The
Reference Mission was designed to provide enough infrastructure to create a small lunar base. No flight hardware was built.
Mission hardware Lunar transfer vehicle The Lunar transfer Vehicle concept consisted of a single
Spacehab module with communications equipment,
Solar panels and an added booster stage. The Lunar Transfer Vehicle would have carried the crew as they travel from the Earth to the Moon. It would have been left in
Lunar orbit as the crew descend to the lunar surface.
Lunar base habitat The lunar habitat concept consisted of three
Spacehab modules and a descent stage. It also would have contained other equipment such as
solar panels,
radiators and communications equipment.
Ascent stage The ascent stage concept was to have been used by the crew to return to a lunar orbit from the surface of the Moon. Unlike the
Lunar Module of the
Apollo Program, the ascent stage was not to have maintained a breathable
atmosphere. Because of this, a protective
space suit would have to be worn throughout the flight to protect the
astronaut from the harsh conditions of
space.
Mission profile The main mission hardware components would have been assembled in a
low Earth orbit. Then the
stack would have boosted to a lunar orbit. The
astronauts would have transferred from the lunar transfer vehicle to the ascent stage. After a deorbit and braking burn, the lunar base habitat and the ascent stage would have been landed on the lunar surface. Following this, the crew would have unpacked and set up the new lunar base for future operations. Once the lunar operations were completed, the crew was to transfer to the ascent stage, where they were to enter into a lunar orbit and dock with the lunar transfer vehicle where they would have remained for the journey back to
Earth. == Future plans ==