2008 RASC-AL Themes Previous Winners

2008 RASC-AL THEMES

1. Bringing the World Along with Virtual Exploration
   An important element of NASA’s return to the Moon is engaging the general public in human exploration missions.  To capture the attention of a large cross section of the general population, NASA must use a variety of innovative and diverse approaches.  A potential example might be the development of high-definition cameras on the rovers and in the habitats, with the ability to control rovers or monitor experiments from Earth.  This would not only require a communications infrastructure that would enable the transmission of high-definition images from the Moon, but would also require the use of satellites and ground stations to provide communications connections and interfaces. Internet-enabled collaborative exploration capabilities on Earth would need to be developed that could handle everything from requests for camera feeds, to information about the lunar base, to even the organization of public-assisted exploration-like science investigations or student/corporate-developed activities such as rover races on the lunar surface.
   
   
   
2. Extended Lunar Outpost Architecture and Mission Support Systems
   NASA is facing a number of technological challenges that must be addressed by NASA engineers before returning to the lunar surface for extended stays.  This topic allows your team to contribute ideas directly to the engineers tasked with developing solutions to these challenges.  Some specific examples to be addressed are:
   
   
• Radiation protection mechanisms other than the lunar regolith
• Outpost layouts or shielding concepts to mitigate potential debris from ascent/descent engine plume effects
• Concepts for small two-crew pressurized rovers that greatly enhance surface exploration productivity and associated mechanisms for pressurized transfer to the habitation modules
• Supportability concepts that combine common, reusable, multifunction applications and ISRU to minimize the logistics supply chain needed from Earth
  
  
  
  
3. Sortie Lunar Missions Originating from a Polar Outpost Site (Drive or Fly)
   NASA is currently planning to develop an outpost on the lunar surface to be located at a polar location.  This location is advantageous for a number of logistical reasons, but does limit NASA’s ability to explore and to conduct science over other portions of the Moon.  This topic challenges your team to outline possible ways for humans to overcome this challenge.
   
   
   
   
4. Novel Approaches to Increase Sample Return from the Moon
   Past missions to the Moon, both robotic and human, provided critical information on the composition and nature of lunar regolith and rock exposures. However, the missions offered insight into relatively limited geographic and geologic settings. Many resources questions require a greater knowledge of material composition, age, and properties for a diverse number of surface sites. Given that landed elements have limited payloads and may only be able to measure a small number of properties, it is highly desirable to develop surface sampling techniques at relatively low cost that allow return of lunar surface materials from a diversity of lunar surface sites to Earth for examination and characterization. The challenge in this topic is to devise low-cost mission concepts that return sufficient critical material for analysis beyond the current Orion constrained capability. Challenges include suitable spacecraft/mission design, sample collection technologies to maximize sample value and quantity, and sample encapsulation techniques to maintain the integrity and pristine nature of samples.
   
   
   
   
5. Crewed Mars Exploration Using Planned Constellation Systems
   Develop a viable Mars architecture based on Project Constellation launch vehicles and related lunar transportation technologies.  Assume a crew no larger than four and no more than six Ares-5 launches over a two-year period.  Launches of planned commercial vehicles to supply propellant, logistics, and systems to augment the Constellation launch vehicles are encouraged.   The mission can be for a short or long stay, but cannot rely on Mars surface ISRU for the first crewed mission. In order to be more affordable in the near term, use of nuclear propulsion and surface fission power systems are discouraged.  Application of Dynamic Isotope Power Systems (DIPS) in the 2 to 5 kilowatt range is encouraged assuming the availability of the appropriate nuclear fuel.

 

Attention should be given to synergistic applications of NASA's initially planned mission or system elements and infrastructure for lunar exploration, innovative combinations of the planned elements, and unique combinations of the planned elements with new innovative capabilities and/or technologies to support the robotic and crewed exploration of the universe. Scenarios should address novel and robust applications, with an objective of NASA sustaining a permanent and exciting space exploration program.

Key evaluation criteria elements that each RASC-AL project should address are:

• Scientific evaluation and rationale of mission destinations for the development of an exciting and sustainable space exploration program;
• Unique applications of NASA's planned lunar architecture for future missions;
• Synergistic application of innovative capabilities and/or new technologies for an evolutionary architecture development to enable future missions, reduce cost, or improve safety;
• Systems analysis of requirements and infusion and utilization of emerging technologies from all sources;
• Technical readiness level of mission-enabling technologies (reference Technology Readiness Levels); and
• Realistic assessment of project cost/schedule, within Agency budget constraints (reference NASA Budget Chart 2004–2020 and NASA FY 2008 Budget)

 

PREVIOUS WINNERS

RASC-AL Forum 2007 finalist presentations are available for review in pdf format, RASC-AL Forum 2007.
RASC-AL Forum 2006 finalist presentations are available for review in pdf format, RASC-AL Forum 2006.
RASC-AL Forum 2005 finalist presentations are available for review in pdf format, RASC-AL Forum 2005.
RASC-AL Forum 2004 finalist presentations are available for review in pdf format, RASC-AL Forum 2004.
RASC-AL Forum 2003 finalist presentations are available for review in pdf format, RASC-AL Forum 2003.