NASA Outlines "Flagship" Technology Demonstrations 27
FleaPlus writes "As part of its new plans, NASA has outlined the initial series of large-scale 'flagship' technology demonstration (FTD) missions for developing and testing technologies needed for sustainable beyond-Earth exploration, complementing the smaller-scale ETDD missions outlined previously. The first four FTD missions (costing $400M-$1B each, about the cost of the recent Ares I-X suborbital rocket launch) are scheduled to launch between 2014 and 2016, demonstrating advanced in-space propulsion (next-generation ion propulsion and solar arrays), in-space propellant transfer and storage, a lightweight/inflatable mission module at the ISS (which will also test closed-loop life support), and an inflatable aeroshell for aerocapture at Mars. A multi-purpose robotic rendezvous and docking vehicle will also be developed to support these missions."
Finally some real technology development (Score:4, Insightful)
Seems kind of quick? (Score:2, Insightful)
They couldn't have really developed all of this since the announcement of the cancellation of the Constellation program.
Seems more likely they just grabbed a bunch of already developed tech and slammed it together.
On the plus side, the fact that they're actually focusing on this tech which I heard they were developing years years ago, at least for the ion propulsion and inflatable structures, shows that NASA is finalyl getting off their feet and working on them.
Re:Finally some real technology development (Score:3, Insightful)
And the first one that goes in the drink, blows up, or otherwise fails, people will jump all over them for wasting millions of dollars on some pie-in-the-sky experiment instead of using proven approaches.
Re:Finally some real technology development (Score:2, Insightful)
So NASA are helping a young technology company to test a hab design which, if it works, will save NASA money in the long term and increase in-space capability.
And this is a bad thing, because?