CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.,
March 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/
-- For long-duration, deep space missions, astronauts will
need a highly efficient and reconfigurable space, and Lockheed
Martin (NYSE: LMT) is researching and designing ways to support
those missions. Under a public-private partnership as a part of
NASA's Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships
(NextSTEP) Phase II study contract, Lockheed Martin has
completed the initial ground prototype for a cislunar habitat that
would be compatible with NASA's Gateway architecture. This habitat
will help NASA study and assess the critical capabilities needed to
build a sustainable presence around the Moon and support pioneering
human exploration in deep space.
The full-scale prototype, or Habitat Ground Test Article (HGTA),
is built inside of a repurposed shuttle-era cargo container, called
a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM), at Kennedy Space Center. Using rapid prototyping
and modern design tools like virtual and augmented reality, the
team customized the interior making full use of the entire volume
of the module to accommodate a variety of tasks like science
missions and personal needs of future astronauts. The team also
studied how to apply the advanced, deep space capabilities that are
already built in to NASA's Orion spacecraft. Through additional
research and development funding, the NextSTEP team also applied
mixed-reality technology to further refine the concept.
"Throughout the design and engineering process of this
high-fidelity prototype, we have kept the diversity of missions
top-of-mind," said Bill Pratt,
Lockheed Martin Space NextSTEP program manager. "By building
modularity in from the beginning, our design can support Lunar
orbit and surface science missions along with commercial
operations, all while accelerating the path to the Moon."
Over the past five months, the team used tools like virtual and
augmented reality to simplify and streamline the build-up process.
They also applied expertise from Lockheed Martin's heritage of
operating autonomous interplanetary robotic missions, like
OSIRIS-REx and InSight, to integrate reliable robotic capabilities
in to the design.
"Getting back to the Moon, and eventually Mars, is no small
feat, but our team are mission visionaries," said Pratt. "They have
worked to apply lessons learned from our experience with deep space
robotic missions to this first-of-its-kind spacecraft around the
Moon."
The Lockheed Martin team will soon transition the prototype to
the NASA NextSTEP team for assessment. During the week of
March 25, a team of NASA astronauts
will live and work inside the prototype, evaluating the layout and
providing feedback. The NASA test team will also validate the
overall design and will be able to evaluate the standards and
common interfaces, like the International Docking System Standard
(IDSS), and how to apply those systems for long-term missions based
at the Lunar Gateway. Once NASA testing has completed, Lockheed
Martin will continue to optimize and study the prototype to prepare
for other Lunar efforts.
For additional information, visit our website.
About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a
global security and aerospace company that employs approximately
105,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the
research, design, development, manufacture, integration and
sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and
services.
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SOURCE Lockheed Martin