ISS_Transition.pdf

Basis for US global leadership in human spaceflight and the key element in international partnerships to expand Human Spaceflight beyond LEO

Human health and performance and system/technology development for long duration Human Spaceflight beyond LEO

Returning benefits to Humanity through basic and applied research

Enabling the development of a commercial market in LEO

The Mission

Vision for Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

Sustained U.S. commercial LEO human spaceflight marketplace where NASA is one of many customers

• May include one or more privately-owned/-operated platforms and transportation capabilities for crew and cargo.

• Enables a variety of activities in LEO that meet NASA’s ongoing needs as well as private sector interests.

• Spurs U.S. commercial LEO economic development.

ISS Transition Principles

• Continuity among NASA’s LEO, deep space exploration, and development and research activities and missions toward expanding human presence into the solar system

• Expand U.S. human spaceflight leadership in LEO and deep space exploration, including continuity of the relationship with our current ISS international partners

• Increase platform options in LEO to enable more ISS transition pathways, security through redundant capabilities, and industrial capability that can support NASA’s deep space exploration needs

• Spur vibrant commercial activity in LEO

ISS Transition Principles

• Maintain critical human spaceflight knowledge and expertise within the

Government in areas such as astronaut health and performance, life support, safety, and critical operational ground and crew experience

• Continue to return benefits to humanity through Government-sponsored basic and applied on-orbit research

• Continue Government-sponsored access to LEO research facilities that enable other Government agencies, academia, and private industry to increase U.S.

industrial competitiveness and provide goods and services to U.S. citizens

• Continue to reduce the Government’s long-term costs through private industry partnerships and competitive acquisition strategies

ISS Transition Overall Strategy Begin a step-wise transition of LEO human spaceflight operations from a Government-directed activity to a model where private industry is responsible for meeting NASA’s requirements.

• In order to effect a smooth transition, provide private industry with a vision of future work, and allow NASA to plan and alter its activities, NASA is proposing that this transition of LEO human spaceflight responsibility to private industry will begin transforming the many NASA-directed activities that are currently performed through several contracts into more of a public-private partnership and/or services contract(s) model where NASA’s current responsibilities are executed and managed by private industry

• NASA maintains leadership and governing responsibilities as outlined in Partnership agreements, and continues to maintain the essential elements of human spaceflight, such as astronaut safety and high-risk exploration systems

ISS Transition Overall Strategy

• NASA and private industry will engage with stakeholders and proceed when industry has matured and is capable of executing NASA’s requirements

• The orderly transition of ISS will ensure that there are private companies with the experience and expertise to operate various types of platforms in LEO by the mid- 2020s

• This transition to private industry must be done in a cost-effective manner and result in a reduction of operational costs

• Throughout this approach, NASA will also be requesting market analysis and business plans from private industry in order to gauge the depth of possible commercial markets

NASA’s Expected Future Needs in LEO

• Maintaining the Partnership with our current ISS international partners and possibly adding new international and domestic participants across LEO and into deep space

• Regular LEO crewed operations, including short and long durations

• Enables operational space proficiency

• Shift from human health and performance countermeasures development (the ISS portion of which is expected to be complete by 2024) to validations of integrated long-duration system, habitation, operations, and crew isolation

• Long-term technology/systems development and demonstrations (e.g., life support)

• Space life and physical sciences basic and applied research

• National Laboratory-based research and technology development

• Opportunities for astrophysics, space, and Earth science research

• A portion of the transportation costs need to shift from NASA to the private sector

• Could be met with various types of modules or platforms that do not necessitate a vehicle (or vehicles) as complex as the ISS