Analysis of Inflating Habitable Space Structures with neomass (near-Earth-object mass)
The discovery of near Earth objects (NEOs), during August 1992, and that one of them is a dormant comet, dramatically changed the potential availability of near-Earth resources. NEOs provide...
Construction Operations on the OUTPOST Platform in Orbit
GLOBAL OUTPOST, Inc., with significant NASA assistance, proposes to place an External Tank (ET) of the space shuttle in orbit for commercial purposes. The OUTPOST Platform is designed...
Interactions Between the Space Station Freedom Attitude Control System and Space Shuttle Remote Manipulator Controller During On-Orbit Assembly Operations
This paper presents the results of dynamics and control interaction analyses involving the Space Shuttle Orbiter, the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS), and the Space Station Freedom...
Microgravity Research in a Space Station Environment
A broad class of scientific experiments have evolved which utilize extreme low acceleration environments. A space station can provide such a `microgravity' environment, in conjunction...
Adaptive Space Station Technologies and Systems for a Lunar Surface Return Mission
The current global economic climate, in particular that of the United States, has impacted all aspects of government spending. Wise use of existing, as well as near-term planned, assets...
A Space Station Simulation: EXEMSI '92 A Study on Confinement and Isolation of a Mixed Crew of Four during 60 Days
Manned spaceflight is entering a new era. The next period will be characterized by long duration stays in space and heterogenous crews. EXEMSI '92 was an attempt to study the human-related...
Zero-Gravity Sports Centers
One of the uses that has been proposed for fully reusable launch vehicles is `space tourism', the making of short visits to low Earth orbit by fare-paying passengers. This seems to offer...
Global Environmental Change: Geoengineering Technology
The `overview effect,' looking at the entire Planet Earth from space, has communicated the reality of the limited extent of our environment and its apparent fragility. Space continues...
Update of the Implications of Recent Space Resource Discovery
Immense resources have been discovered in the space near Earth during the last decade. Last August, 1992, one of the resource objects was discovered to contain a key ingredient that might...
Resource Recovery Facilities for Earth Approaching Comets
Mankind's next large resource location may be off the planet. The facilities required for mining and material processing offer interesting concepts for the development of mankind's first...
Potential demand for passenger travel to orbit
In recent years the possibility of `space tourism', that is individual passenger travel to space on a commercial basis, has received increasing attention. The possibility of such an activity...
Modeling of Interaction of Small Particulates in Earth Orbit
The hazards posed by small debris is an area of increasing concern for all space systems. Depending on the size and relative encounter velocity of small particulates, there are a variety...
Overview of Space Environmental Effects
The natural environment for low Earth orbit subjects satellites to various forms of damage, ranging from particulate impacts, ultraviolet light, atomic oxygen erosion and charged particle...
A Summary of the NEPSTP Nuclear Safety Program
The Nuclear Electric Propulsion Space Test Program (NEPSTP) is sponsored by the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) to demonstrate and evaluate the Russian-built TOPAZ II nuclear...
TOPAZ II Qualification and Nuclear Testing Program
This paper presents an overview of the Topaz II qualification and nuclear test program. The program combines the joint efforts and resources of Russian and American specialists and organizations...
Inter-stellar Propulsion: The Need for Speed
Interstellar travel is certainly one of mankind's next step to reach for the stars. Four ideas for interstellar propulsion are discussed in this paper: the Orion Project, Deep Space Ramjets,...
Nuclear Propulsion: Safety Measures and Concerns
Since nuclear fission was discovered, many potential uses for it have been found. One such application of fission is nuclear propulsion systems in space ships; however, the elements resulting...
A Comparison of Propulsion Systems for Space Exploration
There are three promising propulsion systems that might be used for space missions: chemical, direct nuclear, and nuclear electric. Selecting the best system for a mission involves comparing...
A Discussion of Nuclear Propulsion in Space Travel
Nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) is gaining popularity as a safe alternative to conventional propulsion. Such alternatives are desirable to meet the goals of lunar colonization and manned...
Nuclear Propulsion
In this paper, the possibilities and safety of nuclear propulsion will be discussed and explained. The main focus pertains to the efficiency and safety of this form of propulsion. Nuclear...
Return to search