FYI,

"NASA and ESA Complete Comparative Exploration Architecture Study"
NASA
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/jul/HQ_08171_NASA_ESA_Architectur
e_Study.html

: Over the last 6 months, representatives from NASA and the European
: Space Agency, or ESA, have been engaged in a detailed assessment of
: potential programs and technologies that when conducted
: cooperatively could one day support a human outpost on the moon.

: Findings from the study included a significant mutual interest in
: the potential development of lunar cargo landing systems,
: communication and navigation systems, lunar orbital
: infrastructures, and lunar surface systems, such as habitats or
: mobility systems. The study also identified the significant value
: gained from redundant human crew transportation capability.

: "We are very pleased to have worked with ESA on this comparative
: architecture assessment," said Geoff Yoder, director of NASA's
: Exploration Systems Mission Directorate Integration Office in
: Washington. "Since the announcement of the U.S. Space Exploration
: Policy, NASA has sought and welcomed input from its international
: partners on NASA's lunar architecture plans in areas of mutual
: interest. As future exploration plans mature around the world, it
: is becoming increasingly important that we seek compatibilities
: between NASA's plans and those of its potential future partners.
: The work we did with ESA will serve as a model for discussions with
: other potential partners as we begin to implement this very
: exciting mission."

: NASA and ESA experts briefed the results of their Comparative
: Architecture Assessment this week during an ESA sponsored
: integrated architecture review held at ESA's European Space
: Research and Technology Centre in Noordwijk, The Netherlands.

: "ESA is preparing itself for a round of decisions that will mark
: Europe's role in human spaceflight and exploration for the decades
: to come," said Bruno Gardini, manager of ESA's Exploration
: Program. "After the satisfaction of the successful deployment of
: the Columbus module and Automated Transfer Vehicle, we are looking
: forward to enhancing our role in the partnership for a sustained
: and robust space exploration program, where human spaceflight is
: the cornerstone. The moon is surely an important case study and
: useful test bed to thoroughly prepare for more distant
: destinations. This architecture work is very useful to prioritize
: our proposals to European decision-makers and define a European
: strategy."

: The study assessed the degree to which NASA and ESA's lunar
: exploration architecture concepts could complement, augment, or
: enhance the exploration plans of one another. Technical teams from
: each agency engaged in a series of joint, qualitative assessments
: of the potential scientific and exploration benefits from
: collaboration between the ESA capabilities under study and NASA's
: space transportation systems and lunar surface exploration
: architecture concepts.

: NASA is studying lunar surface exploration architecture concepts to
: support humans returning to the moon before 2020. Consistent with
: the principles of the Global Exploration Strategy -- a framework
: for coordinating space exploration plans of 14 participating
: agencies from around the world -- NASA is pursuing its lunar
: exploration plans under an "open architecture" approach. This
: approach will maximize opportunities for international and
: commercial participation. NASA's architecture concept calls for the
: transportation of astronauts and hardware to the moon using the
: Ares I and Ares V launch vehicles, the Orion crew exploration
: vehicle, and the Altair lunar lander, which are all currently under
: development by NASA.

: ESA is studying scenarios and associated architectures for human
: space exploration, building upon its extensive human space flight
: experience, including its contributions to the International Space
: Station program. While ESA's studies are currently at a conceptual
: stage, some of the scenarios assessed as part of this joint study
: included potential future use of an automated, Ariane 5-based lunar
: cargo landing system; European developed communication and
: navigation systems; and ESA-developed human-rated systems, such as
: a crew transportation system and orbital outposts.

: For more information on NASA's plans to explore the moon, Mars, and
: beyond, visit:

: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration

: For more information about ESA's exploration program, visit:

: http://www.esa.int/esaHS/exploration.html

Mark Reiff