Human exploration of cis-lunar space via assets tele-operated from EML2 (HECATE)

Di Carlo, Marilena and Barbera, Daniele and Conte, Davide and Mintus, Agata and Romero Martin, Juan Manuel and Budzyn, Dorota and Teofili, Lorenzo and Grys, Szymon and Jamieson, Jonathan and Hay, Craig and Lund, Thomas and Ikeda, Nauromi and Volpe, Renato and Fleming, Douglas (2016) Human exploration of cis-lunar space via assets tele-operated from EML2 (HECATE). Acta Futura, 2016 (10). pp. 75-89. (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.202192)

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Abstract

This paper presents the preliminary design of the international space mission HECATE (Human Exploration of Cis-lunar space via Assets Tele-operated from EML-2), aimed at exploring the far side of the Moon via tele-robotic activities during the 2020s. The exploration is realized by astronauts from HOPE (Human Orbiting Protected Environment), a space habitat in a halo orbit around the Earth-Moon Lagrange Point 2, a critical staging location for future robotic and human deep space missions. Inside the habitat, astronauts have access to tele-robotic hardware and instruments, used to tele-operate rovers and scientific equipment on the surface of the Moon. Plans to resupply and maintain HOPE for future missions, using a solar electric tug, are given. Ultimately, HOPE represents an energetically favorable intermediate locations for missions to Mars, Near-Earth Asteroids, and beyond.