Engineering topics

Craig, Mark K.

Publications and source records attributed to Craig, Mark K..

7 records

NASA NTRS1992

NASA Advisory Council: Fact-Finding Session

The principal agenda item for this fact-finding meeting of the NASA Advisory Council was NASA's preliminary planning of options to implement the President's initiative for establishing a base on the Moon and launching a human expedition to Mars. NASA's presentation (1) reviewed the key elements in the President's speech of July 20, 1989, summoning the Nation to launch a new exploration initiative to the Moon and Mars; (2) outlined five candidate options analyzed in terms of schedule and scale of effort (for a return to the Moon and for a voyage to Mars); (3) outlined tentative robotic mission milestones for both a 'vigorous deployment' option and a 'paced deployment' option; (4) reviewed Earth-to-orbit delivery requirements for a lunar heavy-lift launch vehicle, the National Space Transportation System, and a Mars heavy-lift launch vehicle; (5) summarized the associated Space Station Freedom requirements; (6) outlined the technology as well as human factors requirements for the candidate options; and (7) summarized the themes and approaches that could be employed for the science aspects of a national Moon/Mars exploration program.

Cohen, Aaron↗

NASA NTRS1991

The Space Exploration Initiative

The goals of the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) and the content and current status of NASA activities and studies relevant to the SEI are briefly reviewed. The principal way points of the program are discussed with particular reference to lunar exploration, preparations for a Martian mission, habitation, and fuels. Attention is also given to the problem of enhancing energy delivery on earth, the use of asteroids as way points, and activities related to the human exploration of Mars.

Aldrich, Arnold D.↗

NASA NTRS1989

An international Mars exploration program

The scientific reasons for a Mars exploration program are reviewed, and the robotic phase of such a program is examined. The functions and requirements of the rovers, surface stations and penetrators are addressed, as are those of the imaging and communications orbiters. The navigational functions which support the aerocapture and landing vehicles are examined.

Rea, Donald G.↗

NASA NTRS1989

The diverse roles of unmanned precursors in supporting manned missions to Mars

The diverse roles of robotic precursors are examined in the context of recent NASA studies on a long-term program to establish a human outpost on Mars. The scenario in which these precursors must function and the requirements they must satisfy are discussed, and a tentative set of missions is developed which satisfy this scenario and the set of requirements. The missions and an example of vehicle implementation are described, and how these missions assist in technology demonstrations and building an appropriate infrastructure is addressed. The experience to be gained in the areas of mission operations and management as a result of executing the missions is considered.

Craig, Mark K.↗

NASA NTRS1989

The case for a multinational Mars Surveyor Program

A coordinated multinational Mars Surveyor Program involving a series of robotic missions is proposed in order to select worthwhile human landing sites for discoveries, for safe operations, and for testing and proving technologies for making human flight to Mars possible. Some characteristics motivating exploration of the planet are briefly discussed, including the possibility of life, geological features, and meteorological conditions. The necessity for preliminary exploration of Mars by robots prior to human exploration is discussed, and the rationale behind a multinational approach for a Mars Surveyor Program is presented.

Rea, Donald G.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Integrated strategies for the exploration of Mars

Two mission programs for the manned exploration of Mars are discussed. The first is a four-man, split/spring mission proposed for 2001-2003. It includes the manned exploration of Phobos and teleoperated exploration of the Martian surface using unmanned vehicles with sample return capabilities. The second program is a series of three split/sprint missions planned for between 2005 and 2012. These missions include the exploration of three different areas of the Martian surface by three different four-man crews. Each crew would spend 20 days on Mars with manned sorties to Phobos and Deimos.

Craig, Mark K.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Mars rover sample return missions

An important intermediate step in the path to human exploration of Mars is the accomplishment of a mission which lands an unmanned rover on the Martian surface, selects and collects various samples of the terrain and atmosphere, and returns them to earth for analysis. Such a mission is being developed under the management of NASA's JPL and the Johnson Space Center. The concepts for a wide range of rover capabilities are studied and an assessment of the driving technological developments required to implement these capabilities is made.

Cunningham, Glenn E.↗