Cislunar-1000: Transportation supporting a self-sustaining Space Economy

摘要

Thirty years from now, 1,000 people could be living and working in the space around Earth and the Moon - waking up in commercial habitats, prospecting on the Moon and even harnessing power from solar power satellites for consumption on Earth. NASA's interplanetary probes and human exploration are opening the frontiers of space similar to how the Lewis and Clark Expedition opened the frontiers of America in 1804. This early exploration of America was followed by development of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869 opening America to pioneers and industry. Space is at a similar crossroads where a modern day space transportation system can open cislunar space to commercial development. Elements of this transportation system are in development at United Launch Alliance. This system will be fueled by hydrogen and oxygen initially carried to space from Earth, but transitioning to space derived resources as lunar and near Earth asteroid water mining develops. The workhorses of this transportation system will be ACES and XEUS plying the trade routes of cislunar space, connecting Low Earth and Geostationary Orbits with Earth Moon L1 and the lunar surface. This paper will describe the elements of the space transportation system, the benefits of lunar extracted water and how such a transportation system can enable a prosperous, self-sustaining Space Economy.