Alternate Approaches to Exploration: The Single Crew Module Concept

The Cx Program envisioned exploration of the moon and mars using an extrapolation of the Apollo approach. If new technology development initiatives are successful, they will provide capabilities that can enable alternate approaches. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the Cx approaches for lunar and Mars missions and some of the alternatives that were considered. Then an alternative approach referred to as a Single Crew Module approach is described. The SCM concept employs new technologies in a way that could reduce exploration cost and possibly schedule. Options to the approaches will be presented and discussed.