NASA: what's next? How future astronauts will travel to the moon and beyond.

Ever since he was 9 years old, John Connolly has been a little "spacey." That was back in 1969, when the Apollo 11 space mission took astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin to the moon--and Connolly fell in love with space exploration. "Watching the Apollo missions is what spurred me to go to college and become an engineer," says Connolly, who works at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

It has been a long time since humans last visited the moon, in 1972. Last fall, NASA unveiled far-reaching plans for human space exploration. The announcement included sketches of a new space vehicle, and a time line for traveling back to the moon by 2020, and then onward to Mars.

Connolly knew that the current space shuttles, such as Discovery and Endeavor, didn't have the capabilities necessary to rocket the next generation of astronauts to Earth's natural satellite (the moon, or an object that orbits a celestial body) and beyond. But it wasn't until after a series of troubled missions that NASA officials decided to clear the launchpad for a new set of space vehicles. Will NASA's new time line give the agency a much-needed lift?

HIGHS AND LOWS

On April 12, 1981, the world's first reusable spacecraft--Columbia--rocketed from the launchpad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Since then, seven other orbiters, or the airplane-style shuttle that houses the crew, have lifted off. Aboard these orbiters, astronauts have carried out more than 100 missions placing communication satellites into orbit and constructing the International Space Station (ISS), where astronauts conduct experiments.

Besides completing successful missions, the shuttles have highlighted the dangers of space travel. On January 28, 1986, Challenger--carrying the first teacher into space--burst into flames just after liftoff, killing the crew. Then, on February 1, 2003, the homeward-bound Columbia exploded above north-central Texas. Its fatal problem: A chunk of foam broke off the fuel tank during liftoff, smacking into the orbiter's left wing. The "ding" had damaged part of the orbiter's heat shield, causing it to overheat during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.

With two demolished vehicles, NASA officials decided it was time to design a safer and more reliable spacecraft. This craft would be 10 times safer than the shuttle and could carry astronauts to the moon.

BLAST FROM THE PAST?

Should you expect a sci-fi rig that looks as alien as its destination? The new space ride, called the crew exploration vehicle (CEV), will have similarities to both the space shuttle and the vehicles used in the Apollo missions, plus some futuristic additions. The CEV will have a cone shape like the Apollo capsule, but it will be roomy enough to carry up to six astronauts. To keep the crew out of harm's way, the CEV capsule will be stacked on top of a shuttle-type booster, or a pencil-shape rocket, and a fuel tank. In the past, the orbiter was mounted on the side of an orange fuel tank, explains Connolly. There, the shuttle could--and did--get hit with foam falling from the tank. For added safety, the CEV will be topped with an escape mechanism that could jettison the capsule, and crew, away from any trouble below.

Until now, the pay-load, or supplies needed for a space mission, had to be stashed inside the same craft that carried the crew. NASA's new road map to outer space calls for separate crew and cargo ships. They will boost off Earth's surface at different times (see Nuts & Bolts, pp. 14-15). The hefty cargo module will carry the moon lander. To lift the hefty lander, this cargo module will get its thrust, or force that moves an object forward, from two oversize boosters. Then the CEV will lift off and link up with the cargo ship.

LUNARSCAPE 

After a three-day trip to the moon, the entire crew will climb from its capsule into the cargo ship, where a moon lander is stored. The lunar lander will drop the astronauts onto the moon. Compare that with each Apollo expedition, where one lonely astronaut had to remain behind to pilot the capsule while the others set foot on the moon. This time, an empty capsule will zip around the moon on autopilot, and all the astronauts will get to don spacesuits and hop into moon buggies.

Where will the lunar pioneers explore? Many space scientists have their eyes set on the moon's south pole. There, they hope to spy water--the liquid equivalent of gold. "Water is probably the most precious thing in the universe," says Connolly. Scientists hope the moon's south pole holds water that has formed into ice. Then astronauts could de-thaw the ice for drinking water, and extract hydrogen and oxygen--two vital ingredients for rocket fuel--from the ice traps.

COUNTDOWN

The long-term plan is for each lunar landing to be a step toward building an outpost on the moon, where explorers could stay for six months. That way, astronauts could mine rocket fuel and prepare for a giant leap to Mars.

What's so exciting about the red planet? Connolly says: "There is a chance to find life on Mars."

Nuts & Bolts

1. LIFTOFF

First, the cargo ship will be launched from Earth's surface. Soon after, the crew ship, which carries the CEV, will blast off. Both ships will release their pencil-shape rockets in midair.

2. LINKUP 

As the crew and cargo ship orbit, or revolve around, Earth, they will meet at a predetermined spot. Then, the CEV will dock with the cargo module-holding the "departure stage" and the lunar lander.

3. AWAY WE GO!

To boost the combo out of Earth's orbit, the Earth Departure Stage fires up its engines, sending the craft toward the moon. Then, the "departure stage" gets tossed away.

4. TOUCHDOWN

While circling the moon, the crew will climb into the lander's housing section. Then, the lander will descend onto the moon's surface, while the CEV zips on autopilot around the moon.

5. FAREWELL, MOON

After a one-week trek on the moon's crater-ridden surface, the crew will return to the lander's top half, and lift off. Once above the moon, the lander section will link up again with the CEV to zip back to Earth.

DID YOU KNOW?

* Between 2008 and 2011, NASA will send robotic probes to the moon to study and map the lunar surface. Their findings will help scientists choose landing sites for future human-led missions. They will also help scientists determine if resources, such as oxygen and hydrogen, are present.

* It takes the moon 27.3 Earth days to spin once around its axis. It takes the moon the same amount of time to complete one orbit around Earth. Result? One side of the moon--dubbed the "dark side"--always faces away from Earth.

CRITICAL THINKING:

* NASA hopes to establish a lunar base in the future. As a class, brainstorm on what humans will need in order to survive on the moon. Then, use the ideas to design a lunar base.

CROSS-CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS:

HISTORY: Divide the class into groups, and assign each group a decade starting from 1960 to the present. Then, have each group do research to create a poster that highlights the achievements of human space exploration for the assigned decade.

RESOURCES

* This kid-friendly time line highlights past and future space-exploration missions. Visit: www.seasky.org/spacexp/sky5d.html

* This NASA site includes great background information on the Apollo 11 mission: http.//spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/ apollo/apollo11/index.html

* Compare the surfaces of Mars and Earth with this interactive site: www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/cool_stuff/ tour_e_mars_surface_1.html

(PAGE 14) NASA: WHAT'S NEXT?

DIRECTIONS: On a separate sheet of paper, use details from the article to help you write the following:

1. You're the head of NASA, and you're giving a press conference. Describe the sequence of how the new crew and cargo ships will blast off from Earth, and then boost out of Earth's orbit.

2. You're an astronaut commanding the CEV's first mission to the moon. Brief the crew on how they will descend to and depart from the lunar surface. Also, review what they are to do once they land on the moon.

ANSWERS

1. Until now, the payload needed for a space mission had to be stashed inside of the crew's housing NASA's new road map to outer space calls for separate crew and cargo ships. They will boost off Earth's surface at different times. First, the cargo vehicle will launch from Earth's surface. Soon after, the crew ship, which carries the CEV (crew exploration vehicle), will blast off. Both vehicles will release their pencil shape rockets in midair. As the two vehicles orbit Earth, they will meet at a predetermined spot. Then, the CEV will dock with the cargo module, which holds the lunar lander and the "departure stage." To boost the combo out of Earth's orbit, the Earth Departure Stage fires up its engines, sending the craft toward the moon. Then, the "departure stage" gets tossed away.

2. After a three day trip on the CEV, the crew will climb from their capsule into the cargo ship, where the moon lander is stored. Then, the lunar lander will drop the astronauts onto the moon. At the same time, the empty CEV capsule will zip around the moon on autopilot. The four astronauts in spacesuits will explore the lunar surface on moon buggies They may head to the moon's south pole, which scientists hope will hold water that has formed into ice Then the astronauts could de thaw the ice for drinking water, and extract hydrogen and oxygen--two vital ingredients for rocket fuel--from the ice traps After one week of exploration, the crew will return to the lander's top half, and lift off Once above the moon, the lander will link up again with the CEV to return to Earth.