File:AIAA2007-IntermediateOutpost.pdf

Conference paper entitled "The Intermediate Outpost - An Alternate Concept for Human Lunar Exploration"

Abstract: This paper describes and evaluates a lunar outpost concept called the "intermediate outpost", which is a design with low development cost and risk based solely on technologies that are either at TRL 8 / 9 at the present time or required for either the Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM) or the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). The intermediate outpost is an integrated crewed outpost system that contains all subsystems and consumables necessary to enable extended-duration lunar surface stays with up to 4 crewmembers. The intermediate outpost is delivered to the lunar surface on one dedicated uncrewed cargo flight utilizing an Ares V launch vehicle. Due to anytime abort and Earth return constraints for crewed missions to the outpost, possible landing sites for missions to an intermediate outpost are the lunar polar regions and the lunar equatorial region (near-and far-sides). Performance analysis shows that multi-month stays are possible per crewed visit at such an intermediate outpost; surface stays of this length allow for Mars preparation as well as significant surface exploration. The intermediate outpost may therefore offer a lowinvestment / high pay-off alternative to a permanently inhabited outpost that would likely require additional technology development and possibly lunar surface assembly operations.