1

American Human Spaceflight

Early Missions - Mercury & Gemini

Lunar Missions- Apollo

Space Stations Space Shuttle Future Missions

Reference Information

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project(ASTP)

SelectImage

2

Mercury - 1958 to 1963The idea of human spaceflight has been in the mind of humans throughout recorded history. By the late 1950s, technology had developed to the level ideas could be transformed into hardware to achieve human spaceflight.

In 1959, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) asked the U.S.A. military services to list members who met specific qualifications. The search was underway for pilots for the new manned spaceflight program. The first seven NASA Astronauts for Project Mercury were announced on April 9, 1959. Front row (left to right) - Walter Schirra, Donald Slayton, John Glenn, and Scott Carpenter.Back row - Alan Shepard, Virgil “Gus” Grissom, and Gordon Cooper.

3

On January 31, 1961, a 44-month old chimpanzee, named Ham, was the first higher primate launched into outer space. Ham is shown trying out his combination couch and life support system on January 28, 1961 in preparation for his flight.

Ham was secured in a Mercury capsule atop the Mercury Redstone-2 (MR-2) rocket and launched from Cape Canaveral, FL. During the flight, Ham successfully pushed a lever within five seconds after seeing a flashing blue light. Failure resulted in negative reinforcement in the form of an electric shock to the soles of his feet. He landed 422 miles downrange after a 16.5 minute flight. Ham’s capsule landed in the Atlantic Ocean and was recovered by a rescue ship. After the flight Ham lived for 17 years in the National Zoo in Washington D.C., then at the North Carolina Zoo before dying at the age of 27 on January 19, 1983.

The MR-2 flight was one in a series of flights leading to the manned orbital flights of the Mercury program.

Mercury Chimp “Ham” Prepares for Test Flight

4

Mercury

Project Mercury put the first Americans into space.

Astronaut Alan Shepard was the first American in space during his sub-orbital flight on May 5, 1961 aboard Freedom 7. The Mercury - Redstone 3 rocket was launched from Pad LC-5 at Cape Canaveral, FL.

5

Mercury

Astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth on February 20, 1962 aboard Friendship 7 launched by the Mercury - Atlas 6 rocket from Pad LC-14 at Cape Canaveral, FL.

6

Project Gemini was an intermediate step between Mercury and Apollo developing technologies needed for lunar exploration.

Gemini-Titan 4 lift-off from Cape Canaveral, FL carried James McDivitt and Ed White for a four-day mission on June 3, 1965. This flight included the first space-walk by an American astronaut, accomplished by Ed White.

Gemini - 1962 to1966

7

GeminiOn June 3, 1965, Edward White became the first American to step outside his Gemini 4 spacecraft.

8

GeminiOn December 15, 1965, Walter Schirra and Thomas Stafford on Gemini 6 and Frank Bormanand James Lovell on Gemini 7 accomplished the first space rendezvous. Gemini 6 views Gemini 7.

9

GeminiGemini 11 command pilot Charles Conrad climbs from the spacecraft hatch minutes after splashdown on September 9, 1966. Pilot Richard Gordon still has his hatch closed. U.S. Navy frogman team attached a flotation collar to the spacecraft.

10

Apollo - 1963 to 1972 The purpose of the Apollo Program was to land men on the lunar surface and to return them safely to Earth. Six missions landed on the surface of the moon; three others orbited the moon without landing, including the ill-fated Apollo 13.

The Apollo 11 Saturn V space vehicle lifted off with astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin Aldrin on July 16, 1969, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, FL. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the moon.

11

ApolloApollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) pilot Charles Duke photographed this Descartes Highlands landing site on April 21, 1972. Commander John Young is to the right of the LM and directly behind the Lunar Roving Vehicle. Thomas Mattingly remained with the Command and Service Module (CSM) in lunar orbit.

12

The Apollo 16 CSM approached the LM on April 23, 1972 for their final rendezvous. Aboard the LM, John Young and Charles Duke returned to the CSM in lunar orbit after three successful days on the lunar surface. Thomas Mattingly piloted the CSM.

Apollo

13

ApolloThe photograph of the Earth rising over the Moon's horizon was taken from the Apollo 11 CSM in July 1969.

14

ASTP was the first human spaceflight mission conducted jointly by two nations. This led to future cooperative missions. Soyuz was launched prior to the American Apollo launch on the same day. The two spacecrafts docked on July 17, 1975 and joint operations were conducted for two full days. The docking module served as an airlock and transfer corridor between the two spacecrafts.

Astronaut Donald Slayton and cosmonaut Aleksey Leonov are shown in Soyuz.

Apollo Command and Service Module

Docking Module

Soyuz

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) - 1975

15

Skylab- 1973 to 1974 Skylab, the first American space station, was adapted from the third stage of an Apollo Saturn V rocket and launched into orbit on May 14, 1973. Three successive crews of three astronauts each occupied Skylab. The longest mission, ending on February 8, 1974, lasted almost three months.

16

Skylab

Skylab 3 astronaut Jack Lousma takes a shower in the crew quarters of the Orbital Workshop (OWS) on July 1, 1973. Skylab 4 astronauts Gerald Carr (right) and William Pogue are shown in the OWS on February 1, 1974.

17Shuttle / MIR - 1994 to 1998

Seven American astronauts spent nearly 1000 days living in orbit with cosmonauts on the Russian space station Mir. American shuttles rendezvoused ten times with Mir. The Shuttle-Mir Program prepared the way for the International Space Station and began an era of cooperation and exploration. Soyuz cosmonauts took the photograph during a fly-around on July 4, 1995.

18

International Space Station (ISS) - 1998 to present

In 1998, the first two ISS modules were launched and joined in orbit. Other components soon followed and the first crew arrived in 2000.

A crewmember onboard the Soyuz TMA-20 photographed the ISS and the docked space shuttle Endeavour after the two spacecrafts undocked May 23, 2011.

19

International Space Station (ISS) On March 27, 2015, NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly (center) and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko(left) were launched from Baikonur, Kazakhstan and the next day began a marathon 340-day mission on the ISS.

Scott Kelly takes Fluid Shifts medical measurements assisted by Mikhail Kornienko and cosmonaut Gennady Padalka (far right). Results from this investigation are expected to help define the causes of the ocular structure and vision changes associated with long duration space flight.

NASA astronaut Steve Swanson poses with Robonaut 2 (R2) on September 16, 2014 after completing an upgrade that gave the robot legs. R2 is the next generation dexterous robot, developed through a Space Act Agreement by NASA and General Motors. Future enhancements may allow R2 to move more freely throughout the station’s interior and eventually the exterior.

R2 operates via ground commanding with little interaction by the crew members. The exception is during Robonaut Tele-Operation (RTS) sessions. During RTS sessions, crew members don a 3D visor, gloves and a vest, and R2 will mimic their motion.Select https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glLX_sKTU2I to see the R2 first movement test on the ISS.

20

International Space Station (ISS)

On July 20, 2016, NASA astronauts Kate Rubins and Jeff Williams prepare to grapple the autonomous SpaceX Dragon supply spacecraft, seen through the cupola window, using the Space Station Remote Manipulator System. Dragon carrying 4,976 lbs of supplies and equipment was then berthed to the ISS. After the Dragon capsule was unloaded, the ISS crew loaded 3,410 lbs of experiments and no-longer-needed equipment for return to Earth. The spacecraft successfully landed in the Pacific Ocean about 326 miles southwest of Baja California on August 26, 2016.

21

Space Shuttle - 1981 to 2011The space shuttle orbiters were the first spacecraft capable of routinely launching into orbit like rockets and then returning to Earth as gliders. The orbiters were part of the Space Transportation System used for scientific research and space applications. The space shuttle was retired in July 2011 after Atlantis delivered 8,000 lbs of supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station.

The first shuttle, Columbia, STS-1, is shown being launched April 12, 1981 from Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, FL carrying astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen. The Earth orbital mission lasted 54 hours and ended with an un-powered landing at Edwards Air Force Base, CA.

22

Palapa B-2 and Westar VI Satellite’s Retrieval Mission

The Palapa B-2 and Westar VI satellites failed to achieve proper orbits during the STS-41B mission in February 1984. STS-51A Astronaut Dale Gardner is shown approaching the Westar VI in November 1984 and preparing to capture the 1200 lb satellite using a “stinger” docking device. He is propelled by the Manned Maneuvering Unit, backpack with its own thrusters and controls. The space shuttle Discovery remote manipulator arm (to the right of Gardner) later grappled the satellite and moved it to Discovery. Astronaut Joe Allen had retrieved Palapa B-2 two days earlier. After Palapa B-2 and Westar VI were returned to Earth, they were refurbished, relaunched and successfully operated as communications satellites.

Hubble Space Telescope Launch and Deployment Mission

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was launched on the Space Shuttle Discovery STS-31 mission on April 24, 1990. The IMAX Cargo Bay Camera shows the telescope at the moment of release by the Discovery remote manipulator arm on April 25.

23

Hubble Space Telescope First Repair MissionAfter the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) deployment, scientists realized the primary mirror had a flaw resulting in an inability to focus the light. Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement (COSTAR) was developed by Ball Aerospace as an effective means of countering the effects of the flawed shape of the mirror.

On December 8, 1993, STS-061, Space Shuttle Endeavour, Astronaut Kathryn Thornton lifts the COSTAR prior to its installation on the HST. Thornton is anchored to a foot restraint on the end of the Endeavor robotic manipulator arm. Astronaut Thomas Akers, assisting in the COSTAR installation, is at the lower left.

24

Many of the International Space Station (ISS) large components were transported into space by the space shuttle. In 1998, construction of the ISS was just getting under way. The first shuttle to visit the space station was Endeavour, which launched on the STS-88 mission on December 4, 1998 and carried the first American module, the Unity node, to the station. Unity was connected to the first space station segment, the Russian Zarya module, which Russia had launched less than a month before on a Russian Proton rocket.

25

First Space Shuttle Visit to the International Space Station

Unity Node

Zarya Module

26

Endeavour Transports AMS-2 to the ISS

On May 18, 2011, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS-2) was grasped by the space shuttle Endeavour’s robotic arm prior to being installed on the starboard truss of the International Space Station (ISS). The AMS-2 is used in the unique environment of space to study the universe and its origin by searching for antimatter and dark matter while performing precision measurements of the composition and flux of cosmic rays.

27

Space Shuttle Program Final Mission

The space shuttle Atlantis landed for the final time at KSC on July 21, 2011. Atlantis flew 200 orbits around Earth on a journey of 5,284,862 miles on the STS-135 mission.

The shuttle program flew 135 missions for about 30 years. The life of the program has cost $113.7 billion (not adjusted for inflation).

The final flight of the Space Shuttle Program was launched on July 8, 2011 from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), FL. The space shuttle, STS-135, Atlantis is seen over the Bahamas from the International Space Station (ISS) on July 10, 2011. The image was taken just prior to Atlantis docking with the ISS. The Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module, packed with supplies and spare parts for the ISS, is at the aft end of the cargo bay. Part of the Russian Progress resupply spacecraft is in the upper foreground.

28

Commercial Crew Program - Future

The successful SpaceX mission ended following splashdown on March 8, 2019.As of August 8, 2019, the Commercial Crew Program targeted test flight dates are: Boeing CST-100 Starliner - Orbital un-crewed flight test is in September 2019 and the crewed flight test is in November 2019.SpaceX Dragon - Crewed demonstration flight test in November 2019.After both companies execute a flight test with a crew, Boeing and SpaceX will be certified by NASA to start ISS crew rotation missions that require the spacecrafts to carry 4 crew members to/from the ISS.

In 2009, NASA began commercial crew initiatives to stimulate the private sector to develop and demonstrate human spaceflight capabilities. In 2014, two commercial firms were selected by NASA to receive contracts to provide crewed launch services to the International Space Station (ISS): The Boeing Company The artist concept on the left shows the Boeing CST-100 Starliner capsule preparing to dock to the ISS.Exploration Technologies (SpaceX)The un-crewed SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft is shown below approaching the ISS prior to docking on March 3, 2019.

Credit: NASA

Credit: NASA

29

Artemis Program - FutureThe Artemis program is an ongoing crewed spaceflight program carried out by NASA, U.S. commercial spaceflight companies, and international partners, such as the European Space Agency (ESA), with the goal of landing the first woman and the next man on the lunar south pole region by 2024. Artemis would be the first step towards the long-term goal of establishing a sustainable presence on the Moon, laying the foundation for private companies to build a lunar economy, and eventually sending humans to Mars. Credit: Lockheed Martin

2024 Gateway Configuration

The lunar campaign was authorized in 2017 by the U.S. Space Policy Directive 1 utilizing various ongoing spacecraft programs such as Orion, the Lunar Orbital Platform or Gateway space station, Commercial Lunar Payload Services, and an undeveloped Human Landing System.This initial Gateway configuration (above) will serve as an operations base for four astronauts arriving from Earth in the Orion Crew Vehicle and two of the four astronauts heading to the lunar surface in the Human Landing System in 2024.The Space Launch System will serve as the primary launch vehicle for the Orion Crew Vehicle, while commercial launch vehicles are planned for use to launch other elements of the campaign.

Power and Propulsion Element (NASA)

Orion Crew Vehicle(NASA & ESA)

Human Landing System (NASA)

Utilization Module (NASA)

30

The Orion MPCV was announced by NASA on May 24, 2011 and is currently under development. Its design is based on the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle from the cancelled Constellation program.

Orion includes two main modules: the Crew Module is being built by Lockheed Martin at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, LA; the Service Module, provided by the European Space Agency, is being built by Airbus Defense and Space. Orion’s first test flight, known as Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1), was launched un-crewed on December 5, 2014, on a successful flight lasting 4 hours and 24 minutes, landing at its target in the Pacific Ocean.

Select http://youtu.be/lMQ8g2fNHOs?list=UUq7FCASmpEVrFV5-e5NwVAA to view an animation of EFT-1.

The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) is a NASA spacecraft intended to carry a crew of four astronauts to destinations at or beyond low Earth orbit. Currently under development for launch on the Space Launch System, Orion is intended to facilitate human exploration including the Moon, asteroids, and Mars, and to send/retrieve crew or supplies to the International Space Station, as needed.

Crew Module

ServiceModule

Orion Crew Vehicle - Future

Space Launch System - FutureThe Space Launch System (SLS) is the first rocket and launch system capable of powering humans, habitats and support systems beyond the Moon, to asteroids, to Mars and across the solar system. The SLS lift capabilities will evolve from 154,000 lbs for the initial SLS crew configuration (left) up to 286,000 lbs. The SLS will use proven hardware and manufacturing technology from the Space Shuttle and other exploration programs.

The initial 321 ft tall SLS will use a liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propulsion system which will include four RS-25 engines from the Space Shuttle Program for the Core Stage. The SLS will also use two 12.17 ft diameter, five-segment Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters for the initial developmental flights evolving to larger lift boosters for later flights.

The initial SLS has a first stage thrust of 8.4 million lbs. The Saturn 5 rockets that powered the Apollo moon program stood 363 ft tall, generated 7.5 million lbs of first stage thrust and were capable of boosting 263,000 lbs of payload to low Earth orbit.

31

Solid Rocket Booster (2X)

Core Stage

SLS Crew Configuration

32

32

Lunar Orbital Platform and Transport Plan - Future

Gateway is based on NASA’s NextSTEP contract work, and development will include all of the International Space Station partners: CSA, ESA, JAXA, NASA, and Roscosmos. The DST concept is based on Lockheed Martin’s NextSTEP contract work as well as adding the capability of the vehicle to be assembled at Gateway and transporting a six-member crew to Mars orbit. To reach Mars and return to Gateway, the transport would use two liquid-propellant stages as well as high-power SEP. Credit: Lockheed Martin

Deep Space Transport Concept

Credit: NASA

Lunar Orbital Platform - Gateway NASA is leading the next steps into a Lunar Orbital Platform or Gateway space station, near the Moon, where astronauts would build and begin testing the systems needed for challenging missions to deep space destinations including Mars. Gateway would lead to both deep space and lunar surface missions. NASA’s cis-lunar habitat Gateway (left) and Lockheed Martin’s Deep Space Transport (DST), below, are concepts that could lead to solving problems in preparation for long-duration missions far from Earth. Gateway would use a solar electric propulsion system (SEP) to move into orbits that would support lunar landings and Mars departures.

Artemis Program Timeline - Future

33

Abbrevations:SLS - Space Launch System UM - Gateway Utilization ModulePPE - Gateway Power and Propulsion Element HLS - Gateway Human Landing System

Year Mission Human/Robotic

Launch Vehicle

Mission Objective

2020 Payloads Un-crewed Commercial Start delivering commercial payloads to lunar surface

2020 Artemis 1 Un-crewed SLS SLS and Orion demonstration flight test to Moon and return

2022 Artemis 2 Crewed SLS Orion demonstration flight test to Moon and return

2022 Gateway Un-crewed Commercial Launch PPE to lunar orbit

2023 Gateway Un-crewed Commercial Launch UM to lunar orbit and dock with PPE

2024 Gateway Un-crewed Commercial Launch HLS in stages, assemble in lunar orbit, and dock to Gateway as unit ready to land on surface

2024 Artemis 3 Crewed SLS Launch Orion to lunar orbit and dock to Gateway; crew checks out Gateway and HLS before expedition to south pole region; crew returns to Gateway and then to Earth

2025, 2026 2027&2028

Artemis 4, 5, 6 & 7

Crewed SLS NASA builds on the capabilities established for the 2024 lunar landing, and works with U.S. industry and international partners to develop sustainable human lunar presence; the SLS sends Orion crews to lunar orbit, where crews conduct expeditions aboard the expanded Gateway and on the lunar surface

2030s Mars Crewed In progress Astronauts on Mars using Gateway for assembly/test

34

Reference Information - Page 1 of 2Images:All images are from NASA except as noted

Text:http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/http://en.wikipedia.org/http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/https://www.nasa.gov/http://www.space.com/https://www.flickr.com/Manned Maneuvering Unit Post Mission Summary Report STS 51A; Martin Marietta; February 1985 -technical report summarizing the MMU STS 51A missionhttps://images.nasa.gov/http://www.ams02.org/https://govtribe.com/https://blogs.nasa.gov/https://spaceflightnow.com/https://spacenews.com/Selling the Gateway, Frank Morring, Jr.; Aviation Week and Space Technology; April 17-30, 2017; Volume 179, Number 8, page 22 - the deep space gateway and transport plan is discussedhttp://www.esa.int/http://www.lockheedmartin.com/http://blogs.esa.int/Flight Hardware, Frank Morring, Jr; Aviation Week and Space Technology; September 15/25, 2016; Volume 178, Number 19, page 37 - the Space Launch System first flight progress

35

Reference Information - Page 2 of 2Videos and Animations:Robonaut 2 first movement test https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glLX_sKTU2IExploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) animationhttp://youtu.be/lMQ8g2fNHOs?list=UUq7FCASmpEVrFV5-e5NwVAA

End

36

37

38

The Crew Module (CM) will hold 6 crew members for low Earth orbit (LEO) missions and 4 for beyond LEO missions. A maximum of 3 astronauts flew in the smaller Apollo and 7 in the larger space shuttle. The CM has a 32.5° conical shape similar to the Apollo Command Module.- It is 16.5 ft in diameter and 10.83 ft in length with a weight of 21,400 lbs (LEO) and 19,650 lbs (beyond LEO). -- Apollo was 12.83 ft in diameter and 10.58 ft long. The CM will be recovered after a water landing similar to Apollo.- The Apollo CM was used once; the Orion CM will be reused for up to 10 flights.

The Service Module (SM) provides support to the CM from launch through CM separation to enable LEO and beyond LEO missions with minimal impact to the CM. The SM supports a 21.3 day crewed mission. It provides accommodation for ISS un-pressurized cargo and beyond LEO mission equipment. The SM has a 16.5 ft in diameter stepped cylindrical shape that is 15.67 ft in length with a weight of 19,418 lbs (LEO) and 27,198 lbs (beyond LEO). The SM is based upon the European Space Agency’s unmanned Automated Transfer Vehicles that delivers supplies to the International Space Station.

Orion Crew Vehicle

39

Orion Crew Vehicle ConfigurationLaunch Abort System (LAS) The LAS propels the crew module to safety in the event of an emergency during launch or the climb to orbit. Protects the crew module from dangerous atmospheric loads and heating then jettisons after it is through the initial mission phase of ascent to orbit.Crew Module (CM) The CM is the transportation capsule that provides a safe habitat for the crew, storage for consumables and research instruments, and serves as the docking port for crew transfer. It is the only part of Orion that returns to Earth.Service Module (SM) The SM supports the CM from launch through separation prior to reentry. - Provides propulsion capability for orbital transfer, attitude control, and high altitude ascent aborts. - The SM provides all the CM consumables needed to maintain a habitable environment. - Transports unpressurized cargo and scientific payloads.Stage Adapter- The shroud encapsulates the SM providing protection and the structural transition to the launch vehicle (LV); the shroud is jettisoned after LV separation.Spacecraft Adapter- Supports the Crew Vehicle (CV) during launch and ascent; the CV separates from the LV using pyrotechnics.

Launch Abort System

Crew Module

Service Module

Stage Adapter

Spacecraft Adapter

40

SLS Core Stage - FutureThe Space Launch System (SLS) Core Stage (CS) consists of 5 parts (left). The CS is about 212 ft tall with a diameter of 27.6 ft, and it has an empty weight of about 188,000 lbs. Cryogenic liquid hydrogen (LH2) and liquid oxygen (LOX) feed four RS-25 engines. The CS is built at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans, LA.

In September 2016, the CS LH2 tank (right) completed welding at MAF on the Vertical Assembly Center, a spacecraft welding tool. Standing more than 130 ft tall, the LH2 tank is the largest cryogenic fuel tank for a rocket in the world. Together, the LH2 and LOX tanks hold 733,000 gallons of propellant to produce a total of 2 million lbs of thrust; they are covered with orange foam insulation. The aluminum tank will be assembled into the first SLS rocket to launch the Orion spacecraft, without a crew, during its first launch.

LH2 Tank

Vertical AssemblyCenter

Engine Section

Forward Skirt

LOX Tank

Intertank

LH2 Tank

Core Stage