NASA is collaborating with the public and private sectors to develop prototypes that make possible long space travel, with durations of months or even years, without the need for refueling.
To that can travel farther and farther and discover the mysteries of the universe, NASA joined Bigelow Aerospace, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, the Orbital ATK, the Sierra Nevada Corporation and NanoRacks. The agency says these companies have about two years to design new technologies for self-sustaining space habitats that make possible interplanetary travel.
Although the conditions of each contract differ partnerships contract, NASA evaluates this project at about $ 65 million. This value may be higher if the work to extend for longer. advanced information by NASA indicate that 30 percent of the total costs should be borne by the partners.
The technologies developed to serve as a starting point for space operations to Mars that will take place from 2020 until there, NASA wants to test the technology in conditions that are similar to those that will be experienced in long-term missions in the depths of space, although the tests initially be made with the feet on the Earth.
Mars is not the only target of these partnerships. NASA also wants to use the technologies developed in this framework to achieve increasingly operations and activities in low Earth orbit, between 180 km and 2000 km away from the Earth’s surface.
No comments:
Post a Comment