Interplanetary outpost: the human and technological challenges of exploring the outer planets

'Interplanetary Outpost' follows the mission architecture template of NASA's plan for Human Outer Planet Exploration (HOPE), which envisions sending a crewto the moon Callisto to conduct exploration and sample return activities. To realize such a mission, the spacecraft will be the most complex interplanetaryvehicle ever built, representing the best technical efforts of several nations. A wealth of new technologies will need to be developed, including new propulsion systems, hibernation strategies, and revolutionary radiation shielding materials. Step by step, the book will describe how the mission architecture will evolve, how crews will be selected and trained, and what the mission will entail from launch to landing. However, the focus of 'Interplanetary Outpost' is on the human element. The extended duration, logistical challenges, radiation concerns, communication lag times, isolation, and deleterious effects on thehuman body will conspire to not only significantly impair human performance but also affect the behavior of crewmembers. This book addresses each of these issues in detail while still providing the reader with a background to the necessary elements comprising such a mission. Provides an overview of the technical and human factors that must be considered in order to embark upon a manned mission to the outer planets. Offers a unique insight into and an understanding of how humans will survive and adapt during trips to the outer planets. Author has trained as an astronaut and written extensively on setting up habitable environments in space and thus knows the issues involved quite well. Continues the successful outpost book series ofscience writer Erik Seedhouse. INDICE: Preface. Acknowledgments. About the Author. List of Figures. List of Tables. List of Panels. List of Abbreviations and Acronyms. Chapter 1: Potential destinations. Chapter 2: Mission objectives. Chapter 3: Mission architecture. Chapter 4: VASIMR: the radical rocket. Chapter 5: HOPE hardware. Chapter6: Descent and landing. Chapter 7: Selecting and training an interplanetary crew. Chapter 8: Biomedical and behavioral aspects of traveling to Callisto. Chapter 9: Voyage to Callisto. Chapter 10: The surface mission: establishing an interplanetary outpost. Appendix I. Appendix II. Appendix III. Epilogue. Index.

• ISBN: 978-1-4419-9747-0
• Editorial: Springer New York
• Encuadernacion: Rústica
• Páginas: 253
• Fecha Publicación: 02/12/2011
• Nº Volúmenes: 1
• Idioma: Inglés