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Space & Astronomy

NASA ordered to develop 'habitation module'

By T.K. Randall
January 1, 2016 · Comment icon 17 comments

It may still be several decades before the first humans arrive at Mars. Image Credit: NASA
Congress has insisted that NASA create a prototype deep space habitation module by no later than 2018.
Progress towards a manned mission to Mars may see some acceleration over the next couple of years thanks to the US government's decision to increase funding to NASA by $1.3 billion to help support the development of a habitation module for use in future deep space missions.

Back in mid-December NASA's ISS director Sam Scimemi put forward plans to begin testing such a module by the mid-2020s, but now this will have to be brought forward after Congress demanded that it all had to be done - including the building of a prototype - within the next two years.
One of the most critical parts of a future mission to Mars, the module will need to be able to keep astronauts alive and comfortable during long-haul space voyages.

Initial testing is likely to take place in orbit around the Earth with astronauts living on the module to determine its viability long before any actual deep space missions take place.

"We're thrilled that Congress took the lead," said Bigelow Aerospace D.C. operations and business growth director Mike Gold. "It is the missing piece of the human space exploration puzzle."

Source: The California Post | Comments (17)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #8 Posted by coolguy 9 years ago
Very cool Iam spurised that they have not ever worked on this before
Comment icon #9 Posted by mpd1958 9 years ago
Obama has no interest in space. He famously told his hand-picked assassin of the Constellation Program that Nasa's primary goal was to make Muslim nations "feel better about themselves."
Comment icon #10 Posted by preacherman76 9 years ago
Obama has no interest in space. He famously told his hand-picked assassin of the Constellation Program that Nasa's primary goal was to make Muslim nations "feel better about themselves." His goal now is to break his all time spending record, with a overall goal of collapsing the countries economy.
Comment icon #11 Posted by ROGER 9 years ago
As I said , we have it already .
Comment icon #12 Posted by ChaosRose 9 years ago
Cue the conspiracy theories that the 1%ers are leaving the sinking ship.
Comment icon #13 Posted by Waspie_Dwarf 9 years ago
Bigelow has been working on this for years and still hasn't got to nod to proceed . I believe an ISS addition is due in the near future as a test . You are contradicting yourself here Roger, claiming that Bigelow are waiting for the nod whilst at the same time telling us that NASA is going to use a Bigelow inflatable module on the ISS. Bigelow are a private company seeking private buyers for there low Earth orbit, inflatable space modules, as such they shouldn't need "the nod." NASA has chosen to award a $17.8 million to Bigelow to evaluate a Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM). The BEA... [More]
Comment icon #14 Posted by fred_mc 9 years ago
Maybe NASA can ask IKEA if they can help. A branch of IKEA are sending lots of refugee shelters powered by solar energy in flat packages to refugee camps: http://inhabitat.com/ikeas-solar-powered-flat-pack-refugee-shelters-offer-easily-deployable-emergency-housing/ikea-refugee-shelter2/
Comment icon #15 Posted by TheGreatBeliever 9 years ago
Yeah the starting of space colonisation!
Comment icon #16 Posted by Waspie_Dwarf 9 years ago
Yeah the starting of space colonisation! Not yet. This is more about the re-starting of space exploration.
Comment icon #17 Posted by TheGreatBeliever 9 years ago
Not yet. This is more about the re-starting of space exploration. Thanx for the info waspie dwarf


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