Nasa plots deep-space base just past the dark side of the moon as a 'stepping stone' to Mars

From Daily Mail Online: Nasa plots deep-space base just past the dark side of the moon as a 'stepping stone' to Mars

Nasa is considering plans for a manned base parked beyond the dark side of the moon as its 'leading option' for deep space exploration.

The U.S. space agency is forming a team to draw up plans for the outpost, to be parked at a spot in space known as the Earth-moon libration point 2 (EML-2).

Libration points are 'parking spots' in space where an object can be balanced between the gravitational pull of two large masses - such as the Earth and the moon.

An outpost at EML-2 could allow for exploration on the moon and its surrounding space, or even act as a staging post for missions to Mars, Nasa officials say.

The agency hopes to use its heavy-lift rocket Space Launch System and the Lockheed Martin-built Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle 'as the foundational elements' for the base.

The plans have been outlined in a memo from Nasa's associate administrator for human exploration and operations, William Gerstenmaier, seen by Space.com.

It points out that if the agency manages to establish an manned waypoint at EML-2, it would be the furthest humans have yet travelled from our home planet.

A white paper from the Lunar University Network for Astrophysics Research (LUNAR) Centre at the University of Colorado, Boulder, points out that an EML-2 mission would have astronauts traveling 15 percent farther from Earth than did the Apollo astronauts.

Jack Burns, LUNAR director, told Space.com: 'This is extremely exciting from both the exploration and science sides.

'This mission concept seems to be really taking off now because it is unique and offers the prospects of doing something significant outside of low-Earth orbit within this decade.'

For more than a year, Mr Burns and his team have been collaborating with Lockheed to plan an early Orion mission that would go into a halo orbit of EML-2.

The mission could act as a proving ground for the Orion spacecraft's life-support systems and demonstrate the high-speed re-entry capability needed for return to Earth from deep space.

It would also help scientists investigate the effects on crews of radiation from cosmic rays and solar flares and verify whether Orion offers enough protection.

However, Mr Gerstenmaier notes that EML-2 'is a complex region of cis-lunar space that has certain advantages as an initial staging point for exploration, but may also have some disadvantages that must be well understood.'

Mr Gerstenmaier's team is due to report back by March 30.