A detailed analysis of the lunar and Phobos nodes within the OASIS spaceports network

Abstract

A network of spaceports with specific waypoint locations combining In Situ derived propellant generation with consumables such as water and oxygen provides a sustainable vision of solar system industrialization and enables the development of long term space exploration. The Operations And Service Infrastructure for Space (OASIS) network architecture was designed to facilitate affordable access to orbital and deep space destinations. It consists of three nodes located in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), the Moon and finally Mars’ moon, Phobos. Node 2 is based in the Lunar South Pole, where trapped water in craters, almost constant illumination on the craters' rim, and small temperature gradients offer one of the best environment. Initially unmanned, the lunar outpost is composed of a spaceport to land and launch vehicles safely, a power plant, and an in-situ resources processing plant. Once extracted from the lunar regolith, water is separated into hydrogen and oxygen which can be used as propellant for various spacecraft. It is then sent to LEO to make inexpensive fuel accessible from Earth and is used on site to support habitation, human operations and lunar launches. Node 1 will also refuel the CARAVAN (Cargo Autonomous Rendezvous and Velocity Adjustment/Navigation) orbital tug capable of intercepting and accelerating missions to more distant destinations. The Martian moon, Phobos, is the final Spaceport node in the OASIS architecture. Missions to the red planet will refuel, repair and prepare on Phobos prior to descent on Mars and before returning to Earth or going onwards. Propellant generation and storage facilities, as on node 1, allow node 3 to provide resources mined from wet asteroids, such as Ceres, the moons themselves or raised from the Martian ice caps. Meeting the technical challenge of extending the presence of humans throughout the solar system, this network will enable shorter delivery times, reduce space exploration and development costs, and increase mission mass to the Martian surface.