Sustainable Space Logistics for Artemis Missions and Deep Space Exploration

What is it about?

This research focuses on how mathematical, modeling, and optimization techniques can enhance space mission design and decision-making processes. The primary objective involves developing an end-to-end space logistics optimization model to address the inefficiencies in current state-of-the-art Earth-dependent supply chains and enable sustainable space exploration. Our model aims to determine optimal architectures for Artemis missions and interplanetary endeavors, in support of NASA, the commercial space sector, and the U.S. Space Force. Key aspects include the use of SpaceNet, an MIT-NASA modeling and simulation environment, to design lunar scenarios encompassing network, assets, and operations, along with the development of MATLAB algorithms to compute orbital mechanics parameters and implement Integer Linear Programming for optimization. Performance metrics improvements consist of minimizing mass to low Earth orbit, maximizing payload delivery to destination, reducing total delta-v, and lowering mission costs. Considering the Apollo 11 profile as the baseline for human spaceflight, the model is applied to optimize three main scenarios, each evaluated for single and sequential crewed missions: Artemis III (SpaceX), Artemis V (Blue Origin), and Lunar Cyclers architecture. The analysis examines trade-offs among advanced In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), different combinations of space systems, and in-orbit depot selection across the mission lifecycle, and allows for potential extensions to additional mission architectures and the integration of uncertainty quantification methods to enhance failure avoidance and risk mitigation.

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Why is it important?

By creating a decision support tool for space logistics, this research provides resilient, cost-effective, and adaptable solutions for future lunar exploration and beyond, helping inform strategic choices regarding the development of emerging technologies and contributing to making humanity a multi-planetary species.

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