate power, propulsion, life support capabilities for long duration, more distant human and
robotic missions
14. Conduct human expeditions to Mars after acquiring adequate knowledge and capability
demonstrations
15. Develop a new Crew Exploration Vehicle; flight test before end of decade; human capability by 2014
16. Separate cargo from crew as soon as practical to support ISS; acquire crew transport to ISS after
Shuttle retirement
17. Pursue international participation; pursue commercial opportunity for transportation and services
Key Elements of the Vision
• Objectives
– Implement a sustained and affordable human and robotic program
– Extend human presence across the solar system and beyond
– Develop supporting innovative technologies, knowledge, and infrastructures
– Promote international and commercial participation in exploration
• Major Milestones
– 2008: Initial flight test of CEV
– 2008: Launch first lunar robotic orbiter
– 2009-2010: Robotic mission to lunar surface
– 2011 First Unmanned CEV flight
– 2014: First crewed CEV flight
– 2012-2015: Jupiter Icy Moon Orbiter (JIMO)/Prometheus
– 2015-2020: First human mission to the Moon
Preparing for Mars Exploration
Moon as a test bed to reduce risk for future human Mars missions
Technology advancement reduces mission costs and supports
expanded human exploration
Systems testing and technology test beds to develop reliability
in harsh environments.
Expand mission and science surface operations experience and
techniques
Human and machine collaboration: Machines serve as an extension
of human explorers, together achieving more than either can do alone
Breaking the bonds of dependence on Earth: (e.g./Life
Science/Closed loop life support tests)
Power generation and propulsion development and testing
Implement a sustained and affordable human and robotic program to explore the solar system
and beyond
Common investments in
Extend human presence across the solar system
hardware systems for Moon, Mars and other space objectives
Water: Essential for Life
On Earth, where there is liquid water,
there is life . . . even in extreme
environments.
Earth vs. Mars
Exploration Plan: “Follow the Water”
LIFE
CLIMATE
WATER
GEOLOGY
Prepare for Human

Exploration
When • Where • Form • Amount

First Views of a Martian Delta!
MGS MOC image of “delta” system within Holden Lena delta in Siberia
Crater on Mars (Malin et al, Science 2003) (NASA Scientific Data Purchase/Landsat 7)
Odyssey Water Results
Abundant Water Ice at High Latitudes
More Hydrogen Less

Mars:
An Environment for Life?
Future Mars Exploration:
Human Exploration and Science
Just as with the exploration of the
moon where we first sent robots…
. . . some day humans will get to

explore, study, and experience the
red planet Mars
Jupiter’s Moons:
An Environment for Life?
Project Prometheus:
Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO)
JIMO will search for subsurface

oceans on Jupiter’s three icy moons:
Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
Future Colonies with Nuclear Power
Formation of Extra-Solar Disks
Detection of Extra-Solar Planets
110
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 *
* Fifteen extra-solar planets discovered in 2003 as of September.

Kepler Mission
Kepler will determine the

abundance of planets of
all types around a vast
number of stars
Space Interferometry Mission
SIM will search for hints

of Earth-like masses
around nearby stars
Terrestrial Planet Finder
TPF will study the chemical

composition of Earth-like planets
Planet Imager . . .
. . . will image the planet

Planet Imager
The Universe in Perspective
Stars: ~70,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
Planetary Systems: ??
Earthlike Planets: ??
Life Beyond Earth: ??

Who Else is Looking for Their Origins?
To find life beyond

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NASA Vision and Mission

The NASA Vision

The NASA Mission

. . . as only NASA can.

Space Flight Leadership

Stafford Covey Task

Space Shuttle Team

Implement a sustained and affordable human and

Extend human presence across the solar system,

Develop the innovative technologies, knowledge, and

Promote international and commercial participation in

Prepare for Human

When • Where • Form • Amount

More Hydrogen Less

. . . some day humans will get to

JIMO will search for subsurface

* Fifteen extra-solar planets discovered in 2003 as of September.

Kepler will determine the

SIM will search for hints

TPF will study the chemical

. . . will image the planet

Life Beyond Earth: ??

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