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The History And Future Of NASA

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NASA’s problems with funding that caused the failure of the Landsat commercialization continued into the future, causing an increase in dependence on foreign and commercial launch vehicles. NASA continued the downward trend of its funding, into the 1990s, even after seeing a brief jump during the Bush administration. (Kring) From 1962, NASA had provided the framework for commercial companies to enter into the world of spaceflight, when Kennedy signed into law the Communications Satellite Act of 1962. (Communications Satellite Act of 1962) This act provided the framework for private companies to design, manufacture, and operate their own satellites, while still only offering their launch services on the Saturn V, THOR, Atlas, and Antares rockets. …show more content…

With the safety of the space shuttle called into question by many, people started to worry about the future of the shuttle. (Agres) While the shuttle continued to launch, these fears did not go away. In 1990, the Pegasus air-launched rocket became the first private rocket of any kind to reach orbit. (Pegasus) This is also the first example of a private company taking advantage of the regulations created by Kennedy and Reagan to allow for private cooperation with NASA. The rocket flew on a NASA owned B-52, which launched from Edwards AFB. (Pegasus) Building on concerns about the space shuttle, in 1995, NASA launched the first American astronaut on a Russian Rocket. Norman E. Thagard became the first astronaut to launch on a Russian rocket during a mission to the Mir Station. (International Space Hall of Fame) While not technically a commercial flight, this launch signified a willingness of NASA to use other launch vehicles for their astronauts. With this flight, NASA began the lengthy process of moving away from its own launch vehicles to using those developed by other countries and companies, which is still in progress …show more content…

In 2011, coinciding with the retirement of the space shuttle, NASA announced the development of the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion Capsule. (Redd) The SLS is meant to serve as a heavy launch vehicle, similar to the Saturn V that launched the Apollo missions. The SLS is designed with the capability to reach interplanetary space, with missions currently planned for Europa in 2022, and Mars in 2033. (Space Launch System) It is a completely non-reusable rocket, helping to increase it’s potential maximum payload to LEO, currently estimated at 70 metric tons for Block 1. (Space Launch System) The SLS is designed to be upgradeable in iterations called Blocks, with the largest block being able to carry 130 metric tons to low earth orbit, similar to that of the Saturn V at 140 metric tons. (Space Launch System) The SLS was designed to work with another NASA designed spacecraft, the Orion capsule. The Orion capsule is designed in two parts- the crew capsule is constructed by NASA, and the service module is constructed by the ESA. (Orion (spacecraft)) Orion is expected to be able to provide crew and cargo transport to the ISS, be capable of extended lunar missions, and to eventually reach Martian orbit on the SLS. (Orion (spacecraft)) However, as good as this program

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