Proposed SLS and Orion missions

NASA's new Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion programs will allow for beyond low-Earth orbit spaceflight. There are a number of notional, proposed missions for the programs, none of which are confirmed. Some of these mission concepts include:^[1][2][3][4]

Lunar missions

Various components of the Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway will be launched on SLS together with Orion.

Exploration Mission 1

Exploration Mission 1 is scheduled to be the first mission of NASA's Orion on the Space Launch System. It will spend approximately 3 weeks in space, including 6 days in a retrograde orbit around the Moon.^[5] It is planned to be followed by Exploration Mission 2 in 2023.

Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway

Main page: Astronomy:Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway

The Exploration Mission 2 is scheduled to be the first crewed mission of NASA's Orion on the SLS, which will transport the power and propulsion module for the Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway in lunar orbit. Exploration Missions 2 through 8 would complete the assembly of the Gateway.^[6][7][8]

Beyond Earth orbit Orion missions

Artist's rendering of the proposed Mars Transfer Vehicle (MTV) "Searcher" that would incorporate NTR propulsion and inflatable habitat technology. A crewed Orion MPCV is docked on the right.

2033 Forward Work Martian Moon Phobos/Deimos

This is a crewed flexible path mission to one of the Martian moons, Phobos or Deimos. It would include 40 days in the vicinity of Mars and a return Venus flyby.^{[citation needed]}

2037–2039 Forward Work Mars Landing

This would be a crewed mission, with four to six astronauts,^[9] to a semi-permanent habitat for at least 540 days on the surface of Mars in 2033 or 2045. The mission would include in-orbit assembly, with the launch of seven SLS Block 2 heavy-lift vehicles (HLVs). The seven HLV payloads, three of which would contain nuclear propulsion modules, would be assembled in LEO into three separate vehicles for the journey to Mars; one cargo In-Situ Resource Utilization Mars Lander Vehicle (MLV) created from two HLV payloads, one Habitat MLV created from two HLV payloads and a crewed Mars Transfer Vehicle (MTV), known as "Copernicus", assembled from three HLV payloads launched a number of months later. Nuclear Thermal Rocket engines such as the Pewee of Project Rover were selected in the Mars Design Reference Architecture (DRA) study as they met mission requirements being the preferred propulsion option because it uses proven technology, has higher performance, lower launch mass, creates a versatile vehicle design, offers simple assembly, and has growth potential. A nuclear reactor serving as the power source for Ion propulsion was also an alternative option, in the case NTRs were not available.^[1][10][11]

Other proposed missions

2024 single launch Mars sample-return

This is a crewed flight with a telerobotic Mars sample return mission proposed by NASA's Mars Program Planning Group. The time frame suggests SLS-5, a 105 t rocket to deliver an Orion capsule, a solar electric propulsion (SEP) robotic rover, and a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). "Sample canister could be captured, inspected, encased and retrieved tele-robotically. Robot brings sample back and rendezvous with a crew vehicle." The mission may also include a Mars orbiter with solar electric propulsion.^[12]

Sample return missions from the outer planets

Concepts for sample return missions to Europa and Enceladus are also being studied.^[13]

Skylab II

One section of the Skylab II Habitat would be made from the SLS Block 2 upper-stage hydrogen tank, similar to but larger than Skylab. A unique use for the SLS as no other vehicle is presently being designed with an 8-meter-diameter upper stage tank.

Skylab II, proposal by Brand Griffin, an engineer with Gray Research Inc working with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, to use the upper stage hydrogen tank from SLS to build a 21st-century version of Skylab for future NASA missions to asteroids, Earth-Moon Lagrangian point-2 (EML2) and Mars.^[14][15][16]

Near Earth Object missions

Five near Earth object (NEO) mission concepts have been suggested, ranging from minimum to full capabilities. Among these are two near Earth object missions suggested for in 2026. A 155-day mission to NEO 1999 AO10, a 304-day mission to NEO 2001 GP2, a 490-day mission to a potentially hazardous asteroid such as 2000 SG344, utilizing two Block 1B SLS vehicles,^[17] and a Boeing-proposed NEO mission to NEA 2008 EV5 in 2024. The latter would start from the proposed Earth-Moon L2 based Exploration Gateway Platform. Utilising an SLS third stage the trip would take about 100 days to arrive at the asteroid, 30 days for exploration, and a 235-day return trip to Earth.^[18]

High Altitude Venus Operational Concept

Main page: Astronomy:High Altitude Venus Operational Concept

This is a crewed Venus mission concept using two SLS Block 1B launches to send a crew of 2 to explore the atmosphere of Venus for 1 month, with retrieval in Earth orbit by a commercial crew vehicle or an Orion.^{[19][20][21][22]}

LUVOIR space telescope

HST successors

The SLS has been proposed as the launch vehicle for the future Large UV Optical Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR) space telescope, which will have a main segmented mirror between 8 and 16 meters in diameter,^[23] making it 300 times more powerful than Hubble Space Telescope.^[24] The two competing concepts to become LUVOIR are ATLAST and HDST. It would be deployed at the Earth-Sun L2 point^[23][25] in 2035.^[26]

Europa Clipper

Main page: Astronomy:Europa Clipper

SLS has been proposed as the launch vehicle for the planned Europa Clipper, an orbiter to Europa to study its atmosphere, magnetic and thermal characteristics, gravitational harmonics, sample any water plumes, etc. Its launch is proposed for the mid-2020s.^[27]

Europa Lander

Main page: Astronomy:Europa Lander (NASA)

If funded, the launch of a Europa Lander would require the SLS system, and it would be launched after Europa Clipper in the mid-2020s to complement its studies.^[28]

Uranus orbiter and probe

Main page: Astronomy:NASA Uranus orbiter and probe

SLS has been proposed by Boeing as a launch vehicle for a Uranian probe. The rocket would "Deliver a small payload into orbit around Uranus and a shallow probe into the planet’s atmosphere." The mission would study the Uranian atmosphere, magnetic and thermal characteristics, gravitational harmonics, as well as do flybys of Uranian moons.^[25][29]

Titan Saturn System Mission

Main page: Astronomy:Titan Saturn System Mission

SLS has been proposed as a launch vehicle for a probe to Saturn and its moons.^[30][31]

Neptune and Uranus

The 2017 Pre-Decadal Survey on missions to the ice giants, states that a single SLS launch vehicle could launch two spacecraft, one to each ice giant.^[32] Launch dates are suggested from 2024 to 2037,^[32] and would take about 4 years cruising time for a SLS-1B.^[32]

Deep Space Habitat

Main page: Astronomy:Deep Space Habitat

Deep Space Habitat are different commissioned concepts developed for NASA that were submitted by Bigelow Aerospace, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK, Sierra Nevada Corporation, Space Systems Loral, and NanoRacks to build a large enough living space for humans to travel to destinations such as Mars, near Earth asteroids, or cislunar space.^[33] The living space would need to be large, so the SLS is a proposed vehicle to launch it.^[33][34]

References

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