Roela Santos’ Post

"The Grand Challenges of Space Exploration" ISSUE NUMBER 1: Still relying on rocketry-based propulsion systems when what is required are true more advanced tiered '#StarTrek'-like CTP Propulsion Systems (CTPPS) that CTP can pioneer. More advanced space travel systems and new craft are demanded for achieving the multiplanetary and #newcivilization-level objectives we envision. Our #founder 'Reso' concurs, this 1st major point and hurdle: access to space (which is primarily an issue of overcoming Gravity, itself.) First point in this article... "Space Exploration Grand Challenges Unfortunately there isn’t a universal list of space exploration grand challenges. However, based upon published materials, the space exploration grand challenges include: Access to space: Developing cheaper, more efficient, and more reliable launch systems to increase access to space for both commercial and scientific purposes." 👆 CTP vision in a nutshell: CTP Gravitic Propulsion (https://bit.ly/3HZBdYu) #newspace #newspaceeconomy #newpropulsionsystems #graviticpropulsion

Very insightful article by our Head of Software Engineering Tolga Ors 💡

Really happy to be publishing my first lead-author journal paper! It outlines a way in which space logistics practices can be used for lunar exploration program planning, focusing specifically on mission scheduling. We used metaheuristic optimisation to find efficient launch schedules that met program-level requirements and expected lunar lander availabilities. The quality of scheduling solutions was measured by solving a commodity flow sub-problem constructed according to the chosen schedule. The case studies were based on real-world exploration program plans, such as the CLPS and Artemis programs. This represents the first block of research from my PhD, in which I'm exploring the ways in which we can analyse space program architectures in the very early stages of the program lifecycle. This is in order to understand the ways in which our assumptions about the involved systems, and deviations from those assumptions, can affect the overarching program planning and decision-making process. The paper is open access, so anyone can download and read it for free at the link shared below!

A new paper: "Hierarchical Framework for Space Exploration Campaign Schedule Optimization" https://lnkd.in/e_UxJaSJ (Open Access). Outstanding work by Nick Gollins! This paper is addressing arguably the most complex space campaign schedule optimization problem considered in the literature. It involves the optimization of "when to launch what from where to where using which vehicle," at much higher fidelity than conventional space logistics works. Instead of a hypothetical case study, which is often used in conventional space logistics works, we have considered the actual vehicles of the Artemis Program (e.g., Orion, Blue Moon, CLPS landers, etc.) and a realistic schedule for our case study. This complex optimization is solved using a novel hierarchical framework for space campaign design. We expect that this formulation will become critical for future space exploration campaign design at NASA, SpaceX, etc. In the comment below, I showed a figure that shows sample results from the paper. It shows the entire ConOps of different vehicles for a multi-mission campaign, all optimized through mathematical optimization. If you believe this tool can be useful for your applications, please let us know and we are happy to collaborate! We have published this paper as an Open Access paper, so anybody can download it! Please feel free to share it with anybody interested in space logistics, space exploration, sustainable space, etc. #spacelogistics #spaceexploration #sustainablespace

Maxar Space Systems pairs 60 years of history with the latest innovations to propel space exploration, CEO Chris Johnson tells CEO North America “When you think about getting ready to launch and support a customer in orbit for 10, 15, 20 years, there are opportunities to come together to collaborate with customers and suppliers.” Driven by the experience of six decades in the space industry Maxar Space Systems is on the forefront of cutting-edge technology that drives exploration and innovation that pushes the boundaries of where humans can go in the solar system. Click below to read the full interview at CEO North America Magazine. #space #tech #ceo #leadership #digitalmagazine #exploration #Nasa

🚀 The National Space Society has just released a position paper advocating for a resilient In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) development strategy following the cancellation of NASA's VIPER mission. As we look toward a sustainable future on the Moon and beyond, this strategy emphasizes innovation, commercial partnerships, and a multi-rover approach to lunar exploration. 🌕✨ 📄 Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/eKEBd6iv What are your thoughts on the future of ISRU on the Moon? Do you think space-based resources will drive the next wave of space exploration? Let us know in the comments!

Great insight on space technology needs from different stakeholders inside and outside of NASA.

The Future of Mars Exploration: Commercial Services and Innovative Solutions   As NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration took a step back from the Mars sample return mission and set its sights on lower cost, more frequent and cost-effective Mars missions, the space industry is gearing up for a new era of commercial participation in Martian exploration. NASA's 2023 draft strategy, "Exploring Mars Together," emphasizes the need for "frequent access to Mars" and calls for innovative approaches to substantially lower mission costs.   One of the key focus areas is updating the critical infrastructure around Mars, including communications, imaging, and transportation services. NASA has already awarded contracts to nine companies to explore the feasibility of transporting cargo to Mars orbit and providing orbital services. None of the studies call for landers.   As the space industry works on developing reliable transportation and infrastructure for Mars, innovative New Space start-ups like Team Tumbleweed are pushing the boundaries of what's possible for surface exploration without landers! Their approach involves sending swarms of low-cost, wind-driven rovers that roll across the Martian surface like their namesake plants.   This groundbreaking concept offers several advantages:   1. Cost-effectiveness: By using a passive, drag-based landing system instead of traditional propulsive landers, Team Tumbleweed achieves a two-order magnitude cost reduction for delivering payloads to Mars.   2. Increased coverage: A swarm of 90 tumbleweed rovers could potentially explore over 10% of the Martian surface, far exceeding the range of traditional wheeled rovers.   3. Resilience: The swarm approach ensures mission success even if some individual rovers fail.   4. Access to challenging terrain: The spherical design allows these rovers to navigate rocky and steep areas as well as canyons and craters that have posed challenges for wheeled rovers.   As NASA and New Space companies work together to make Mars exploration more accessible and frequent, innovative solutions like Team Tumbleweed's wind-driven rovers will play a crucial role in expanding our understanding of the Red Planet.   It's crucial for other space agencies, such as the European Space Agency - ESA, to also embrace commercial services for Mars exploration, rather than relying solely on traditional large rover missions. By diversifying their approach and partnering with innovative New Space companies, space agencies worldwide can accelerate progress, reduce risks, and dramatically lower costs in our quest to explore the Red Planet. The democratization of Mars exploration through these much more economical missions could open up unprecedented opportunities for technological innovation and scientific discovery.   Image Credit: NASA / USGS – Mars, the vast Valles Marineris canyon system.   #MarsExploration #WindDrivenRovers #CommercialMars #NewSpace

Digital twin technology is revolutionizing space exploration by allowing engineers to test spacecraft designs before they even leave the ground. This proactive method enhances reliability and efficiency, paving the way for successful missions. Discover more: https://okt.to/LSOEIu

Are you interested in some light reading over the holidays? This very interesting report on rethinking the Mars program was just released. I have yet to get through it, there are many words in it, but I plan to over the next few weeks. It even looks like there was a town hall meeting at AGU. The top-level idea is more partnerships and lower-cost missions. Two NASA missions tried this, Phoenix and Insight. Insight used European instruments from a Lockheed/NASA-built lander, and Phoenix used a combination of new hardware and ones built for a canceled mission. I would have thought that a document claiming to propose a new program architecture similar to how these missions were implemented would have a significant number of lessons learned from the missions discussed in it. I wonder why that did not happen or even if it occurred to anyone. More comments follow after I read the text. https://lnkd.in/gKXzQSY8