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Science exploration opportunities for manned missions to the Moon, Mars, Phobos, and an asteroidScientific exploration opportunities for human missions to the Moon, Phobos, Mars, and an asteroid are addressed. These planetary objects are of prime interest to scientists because they are the accessible, terresterial-like bodies most likely to be the next destinations for human missions beyond Earth orbit. Three categories of science opportunities are defined and discussed: target science, platform science, and cruise science. Target science is the study of the planetary object and its surroundings (including geological, biological, atmospheric, and fields and particle sciences) to determine the object's natural physical characteristics, planetological history, mode of origin, relation to possible extant or extinct like forms, surface environmental properties, resource potential, and suitability for human bases or outposts. Platform science takes advantage of the target body using it as a site for establishing laboratory facilities and observatories; and cruise science consists of studies conducted by the crew during the voyage to and from a target body. Generic and specific science opportunities for each target are summarized along with listings of strawman payloads, desired or required precursor information, priorities for initial scientific objectives, and candidate landing sites. An appendix details the potential use of the Moon for astronomical observatories and specialized observatories, and a bibliography compiles recent work on topics relating to human scientific exploration of the Moon, Phobos, Mars, and asteroids. It is concluded that there are a wide variety of scientific exploration opportunities that can be pursued during human missions to planetary targets but that more detailed studies and precursor unmanned missions should be carried out first.
Document ID
19900007460
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Contractor Report (CR)
Authors
Nash, Douglas B.
(NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, TX., United States)
Plescia, Jeffrey
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA., United States)
Cintala, Mark
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Albuquerque, NM., United States)
Levine, Joel
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA., United States)
Lowman, Paul
(NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, TX., United States)
Mancinelli, Rocco
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA., United States)
Mendell, Wendell
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Stoker, Carol
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Suess, Steven
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL., United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
June 30, 1989
Subject Category
Astronautics (General)
Report/Patent Number
NASA-CR-186295
JPL-PUBL-89-29
NAS 1.26:186295
Accession Number
90N16776
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS7-918
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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