For the second time after 2002, the SSDW 2008 was held at ESA's European Space Technology Center (ESTEC) in the Netherlands and heavily supported by ESA experts. Together with the expertise and the well-elaborated workshop concept from the IRS team, the SSDW 2008 fully lived up to the expectations for a great event.

From 13 to 18 July 2008, 32 students from 12 European countries were invited to Noordwijk to combine their motivation and skills to tackle a complex human space mission design challenge. In two competing teams the students with backgrounds in engineering, physics, medicine, psychology, architecture and cybernetics the two teams ran through a busy schedule combining introductory lectures and hands-on team design work, as well as social evening activities which fostered team spirit and motivation after an often tiring day.

Once again inspired by the IAA Cosmic Study "Next Steps in Exploring Deep Space" and combining it with most recent study activities around the world, the teams were tasked with the development of a versatile human space transportation system for missions to the Moon as well as to potential further destinations such as the Sun-Earth libration points (SELs) or Near Earth Objects (NEOs). The scenario assumed a completion of the ISS in 2010 and a growing discussion on redundancy, robustness and sustainability of future activities and particularly transportation systems beyond low Earth orbit. In a European-Russian cooperation, an alternative crew transportation system to the US Constellation program shall be conceptualised to extend human access to space.

This vehicle, the "Geospace Exploration Vehicle", shall be capable of shuttling from LEO to cis- and trans-lunar destinations. In particular, it shall

• accommodate a crew of astronauts to LLO to support lunar orbital and surface exploration activities;
• provide safe and robust crew transportation in cis-lunar space (also for rescue scenarios);
• allow for repair, maintenance and other life extension actions of telescopes and infrastructures in near-interplanetary space;
• allow for research activities in preparation of long-distance space flights and human expeditions to Mars.

Both teams, using the SSDW methodology and tools as well as guidance from the experienced SSDW staff, successfully tackled this challenging mission task and presented very detailed and thoroughly analysed designs to fulfill the mission objectives and requirements. The following images, tables and notes give a summarising overview of the design work performed, for more detail on the developed systems please contact the SSDW staff for a copy of the SSDW 2008 Final Report (download available here).

Design Results

Team BLUE concept: Main Station (MS): Zvezda derived habitation module for 4 astronauts, permanently stationed in EML2 orbit Node: multiple docking element and airlock, permanently stationed in EML2 orbit Lunar Module (LM): Reusable shuttle between EML2 and LLO for 2 crew Earth Module (EM): Soyuz-derived crew transportation from Earth to EML2 and back

Team RED concept: HabLab: ATV/Columbus derived habitation and transportation module for 4 crew, stationed in EML2, can move to LLO and SEL2 together with ETM External Tank Module (ETM): two-stage propellant tank system to enhance HabLab mobility radius to LLO and SEL2 Node: multiple docking element with external airlock, permanently stationed in EML2 orbit Crew Transportation Vehicle (CTV): Soyuz derived crew transportation from Earth to EML2 and back

System concept of Team BLUE in EML2: Lunar Module, Node, Main Station, Earth Module

System concept of Team RED in EML2: HabLab, External Tank Module, Node with Airlock, Crew Transport Vehicle

Mission Analysis

Both teams used the Earth-Moon libration point 2 (EML2) as a staging location for their vehicle due to several reasons. The EML2 allows for permanent transfer windows to Earth, Moon and SEL2, namely all important mission destinations for the transportation system in the near and medium term. The propulsive requirements to reach EML2 from Earth are significantly lower than for a direct LLO mission, especially when longer transfer duration (e.g. for cargo delivery) can be accepted. Due to its location on an energetically "high plane" around Earth, missions to the SEL2 region or other interplanetary destinations become available for virtually no velocity change and thus enable both telescope maintenance activities as well as future missions beyond the Earth-Moon system.

The following picture shows a general overview of the transportation concept as outlined by Team RED at SSDW 2008. The depicted mission scenarios include:

1) nominal LLO crew transfer from EML2
2) nominal SEL2 crew transfer from SEL2 (transfer of telescope element to EML2 is also an option)
3) rescue operations to/from LLO via the EML2 station

 

Life Support System

Due to the system being "only" a transportation concept, long-duration habitability requirements are less stringent for the GEV. However, in order to develop a sustainable and reusable sytem, the life support system shall sufficiently minimise re-supply needs from Earth and allow for contingency operations in terms of time and crew size.

This leads to a closure of the water and air loops, while food is re-supplied from Earth and waste is discarded. The picture below shows the life support system overview of Team BLUE developed at SSDW 2008 together with the necessary components and processes.

 

Other Material

Overview of the Team BLUE concept (German)

Overview of the Team RED concept (German)

 

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