Questions tagged [future-missions]

Missions expected to happen over the next decade, but that have not launched yet. In particular if such is only a concept at this time.

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Deorbit ISS vs. Preserve ISS as raw materials for ISM?

Recent news: NASA Seeks Proposals from US Industry for Station Deorbit Spacecraft (ISS) NASA has released a request for proposal from U.S. industry for the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle (USDV), a spacecraft ...
Rob's user avatar
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Is it planned to have the NASA astronauts from the Artemis 2 mission fly again to the moon?

Just recently, NASA announced the astronauts who will fly to the moon (Which is pretty AMESOME!). Is it planned to fly them on another Artemis mission or are the Artemis astronauts only flying once ...
The Rocket fan's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
96 views

Are most launches for science missions?

Are most space missions launched for scientific purposes? I had thought so, but during a group discussion, someone suggested most are actually for commercial purposes. Are they correct? Thanks!
FalconHeavy321's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
432 views

ESA: Does the ESA initiate the development of necessary new technologies if it is necessary? Does the ESA create new space missions?

I tried to do some research but I couldn’t find any definitive answer to this: Does the ESA initiate the development of necessary new technologies if it is necessary? And does the ESA create new space ...
FalconHeavy321's user avatar
5 votes
4 answers
3k views

With increased space exploration missions, are we affecting earth's mass?

This questions may seem naive, but, worth pondering: As humans keep sending more and more missions to space (outside earth's system), the earth is being affected in the following ways: Earth is ...
anurag's user avatar
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3 votes
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Does Copenhagen Suborbital have any plans for what they will do after they fly a human into space?

Copenhagen Suborbital is building a rocket that will launch a human on a suborbital flight into space. Do they have any plans for what they will do once they managed that? I have come up with a few ...
The Rocket fan's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
370 views

How to protect Mars/Moon mission crews against meteors?

Humans are expected to return to the Moon (see Artemis) and maybe go to Mars (see this and this) within a decade or two. Meteors frequently strike the surface of both the Moon and Mars (one can't ...
Stefan Lafon's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
250 views

Future Plasma-Scramjet engines: If/how they could be used in the launching of spacecraft

Recently I took a look at this paper: “Electrically Driven Supersonic Combustion”, Energies 2018, 11, 1733; doi:10.3390/en11071733 https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/7/1733 It made me think about ...
Dakota Wharton's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
256 views

Would this idea of a water rocket to pass the Karman line work?

When I fly my water rockets as a hobby I use this formula to calculate the height of the flight so I get an idea of how high my water rocket will fly. My idea is to make a theoretical water rocket ...
The Rocket fan's user avatar
18 votes
7 answers
4k views

Is there something inherently more difficult about servicing satellites in the 2nd Sun-Earth Lagrangian point?

There are several questions already asked on here about the potential for servicing the James Webb Space Telescope. This question asks what happens if the JWST needs repair. Basically, there are no ...
Jimmy G.'s user avatar
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5 answers
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Why doesn’t NASA build its rockets using graphene?

Graphene would be a great material to build a rocket out of. Graphene is extremely thin. One single atom thin layer of graphene can withstand 15 000 000 pascal . A square meter of this material only ...
The Rocket fan's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
182 views

Is electric propulsion feasible for human spaceflight?

I have been reading a lot about electric propulsion and was wondering if it would be feasible for human spaceflight. It is really efficient but it takes a while to get to the desired speed. Would it ...
The Rocket fan's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
739 views

Why doesn't NASA fly its rockets on suborbital trajectories to the Moon?

After trying it out in Kerbal Space Program for a while, I was wondering why NASA doesn't fly on suborbital trajectories to the Moon. When I tested this idea in Kerbal Space Program I found out that ...
The Rocket fan's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
946 views

Can double deck spacecraft be designed and constructed for manned missions?

Double Deck Aeroplane Similar to double deck Aeroplane, can a double deck crewed mission spacecraft be designed and constructed? Benefits: More astronauts in the manned mission spacecraft viz Mars, ...
Prashant Akerkar's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
37 views

Mission maneuver to Enceladus, I have some results from JPL trajectory browser, what comes next?

I am working on a project titled 'Astrodynamic mission maneuver to Enceladus'. I have found the launch date using NASA trajectory Browser. Can you let me know how to proceed further?
Smily's user avatar
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1 answer
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Are they already planning a successor to the JWST?

Hubble has been flying for 30+ years. JWST took 10 years to fund and build. But given its 10 year (if we're lucky) life expectancy, I assume its successor is already on a drawing board somewhere.
ourmandave's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
2k views

What are and could be all the advantages and disadvantages to have a crewed station on Phobos before landing crewed missions on Mars?

Stickney crater on Phobos For both images, credits: NASA/JPL The image above shows the Phobos monolith near Stickney crater, a sign or message to go there first ? An example of an advantage is the ...
Cornelis's user avatar
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1 vote
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Are there any projects of flying launch pads on high altitude ballons? [duplicate]

It is possible to fly up to 30 km with high altitude balloons. Is it possible to build an island there with launch pad on it? Will it help to fly to space?
Dims's user avatar
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2 votes
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how to soft-kill or soft-deny a target satellite?

Thanks to the rapid growth of commercial space technologies, the use of space by new players is increasing. To prevent outlaw or problematic new spacecraft let's suppose there is a "space police&...
L. Ricardo's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
79 views

Is the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator scheduled for any upcoming Mars mission? Is the program still active?

Back in 2014 and 2015, some tests of the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator were performed. The LDSD is intended to land heavier payloads on Mars than is currently possible. Mark Adler (the project ...
SE - stop firing the good guys's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
1k views

Why do larger and newer rockets not use electric pumps?

Rocketlab's Electron uses an electric pump combustion cycle with no preburner so all fuel is fed into the combustion chamber rather than wasted in a preburner/staged combustion-powered turbopump that ...
YuccaWorks's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
133 views

Using Space Stations in fixed orbits instead of Space Ships for the Whole Journey

I'm very new, so I hope this question is within the guidelines of this group. I remember an interview with Sally Ride where she mentioned using a larger habitat/space station that was put into a ...
David Elm's user avatar
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How many organisations are involved in missions that go further than the moon?

I'm trying to get an idea of how many missions are planning to go further than the moon? I'd like to know which companies or organisations are doing, or planning to do this (e.g. missions to Mars or ...
user1551817's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
301 views

Can a strong magnetic field be used to propel a spacecraft towards Mars and outer planets in Solar system?

Sun is bombarding us with ionized particles and these particles are moving towards outer planets. During solar flares this effect is intensified greatly. If we are able to create very strong magnetic ...
WOW 6EQUJ5's user avatar
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6 votes
2 answers
239 views

Is additive manufacturing ever tested in space or are there some future missions which plan to do so?

Unlike ISS where astronauts can count on supply of mission critical parts from Earth, future interplanetary travelers must have sufficient number of spare parts onboard, or technology to produce them ...
WOW 6EQUJ5's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
141 views

Will astronauts on the way to mars do experiments like in orbital labs?

Astronauts on Mars-bound missions will be stuck in their spacecraft for months on end. I could find many articles on what psychological issues will have to be faced, how they may/will be faced, how ...
Speedphoenix's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
106 views

What are the problems humans will face after migration to Mars [closed]

This was the question I was asked to check the research ability. Forgive me because I have just started this topic. What do you think could be the best answer? Background Once upon a time in the ...
Bhavin Rana's user avatar
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0 answers
51 views

Which of the upcoming space missions has the greatest chance of proving the existence of life on exoplanets?

Confirming the existence of life on other distant planets would be one of the greatest discoveries in our history. I believe that many space enthusiasts would love this to happen in the coming decades....
WOW 6EQUJ5's user avatar
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8 votes
4 answers
2k views

Has there ever been crewed mission plans by any Space Agency to go to a solar system object other than the Moon and Mars?

As we know there are crewed mission plans to go to Mars and people has been in the Moon already. Has there ever been crewed mission plans by any Space Agency, to go to a solar system object other than ...
Pablo's user avatar
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9 votes
1 answer
1k views

Is there any independent evaluation/report on the feasibility of SpaceX going to Mars by 2024?

According to Independent report concludes 2033 human Mars mission is not feasible An independent report concluded that NASA has no chance of sending humans to Mars by 2033, with the earliest such a ...
Pablo's user avatar
  • 885
5 votes
1 answer
195 views

What does NASA intend to do about the Martian day in regards to the astronauts who go there?

The Martian day is about 40 minutes longer than an Earth day. What does NASA intend to do about the Martian day in regards to the Mars mission? Will they adjust the astronauts to their landing day ...
Brooks Nelson's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
102 views

Have we looked in the right place for life on Mars?

I know it's (extremely) unlikely there is (& perhaps ever was) any life on Mars but having had a glance through the missions I can find I can't help thinking we've not really looked in the best ...
Pelinore's user avatar
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4 votes
0 answers
153 views

Will be there no ISS in 2030s according to current plans in 2019?

While it took about 10 years and 30 missions to assemble the ISS, and its end of life is about mid to end of 2020's, is there any plan to plan for a new ISS? Otherwise, the time window might become ...
J. Doe's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
134 views

Why will the next missions to Mars not search for past life where once deep-water hydrothermal vents were?

The iron-sulfur world theory and the deep sea vent hypothesis are among the most popular ones to explain the origin of life on Earth. This article (Michalski J et al. Ancient hydrothermal seafloor ...
Cornelis's user avatar
  • 7,493
7 votes
2 answers
321 views

Can we use magnetic devices to anchor to asteroids?

One of the challenges about missions to asteroids is staying attached to them when you land. Many asteroids are described as nickel/iron, and we know that both nickel and iron are ferromagnetic. Is it ...
James Jenkins's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
193 views

Has any mission to Titan tested the idea of producing electricity from Saturn's magnetic field?

From an answer to Astronomy SE question How does Titan maintain the atmosphere And we know the idea of generating electricity with a coil orbiting through a planet's magnetic field is sound in ...
Pelinore's user avatar
  • 712
0 votes
2 answers
243 views

How will Mars terraforming missions really work, how do pioneers like SpaceX plan on conquering Mars? [duplicate]

We know Mars is now dead in the water (or space), it is now merely an oversized rock hurtling through space, with a bit of atmosphere. I was reading up on terraforming the planet, and learned that ...
PolyversialMind's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
320 views

What are the chances a space probe will make it to another star without hitting a bit of space dust?

tl;dr: What is the density of "space dust" or micrometeorites in interstellar space, and how likely is it that a tiny interstellar craft could avoid hitting any? In a future time we will likely ...
spaceprobe's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
343 views

Does it make sense to invest money on space investigation? [closed]

I recently saw this picture - drawn by the excellent Spanish cartoonist 'El roto' Translated (please, don't hesitate to edit the question if you find a better translation) They looked for signals ...
Dr. Mathva's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
65 views

What is the state of current plans for a permanent moon base?

With all the news regarding SLS/Commercial Crew and the refocus on Moon then Mars, I was curious as to what we will actually be able to do with these upcoming launch capabilities. I'm familiar with ...
David Owens's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
223 views

Is there a list of space exploration mission ordered by "size"?

While playing KSP I came to realize how counter-intuitive distances in space exploration are. Just because a planet is closer doesn't mean it's easier to get to. For example, I used to think that ...
user3280964's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
49 views

Longer lasting missions [closed]

I realize the tremendous advances in the length of missions the last 20 years but I have a lay question so please don't beat me up. If an asteroid such as Oumuamua, billions of years old has the ...
CBShelby's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
254 views

Could it be worthwhile to bring a small and simple greenhouse with biofilms along with one of the next missions to Mars?

Planetary protection rules could be a reason not to bring biofilms to Mars, but because several landers and satellites that crashed or landed on Mars were probably not sterilized these rules were ...
Cornelis's user avatar
  • 7,493
3 votes
1 answer
368 views

What are the advantages to sending a person vs robotics to Mars?

Why is it needed to send a person to Mars one day when we have Rovers? What not obvious advantages do humans have in space exploration over Robotics and vise versa?
Muze's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
308 views

NASA's Mars helicopter blade & weight

I've been really interested in NASA's Mars helicopter and have been reading bits of articles on that recently. But I have a few questions I hope people can help me understand — in this article, it ...
space's user avatar
  • 549
3 votes
0 answers
185 views

What is the response to the criticism of LOP-G project by Zubrin and others?

Many people have aired criticism of the project (see here for some). Was there any response from the project's team or NASA regarding these criticisms?
Anixx's user avatar
  • 3,117
3 votes
2 answers
160 views

How many companies are working on creating viable spaceplanes in the near future for human spaceflight(10-20 years)

As we are goinh into 2019 and we've seen the likes of XCOR Aerospace adn Virgin orbit working towards spaceplanes. How many other companies are working on getting humans to space, suborbital and ...
Rajath Pai's user avatar
  • 1,251
0 votes
0 answers
64 views

LEO or GEO or Lx for a space shipyard?

Given space mining and in situ production goes well, where would a space shipyard best located, LEO, GEO or one of L points and why? Rough ideas regarding "specs" of the shipyard: a space shipyard ...
J. Doe's user avatar
  • 2,910
2 votes
1 answer
179 views

How much asteroid can we divert from the Earth?

There are many movies with the Earth being saved by sending a bomb out blow up the asteroid. What realistically could we do to that degree today? Do we have interplanetary missiles? if so how much of ...
Muze's user avatar
  • 1
3 votes
1 answer
165 views

Differences in NASA long term human space exploration since 1989?

I'm doing some research in to the various NASA long term programs for human space exploration, and I'm having a really hard time figuring out how they are really different. It seems that since the "90 ...
PearsonArtPhoto's user avatar
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