Talk:Exploration Systems Architecture Study

Lunar Mission Profile
The article reads: "The EDS will brake the complex into lunar orbit". I believe that, according to the selected profile, lunar orbit insertion is performed by the CEV instead. Balix 00:29, 3 January 2006 (UTC)


 * Actually I believe the descent engine of the LSAM (lunar surface access module) will facilitate lunar orbit insertion. Subzero788 06:13, 31 January 2006 (UTC)


 * Yes, the current baseline is for the LSAM descent stage to perform the lunar orbit insertion burn.

J-2 heritage, lack thereof
The article makes an unsupported claim in the cost subsection that the J-2X engine is inexpensive to develop because it is derived from the Apollo J-2. This is propaganda straight out of Marshall, it's as 'Apollo Derived' as an RD-170. The engine is of a completely new design, no original tooling exists.

Criticisims
"Therefore, the plan is achievable using currently planned funding without significant cuts to NASA's other programs."

This statement does not seem supportable. The ESAS assumed both Shuttle and ISS support would be terminated in approximately 2010. This was about 10 years earlier than planned for both programs, so must be considered a significant cut. This proposal resulted in strong objections from the international partners that the US was not meeting its commitments, and from Congress that the investment in ISS would be wasted. Current planning terminates Shuttle in 2010 and ISS in 2015. The cost of the ISS extension, including purchasing seats on the Soyuz for five years and Orion missions to ISS from the time it becomes operaitonal until ISS is abandoned, as well as the significant cost growth in Ares-I, requires either a major funding increase or indefinite deferral of plans for lunar flight, a problem which remains unresolved,