Editing Vision for Space Exploration

{{Short description|2004 US human space exploration plan}}
[[File:Moon.mars.cover.jpg|thumb|Cover page of report of Aldridge Commission, Report of the President's Commission on Implementation of United States Space Exploration Policy, 2004]]

The '''Vision for Space Exploration''' ('''VSE''') was a plan for space exploration announced on January 14, 2004 by President [[George W. Bush]]. It was conceived as a response to the [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster|Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' disaster]], the state of [[human spaceflight]] at [[NASA]], and as a way to regain public enthusiasm for [[space exploration]].<ref name="NASA 2004">{{cite web | title=President Bush Announces New Vision for Space Exploration Program | website=NASA | date=20 January 2004 | url=https://history.nasa.gov/Bush%20SEP.htm | access-date=14 October 2021}}</ref>

The policy outlined by the "[[Vision for Space Exploration]]" was replaced first by President [[Barack Obama]]'s [[Space policy of the Barack Obama administration|space policy]] in April 2010, then by President [[Donald Trump]]'s "National Space Strategy" [[Space policy of the Donald Trump administration|space policy]] in March 2018, and finally by President [[Joe Biden]]'s [[Presidency of Joe Biden#Space policy|preliminary space policy proposals]] in spring 2021.

== Outline ==
The Vision for Space Exploration sought to implement a sustained and affordable human and robotic program to explore the [[Solar System]] and beyond; extend human presence across the Solar System, starting with a human return to the Moon by the year 2020, in preparation for human exploration of Mars and other destinations; develop the innovative technologies, knowledge, and infrastructures both to explore and to support decisions about the destinations for human exploration; and to promote international and commercial participation in exploration to further U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests.<ref name="NASAdocument">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/55583main_vision_space_exploration2.pdf|title=The Vision for Space Exploration|access-date=December 5, 2009|publisher=[[NASA]]|date=February 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041025212733/http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/55583main_vision_space_exploration2.pdf|archive-date=October 25, 2004}}</ref>

In pursuit of these goals, the vision called for the space program to complete the [[International Space Station]] by 2010; retire the [[Space Shuttle program|Space Shuttle]] by 2010; develop a new [[Crew Exploration Vehicle]] (later renamed [[Orion (Constellation program)|Orion]]) by 2008, and conduct its first human spaceflight mission by 2014; explore the [[Moon]] with [[robotic spacecraft]] missions by 2008 and crewed missions by 2020, and use lunar exploration to develop and test new approaches and technologies useful for supporting sustained exploration of Mars and beyond; explore [[Mars]] and other destinations with robotic and crewed missions; pursue commercial transportation to support the International Space Station and missions beyond low Earth orbit.<ref name="NASAdocument"/><ref name="NASAaddress">{{Cite web|url=https://history.nasa.gov/Bush%20SEP.htm|title=President Bush Announces New Vision for Space Exploration Program|access-date=June 17, 2009|publisher=[[NASA]]|date=January 14, 2004}}</ref>

Outlining some of the advantages, [[U.S. President|U.S. president]] George W. Bush addressed the following:<ref name="NASAaddress" />

{{blockquote|Establishing an extended human presence on the moon could vastly reduce the costs of further space exploration, making possible ever more ambitious missions. Lifting heavy spacecraft and fuel out of the Earth's gravity is expensive. Spacecraft assembled and provisioned on the moon could escape its far lower gravity using far less energy, and thus, far less cost. Also, the moon is home to abundant resources. Its soil contains raw materials that might be harvested and processed into rocket fuel or breathable air. We can use our time on the moon to develop and test new approaches and technologies and systems that will allow us to function in other, more challenging environments.}}

One of the stated goals for the [[Constellation program]] is to gain significant experience in operating away from [[Earth]]'s environment,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/163092main_constellation_program_overview.pdf|title=Constellation Program Overview|last=Connolly|first=John F.|date=October 2006|publisher=Constellation Program Office|access-date=May 8, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070710060512/http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/163092main_constellation_program_overview.pdf|archive-date=July 10, 2007}}</ref> as the [[White House]] contended, to embody a "sustainable course of long-term exploration."<ref name="SpaceBush" /> The [[Ares (rocket)|Ares boosters]] are a cost-effective approach<ref name="LowCostMoon">{{Cite web |date=April 29, 2009 |title=Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle |url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/ares/aresl/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081105061358/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/ares/aresl/index.html |archive-date=November 5, 2008 |access-date=May 13, 2009 |publisher=[[NASA]]}}</ref> – entailing the [[Ares V]]'s enormous, unprecedented cargo-carrying capacity<ref>Creech, Steve and Phil Sumrall. [https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20080036820_2008036005.pdf "Ares V: Refining a New Heavy Lift Capability"]. NASA.</ref> – transporting future space exploration resources to the Moon's<ref name="LowCostMoon" /> weaker [[gravity field]].<ref name="NSSDC">{{cite web|last=Williams|first=Dr. David R.|title=Moon Fact Sheet|publisher=[[NASA]] (National Space Science Data Center)|url=http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/moonfact.html|date=February 2, 2006|access-date=December 31, 2008}}</ref> While simultaneously serving as a proving ground for a wide range of space operations and processes, the Moon may serve as a cost-effective construction, launching and fueling site for future [[space exploration]] missions.<ref name="base">{{Cite report |url=http://www.highfrontier.org/Archive/Jt/Susante%20et%20al%20Highlights%20on%20Lunar%20Base%20Designs%20COSPAR%20PAPER_B0_3-F3_3.pdf |title=Highlights on Lunar Base Designs |author1=Van Susante |first=P. J. |author2=Imhof |first2=B. |date=December 1, 2002 |author3=S. Mohanty |author4=H.J. Rombaut |author5=J. Volp |access-date=February 16, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704102020/http://www.highfrontier.org/Archive/Jt/Susante%20et%20al%20Highlights%20on%20Lunar%20Base%20Designs%20COSPAR%20PAPER_B0_3-F3_3.pdf |archive-date=July 4, 2010 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all}}</ref> For example, future Ares V missions could cost-effectively<ref name="LowCostMoon" /> deliver [[raw material]]s for future [[spacecraft]] and missions to a Moon-based<ref name="LowCostMoon" /> [[space dock]] positioned as a [[counterweight]] to a Moon-based [[Space elevator#Extraterrestrial elevators|space elevator]].<ref name="Pearson 2005">{{cite web|url=http://www.niac.usra.edu/files/studies/final_report/1032Pearson.pdf|last=Pearson|date=2005|title=Lunar Space Elevators for Cislunar Space Development Phase I Final Technical Report|first=Jerome|author2=Eugene Levin|author3=John Oldson|author4=Harry Wykes|name-list-style=amp}}</ref>

[[Image:SDLV rockets.jpg|right|thumb|Two planned configurations for a return to the Moon: heavy lift (left) and crew (right)]]

NASA has also outlined plans for human missions to the [[far side of the Moon]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article742757.ece|archive-url=https://archive.today/20070208112501/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article742757.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 8, 2007|access-date=February 16, 2010|title=Nasa to put man on far side of moon|date=March 19, 2006|first=Jonathan|last=Leake|newspaper=[[Times Online]]|publisher=[[Times Newspapers]]}}</ref> All of the Apollo missions have landed on the near side. Unique products may be producible in the nearly extreme [[vacuum]] of the lunar surface, and the Moon's remoteness is the ultimate isolation for [[Biological hazard|biologically hazardous]] experiments. The Moon would also become a proving ground toward the development of [[In-Situ Resource Utilization]], or "living off the land" (i.e., self-sufficiency) for permanent human outposts.

In a position paper issued by the [[National Space Society]] (NSS), a return to the Moon should be considered a high priority [[space program]], to begin development of the knowledge and identification of the industries unique to the Moon. The NSS believes that the Moon may be a repository of the history and possible future of Earth, and that the six [[Project Apollo|Apollo]] landings only scratched the surface of that "treasure". According to NSS, the Moon's far side, permanently shielded from the noisy Earth, is an ideal site for future [[radio astronomy]] (for example, signals in the 1–10&nbsp;MHz range cannot be detected on Earth because of [[ionosphere]] interference<ref>[http://europa.ieec.fcr.es/english/formacio/cva/apunts/U._Apel/CVA_ual_LoM.pdf LIFE on Moon], {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325135237/http://europa.ieec.fcr.es/english/formacio/cva/apunts/U._Apel/CVA_ual_LoM.pdf|date=2010-03-25}}.</ref>).

When the vision was announced in January 2004, the [[U.S. Congress]] and the scientific community gave it a mix of positive and negative reviews. For example, U.S. representative [[Dave Weldon]] (Republican–Florida) said, "I think this is the best thing that has happened to the space program in decades." Though physicist and outspoken [[human versus robotic spaceflight|crewed spaceflight opponent]] [[Robert L. Park]] stated that robotic spacecraft "are doing so well it's going to be hard to justify sending a human,"<ref name="SpaceBush">{{Cite web|title=FAQ: Bush's New Space Vision|date=19 September 2005 |url=http://www.space.com/news/bush_plan_faq_040115.html|publisher=space.com|access-date=February 7, 2008}}</ref> the [[Constellation program|vision]] announced by the president states that "robotic missions will serve as trailblazers—the advanced guard to the unknown."<ref name="NASAaddress" /> Others, such as the [[Mars Society]], have argued that it makes more sense to avoid going back to the Moon and instead focus on going to Mars first.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Mars Society Frequently Asked Questions|url=http://www.marssociety.org/portal/c/faq#moon_first|publisher=marssociety.org|access-date=February 7, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080126202635/http://www.marssociety.org/portal/c/faq#moon_first|archive-date=January 26, 2008|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

Throughout much of 2004, it was unclear whether the U.S. Congress would be willing to approve and fund the Vision for Space Exploration. However, in November 2004, Congress passed a [[Bill (proposed law)|spending bill]] which gave NASA the $16.2 billion that President Bush had sought to kick-start the vision. According to then-NASA chief [[Sean O'Keefe]], that spending bill "was as strong an endorsement of the space exploration vision, as any of us could have imagined."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Congress Grants $16.2 Billion Budget for NASA |url=http://www.space.com/spacenews/archive04/congressarch_120604.html |publisher=space.com |access-date=February 7, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050913093403/http://www.space.com/spacenews/archive04/congressarch_120604.html |archive-date=September 13, 2005 }}</ref> In 2005, Congress passed S.1281, the [[NASA Authorization Act of 2005]], which explicitly endorsed the vision.<ref>{{Cite web|title=NASA Authorization Act|url=http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ155.109.pdf|publisher=gpo.gov|access-date=February 7, 2008}}</ref>

Former NASA administrator [[Michael D. Griffin|Michael Griffin]] is a supporter of the vision, but modified it somewhat, saying that he wants to reduce the four-year gap between the retirement of the Space Shuttle and the first crewed mission of the Crew Exploration Vehicle.<ref>{{Cite web|title=A Message From Administrator Michael Griffin|url=http://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/mg_admin_corner_041405.html|publisher=nasa.gov|access-date=February 7, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050913093403/http://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/mg_admin_corner_041405.html|archive-date=September 13, 2005}}</ref>

== Lunar Architecture ==
NASA's "Lunar Architecture" forms a key part of its Global Exploration Strategy, also known as the Vision for Space Exploration. The first part of the Lunar Architecture is the [[Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter]], which launched in June 2009 on board an [[Atlas V]]. The preliminary design review was completed in February 2006 and the critical design review was completed in November 2006. An important function of the orbiter will be to look for further evidence that the increased concentrations of hydrogen discovered at the Moon's poles is in the form of [[lunar ice]]. After this the [[Project Constellation#Lunar Flights|lunar flights]] will make use of the new [[Ares I]] and Ares V rockets.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/dec/HQ_06361_ESMD_Lunar_Architecture.html|title=NASA Unveils Global Exploration Strategy and Lunar Architecture|publisher=NASA|date=2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823131906/http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/dec/HQ_06361_ESMD_Lunar_Architecture.html|archive-date=2007-08-23}}</ref>

== Critical perspectives ==
[[Image:NASA-Main budget chart 14-01-2004.svg|thumb|upright=1.8|NASA's 2004 budget projections for the Vision for Space Exploration]]

In December 2003, [[Apollo 11]] astronaut [[Buzz Aldrin]] voiced criticism for NASA's vision and objectives, stating that the goal of sending astronauts back to the Moon was "more like reaching for past glory than striving for new triumphs".<ref name="Fly Me To L1">{{Cite web|last=Aldrin |first=Buzz |title=Fly Me To L1 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 5, 2003 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/05/opinion/05ALDR.html |access-date=November 14, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090723144904/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/05/opinion/05ALDR.html |archive-date=July 23, 2009 }}</ref>

In February 2009, the Aerospace Technology Working Group released an in-depth report asserting that the vision had several fundamental problems with regard to politics, financing, and general space policy issues and that the initiative should be rectified or replaced.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hsu |first=Feng |author2=Cox |first2=Ken |date=February 20, 2009 |title=Sustainable Space Exploration and Space Development – A Unified Strategic Vision |url=http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=30702 |access-date=October 9, 2009 |publisher=Aerospace Technology Working Group}}</ref>

Another concern noted is that funding for VSE could instead be harnessed to advance science and technology, such as in aeronautics, commercial spacecraft and launch vehicle technology, environmental monitoring, and biomedical sciences.<ref name="Practical Benefits for America" /> However, VSE itself is poised to propel a host of beneficial [[Moon science]] activities, including lunar telescopes, selenological studies and solar energy beams.

With or without VSE, human spaceflight will be made sustainable. However, without VSE, more funds could be directed toward reducing human spaceflight costs sufficiently for the betterment of [[low Earth orbit]] research, business, and tourism.<ref name="Practical Benefits for America">{{Cite web|last=Woodard|first=Daniel|title=Practical Benefits for America|date=2009|url=http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/383313main_25%20-%2020090808.3.practical-benefits.pdf|access-date=November 28, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091028045844/http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/383313main_25%20-%2020090808.3.practical-benefits.pdf|archive-date=October 28, 2009}}</ref> Alternatively, VSE could afford advances in other scientific research ([[astronomy]], [[Geology of the Moon|selenology]]), [[in-situ]] lunar business industries, and lunar-space tourism.

The VSE budget required termination the Space Shuttle by 2010 and of any US role in the International Space Station by 2017. This would have required, even in the most optimistic plans, a period of years without human spaceflight capability from the US. Termination of the Space Shuttle program, without any planned alternatives, in 2011 ended virtually all US capability for reusable launch vehicles. This severely limited any future of low Earth orbit or deep space exploration. Ultimately, the lack of proper funding caused the VSE to fall short of its original goals, leaving many projects behind schedule as President George W. Bush's term in office ended.

Keith Cowan wrote in 2014, "The damage done to America and the rest of the world by unsustainable deficits is real, and any lack of zeal in facing this problem would be a mistake. In that context, this would be a good time for Congress to look again at Bush's plans for NASA to re-establish a human presence in deep space. The outgoing Republican Congress gave its Republican president too much benefit of the doubt on this undertaking. The new Congress must, at the very least, articulate more convincing reasons than have yet been heard for such a colossal expenditure."<ref>{{cite web|last=Cowing|first=Keith|title=Nature of Funding the VSE|date=16 November 2006 |url=http://nasawatch.com/archives/2006/11/nature-on-funding-the-vse.html|publisher=NASA Watch|access-date=2014-04-24}}</ref>

"A large portion of the scientific community" concurs that NASA is not "expanding our scientific understanding of the universe" in "the most effective or cost-efficient way."<ref group=Tumlinson name="p8">p. 8.</ref> Proponents for VSE argue that a permanent settlement on the moon would drastically reduce costs for further space exploration missions. President George W. Bush voiced this sentiment when the vision was first announced (see quote above), and the [[United States Senate]] has re-entered testimony<ref group=Tumlinson name="p8" /> by [[Space Frontier Foundation]] founder [[Rick Tumlinson]] offered previously to the [[United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation]] advocating this particular perspective.<ref group=Tumlinson name="p8" /> The reason that the [[National Space Society]] regards a return to the Moon as a high [[space program]] priority is to begin development of the knowledge and identification of the industries unique to the Moon, because "such industries can provide economic leverage and support for NASA activities, saving the government millions."<ref group=Tumlinson>p. 13.</ref>

As Tumlinson additionally notes, the goal is to "open space ... to human settlement ... to create ways to harvest the resources ... not only saving this precious planet, but also ... assuring our survival."<ref group=Tumlinson>pp. 6–7.</ref> Regarding "the Moon, NASA should support early exploration now. ... "<ref group=Tumlinson>p. 14.</ref>

==Mars vision==
{{Expand section|date=October 2021}}
<gallery class="center" widths="240px" heights="144px">
File:Manned mission to Mars (artist's concept).jpg|Concept art by NASA of two people in suits on Mars setting up weather equipment.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/vision/mars/html/jsc2004e18853.html] |title=Photo-jsc2004e18853 |website=spaceflight.nasa.gov |access-date=13 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041117043937/http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/vision/mars/html/jsc2004e18853.html |archive-date=17 November 2004 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
File:Jsc2004e18859.jpg|NASA concept of Mars-crew analyzing a sample (2004).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/vision/mars/html/jsc2004e18859.html] |title=Photo-jsc2004e18859 |website=spaceflight.nasa.gov |access-date=13 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041118110011/http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/vision/mars/html/jsc2004e18859.html |archive-date=18 November 2004 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
File:Jsc2004e18852.jpg|An artist's conception, from NASA, of an astronaut planting a US flag on Mars.
</gallery>

==Interplanetary human transport==
{{Expand section|date=October 2021}}
[[File:Jsc2004e18862.jpg|thumb|upright=2.4|center|A human-spaceflight interplanetary spacecraft arrives near planet Mars.]]

== See also ==
{{Portal|Spaceflight|Outer space}}
{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}
*[[Artemis program]]
*[[Aurora programme]]
*[[Crew Exploration Vehicle]]
*[[Crew Space Transportation System]]
*[[Decadal Planning Team]]
*[[DIRECT]]
*[[Exploration Systems Architecture Study]]
*[[Google Lunar X Prize]]
*[[Human Lunar Return study]]
*[[Human spaceflight]]
*[[Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter]]
*[[Colonization of the Moon]]
*[[Constellation program]]
*[[Colonization of Mars]]
*[[Space advocacy]]
*[[Space exploration]]
*[[Space Exploration Initiative]]
{{colend}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

* Tumlinson, Rick. [http://commerce.senate.gov/pdf/tumlinson102903.doc Testimony to United States Senate] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303172327/http://www.commerce.senate.gov/pdf/tumlinson102903.doc |date=2016-03-03 }}
{{Reflist|group=Tumlinson|colwidth=10em}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.nasa.gov/ares Ares Web Site]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060702073701/http://www.nasa.gov/constellation/ Constellation NASA Web Site]
* [http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ155.109.pdf NASA Authorization Act of 2005]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050917064249/http://exploration.nasa.gov/ NASA: Exploration Systems]
* [http://www.nasa.gov/missions/solarsystem/explore_main.html NASA: The Vision for Space Exploration]
* [http://www.nss.org/ National Space Society]
* [http://www.nasa.gov/orion Orion Web Site]
* [http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/moontomars/index.htm President's Commission on Implementation of United States Space Exploration Policy]
* [https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/55583main_vision_space_exploration2.pdf "The Vision for Space Exploration" Original Document, February 2004]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041117043742/http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/vision/ Vision for Space Exploration Gallery]

{{Presidency of George W. Bush}}
{{Human missions to Mars}}
{{NASA navbox}}
{{Politics of outer space}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vision For Space Exploration}}
[[Category:Human spaceflight]]
[[Category:NASA oversight]]
[[Category:Space policy of the United States]]
[[Category:Exploration of the Moon]]
[[Category:Exploration of Mars]]
[[Category:Human missions to Mars]]
[[Category:2004 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:2010 disestablishments in the United States]]