NASA is evaluating the possibility of a first SLS launch with astronauts aboard

Before sending people during the EM-1 mission, the agency should carefully weigh the pros and cons of such a decision.

At the same time, several companies in the United States are developing heavy and super-heavy launch vehicles. One of the companies, Boeing, is developing the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket as part of a contract with NASA. The development is conducted at an active pace, so that in 2018-2019, according to NASA's plan, the rocket should go on a test flight. The first launch, which was called the Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1), should take place automatically, without a command on board. But now the White House asked NASA to evaluate the possibility of conducting flight tests with astronauts. The agency should carry out a risk analysis and draw up a report.

"We recognize that the risk will be increased," - said William Gerstenmeyer, a representative of the administration of NASA. “We accept this risk and want to compare it with possible benefits.” After careful analysis, the agency will be able to draw conclusions about the possibility of a first launch of a heavy launch vehicle with people on board. The total duration of the risk assessment exercise will be approximately one month. The analysis is carried out at the rate of taking on board two astronauts. SLS will launch the Orion spacecraft into space, which will travel with people into lunar orbit and then return to Earth. Flight duration - 8 or 9 days. The plan provides for the premature return of astronauts, if something goes wrong.

Change of plans

Previously it was assumed that people will board only in 2021 or even later. Prior to this, the agency expected to conduct a test flight in a fully automatic mode. Now at NASA they say that the second mission, EM-2, can be implemented according to the original plan. Even if the EM-1 is manned, nothing terrible will happen - on the contrary, it will help to conduct EM-2, taking into account the errors and shortcomings made for the first time.
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Some changes, of course, will occur. Now the main task of EM-2 is to test the life support system of the ship. If the first mission will be manned, the goals of the second will have to be revised, since the life support system will be checked by astronauts on the first flight - their life and health depend on its uninterrupted operation. The time frame, the interval between the first and second missions, will remain the same, since it is necessary to perform a large amount of work on preparing the EM-2, and this process cannot be accelerated.

Another moment is purely monetary. If it is decided to send people into space in the framework of the first mission, the agency will have to take on not only additional risks, but also additional expenses. "A preliminary assessment shows that this will require significant additional costs - money that is not so easy to get," - said Bill Hill during a teleconference. The agency itself does not voice the amount, but, according to some information, it is about half a billion dollars. The sum includes the completion of the upper rocket stage for manned flight and the addition of a life support system for astronauts, as mentioned above.

In addition, you have to modify the Orion capsule. Now it is being assembled without taking into account some elements of the life support system. These elements will have to be added. "We will have to disassemble what has already been done and modify the system to add the life support system that is needed for the flight," says Jason Crusan, the head of one of the NASA units.

Now the project to create SLS and Orion had unforeseen difficulties. A tornado passed in New Orleans on February 7, damaging some of the basic elements of both the Orion spacecraft and the SLS rocket. "They (the developers, - ed.) Are still assessing the damage that will cost an additional two months of work," said NASA's ASAP committee member Donald P. McErlean. According to him, nothing critical happened, but the engineers will now have to repair the damage caused by the hurricane.


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Another problem is the detection of "anomalies" during the interaction of the fuel with an insulating layer, which separates the fuel from one of the critical engine elements. So far it is unclear how this anomaly will affect the operation of the engine, but the issue needs to be resolved as soon as possible.

What is the risk?

The biggest problem in the case of a manned flight is the safety of people on board. Before implementing missions like Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo, NASA always conducted a test flight in automatic mode. The only time that the test launch was conducted with the crew on board was the Shuttle test. But then it was done because it is difficult to return the Shuttle to Earth automatically, without a pilot on board.

For the first time, the Shuttle was equipped with a bailout system for the team, which was later removed. NASA representatives say that in the case of Orion and SLS they have more confidence regarding the safety of people, since the capsule is equipped with an emergency exit system from the launch vehicle. In case of danger, the capsule with the team should go to a safe distance. If it is decided to take astronauts on board in the first mission, this system will be tested several times before the flight itself.

And some politics

As far as one can understand, the plan changes not only to achieve purely scientific and technical results, which can be very useful for subsequent missions. The agency is now under strong political pressure: the administration of President Trump wants to show the worthy results of the space program during his first presidential term. This pressure is not only on NASA, but also on SpaceX and other agency partners and subcontractors.

Now the administration has asked NASA management to conduct a risk assessment - and nothing more, according to agency representatives. According to the management, if during the analysis it turns out that sending people into space as part of EM-1 is too dangerous, then the agency will uphold the old plan, the first launch will be carried out automatically.