September 2009 Dinner Meeting

Thurday, September 24, 2009; 5-7:30pm
Stanford University

Space Tourism, Moon-Mars and Beyond

Gene Austin
AIAA Distinguished Lecturer

Abstract

The key to expand space travel “for the rest of us” is to get Safe, Reliable, and Low Cost transportation to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Now that the Space Race is over we settle into a pace that suits our national priorties. However, the Chinese, Russians and Europe are potential threats to our being “settled into a pace that suits our national priorties.” An emerging commericial section that began with the Space Adventures arrangement with the Russians to fill a vacant seat in their Soyuz That also includes a week on the ISS. Once the X-Prize win by Paul Allen and Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne was in sight, Sir Richard Branson formed a new company “Virgin Galactic.” This enterprise contracted with Paul Allen and Burt Rutan to build a larger version of SpaceShipOne that can take six passengers and a crew of two for a five minute zero G experience above the defined altitude of 100km, where “space begins.” Once this begins, the number of “Astronauts” will expand by at least six per flight, for only $200k per passenger. At the moment, several thousand potential new ”Astronauts” have signed up. In addition there are several new entities vying to capture a portion of this emerging market. At this time attention is now moving toward commercial flights to LEO and even beyond.

On January 14, 2004, President Bush announced a new plan to explore space and extend a human presence across our solar system.

We will begin the effort quickly, using existing programs and personnel. We'll make steady progress, one mission, one voyage, one landing at a time. The plan is to finish assembly of the ISS in 2010. Our second goal is to develop and test a new spacecraft, the crew exploration vehicle by late this decade and conduct the first manned mission no later than 2014. Our third goal is to return to the moon by 2020, as the launching point for missions beyond.

NASA has begun the implementation of their plan. The Crew/Cargo Capsule, “Orion” by Lockheed Martin, will transport crews to the ISS following the retirement of the Space Shuttle. The Crew Launch Vehicle, Ares I, is based on a modified shuttle SRB as the first stage is being designed by ATK and a new orbit insertion stage that will be developed by Boeing. A variant of the Saturn V upper stage engine, the J-2X is being developed by Pratt & Whitney.

On January 19, 2006, the New Horizons Pluto-Kuiper Belt spacecraft was launched and with the gravity assist of Jupiter, will arrive at Pluto in 2015. The current best technology that permits the exploration of our solar system, is a Jupiter gravity assist! This is the first attempt to observe Pluto and other objects in the Kuiper Belt (objects beyond the orbit of Neptune). We have done the easy part of exploring our solar system. New propulsion technologies are required if the remainder will become possible with reasonable travel times. The current transportation technologies that are being pursued by NASA to achieve further exploration of the planets include: nuclear; advanced chemical; solar thermal and electric; solar sails; electromagnetic propulsion and others. A balanced investment in the New Initiative, science and advance technologies must be attained if we want to continue as the leader in space exploration.

About the Speaker

Robert E. (Gene) Austin retired from his position as the NASA X-33 Program Manager located at the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in February 2001 following a career of nearly 42 years. The X-33 Program was a unique new approach in development of Space Programs by NASA. It was a Partnership between NASA and Industry. Working with Senior NASA management, Mr. Austin was able to get necessary changes in existing policies to permit this innovative new approach to be used for X-33. His team was able to establish and consistently achieve aggressive program milestones over three years leading to the X-33 award to the "Skunk Works".

Following award, he committed to the co-location of his NASA Program Office to Palmdale and has since moved there with his team. The X-33 Program had as its primary goal, to demonstrate the technologies necessary to reach a decision to commercially develop and operate a Single Stage to Orbit Reusable Launch Vehicle.

He previously served as the Deputy Director of the Advanced Transportation Technologies Office at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. His assignment in 1993 as NASA lead of the Advanced Technology Team of NASA's Access to Space Study, led to establishment of the agency's goal toward the development of an operational Single Stage To Orbit. As a result of that goal, and working with the DoD and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, NASA was assigned the responsibility for Reusable Launch Vehicle technology development and demonstration in the Administration's August 1994 National Space Transportation Policy.

He received a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Auburn University in 1963. Mr. Austin did graduate studies in Engineering Mechanics at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Meeting Details

Note: this meeting is at Stanford University in Palo Alto.

Informal Reception with sandwiches: 5-6:15 pm, Durand Building, Room 026
Lecture: 6:30-7:30, Building 320, Room 105 (See Meeting Location below.)
Cost: Free to members and guests
Parking: There are several metered parkings lots on campus; see Stanford campus maps

Meeting Reservations & Point of Contact

For more information about this program, contact
Sylvee Walenczewski

Meeting Location

Building 320 is located across Lomita Mall from Durand Building.