Space Exploration Systems, Strategies and Solutions

The present thesis describes the PhD research activities dealing with the topic “Space Exploration Systems, Strategies and Solutions”. Traveling beyond low Earth orbit is the next step in the conquest of the solar system and so far, a human expedition to Mars is considered the most interesting goal of future human space exploration. Due to the technological and operational challenges associated with such a mission, it is necessary to define an opportune path of exploration, relying on many missions to intermediate and “easier” destinations, which would allow a gradual achievement of the capabilities required for the human Mars mission. The main scope of this research has been the development of a rigorous and versatile methodology to define and analyze evolutionary exploration scenarios and to provide a detailed technologies’ database, to support strategic decisions for human space exploration. The very innovative aspect of this work regards the development of a flexible methodology which can be followed to assess which are the next destinations for the exploration of space beyond LEO and to preliminarily define mission’s architectures, identifying the most significant needed elements and advanced technologies. The obtained results should be seen as a pure technical reference, as no cost and/or political considerations have been included, and can be exploited to opportunely drive the decisions of the agencies to place investments for the development of specific technologies and get ready for future exploration missions. The first part of the work has been devoted to the definition of a reference human space exploration scenario, which relies on both robotic and human missions towards several destinations, pursuing an increasing complexity approach and looking at a human expedition to Mars as final target. The scenario has been characterized through the assessment of the missions and the relative phases and concepts of operations. Accordingly, the needed space elements, or building blocks, have been identified. In this frame, the concept design of two specific elements has been performed: the first is a pressurized habitation module (Deep Space Habitat) for hosting astronauts during deep space missions; the second is an electrical propulsive module (Space Tug), mainly envisioned for satellites servicing. The last part of the work has focused on the analysis of innovative and enabling technologies, with particular attention to the aspects related to their on-orbit demonstration/validation, prior to their actual implementation in real exploration missions. The PhD has been sponsored by Thales Alenia Space - Italy and the overall work has been performed in different frameworks along the three years, as well as participating to several additional activities. In line with the objectives of the PhD, in 2012 a collaboration between Politecnico di Torino and Massachusetts Institute of Technology has been established (MITOR Project, managed by MIT-Italy Program), with the support of Thales Alenia Space as industrial partner. The MITOR project, titled “Human Space Exploration: from Scenario to Technologies”, has been aimed at identifying and investigating state of the art for Human Space Ex- ploration, enabling elements, subsystems and technologies with reference to a selected scenario and relevant missions and architectures. Part of the nine months activities has been carried out at MIT AeroAstro department. Besides MITOR project, the PhD activities have been carried out in synergy with some other research programs, such as ESA “Human Spaceflight & Exploration Scenario Studies” and STEPS2 project (Sistemi e Tecnologie per l’EsPlorazione Spaziale - phase 2). Furthermore, in 2013 a specific study has been performed in collabora- tion with university “La Sapienza” (Rome), “Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino” (Astrophysical Observatory of Torino) and DLR (Deutsches Zentrum fr Luft- und Raumfahrt) in Bremen; its main objective has been the analysis of an interplanetary cubesats mission, aimed at space weather evaluations and technologies demonstration.