The PDF below contains NASA's Exploration Systems directorate, and any/all themes, associated programs and associated projects that fall under it.
The Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) develops the systems and capabilities required for human exploration of space beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) and for U.S. crew access to the International Space Station (ISS) after retirement of the Space Shuttle. These systems and capabilities developed by ESMD include launch and crew vehicles for missions beyond LEO, affordable commercial crew access to the ISS, technologies and countermeasures to keep astronauts healthy and functional during deep space missions, and technologies to reduce launch mass and cost of deep space missions. NASA's goals are consistent with the NASA Authorization Act of 2010, which calls for expanding permanent human presence beyond LEO to destinations such as the surface of the Moon, near-earth asteroids, and Mars, while maintaining uninterrupted U.S. human space flight capability in LEO and beyond.
- The Human Exploration Capability (HEC) Theme will develop the launch and space flight vehicles that will provide the initial capability for crewed exploration missions beyond LEO. In particular, HEC's Space Launch System (SLS) Program will develop the heavy lift vehicle (HLV) that will launch the crew vehicle, other modules, and cargo for these missions. The Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) Program is developing the vehicle that will carry the crew to orbit, providing emergency abort capability, sustaining the crew while in space, and providing safe re-entry from deep space return velocities.
- The Exploration Research and Development (ERD) Theme comprises the Human Research Program (HRP) and the Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Program, which provides the knowledge and advanced human spaceflight capabilities required to implement the U.S. Space Exploration Policy. HRP will provide technologies, countermeasures, diagnostics, and design tools to keep crews safe and productive on long-duration space missions. The Theme's technology development efforts can contribute toward advances in U.S. high technology products and services.
- Exploration's Commercial Spaceflight Theme creates incentives for commercial providers to develop and operate safe, reliable, and affordable commercial systems to transport crew and cargo to and from the ISS and LEO. This approach will provide assured access to the ISS, strengthen America's space industry, and provide a catalyst for future business ventures to capitalize on affordable access to space. A vibrant commercial space industry will add well-paying, high-tech jobs to the U.S. economy and will reduce America's sole reliance on foreign systems.
One of the greatest challenges for NASA is to reduce the development and operating costs for human space flight missions. NASA will not be able to sustain a long-term U.S. human spaceflight program without such reductions. NASA must plan and implement an exploration enterprise with costs that are credible, sustainable, and affordable for the long term under constrained budget environments. Longer -duration crewed exploration missions to destinations such as near-Earth asteroids, Lagrange points, the Moon, and Mars require additional vehicles and capabilities beyond the crew and launch vehicles. To extend human presence to these destinations, the development and operation costs of the crew and launch vehicles must be affordable enough to allow for the development and operation of the additional vehicles and capabilities.
The PDF below contains NASA's Exploration Systems directorate, and any/all themes, associated programs and associated projects that fall under it.
Exploration Human Exploration Capabilities
New Initiatives:
The HEC Theme is the successor to the Constellation Systems Theme in the FY 2010 appropriation. The HEC programs were authorized by the NASA Authorization Act of 2010.
Major Changes:
The HEC Theme will focus on two general initial capabilities for human exploration beyond LEO. The former Constellation Theme, which the HEC Theme replaced, focused on ISS crew access, followed later by missions to the surface of the Moon.
Major Highlights for FY 2012
In FY 2012, the SLS and MPCV Programs will build upon the acquisition strategies, program management, and the NASA workforce and institution choices made in FY 2011 in order to maximize value to the American taxpayers and enable groundbreaking human exploration beyond LEO.
Commercial Spaceflight
Major Changes:
The Commercial Spaceflight Theme will transition from completing commercial cargo capability milestones to expanding NASA's efforts to develop commercial crew capability to LEO and the ISS.
Major Highlights for FY 2012
Under the Commercial Spaceflight Theme, NASA's commercial partners will be completing milestones associated with their Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) Round 2 awards. In spring FY 2012, the CCDev Round 2 awards will be completed and NASA plans to further expand commercial crew systems under CCDev Round 3 awards. Round 3 awards will support development, testing, and demonstrations of multiple commercial crew systems for U.S. crew access to LEO and the ISS.
Exploration Research and Development
Major Changes:
In FY 2012, the Exploration Technology Development (ETD) Program, which was an element of the ERD Theme in FY 2011, will be transferred to the Office of the Chief Technologist.
Major Highlights for FY 2012
HRP will conduct biomedical flight experiments on the ISS, including the delivery of a biomedical ultrasound device to the ISS and a training program to use the device for diagnosing bone fractures. HRP will also deliver a design tool to assess radiation shielding on space vehicles and update the acute radiation risk model.
While the ETD Program will be transferred to the Office of Chief Technologist, an Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Program will be established to contain a few critical efforts that do not fit with the other efforts of that Office. Life support, habitation, and extra-vehicular activity elements of ETD will remain in the AES Program, because these capabilities are critical to crew safety and the success of future vehicle production and human spaceflight missions. It is important that these areas be managed in concert with associated vehicle development and closely overseen by human spaceflight personnel.
AES will develop and demonstrate prototype systems for life support, habitation, and extravehicular activity (EVA), which will enable NASA to conduct future human missions beyond LEO while reducing risk and lifecycle cost. AES demonstrates these systems using ground test beds, Earth-based field and underwater tests, and ISS flight experiments.