What is needed to return to the moon by 2020? This book details the technologies, mission architectures, medical requirements and training for that mission. Too, it explores the cost and roles played by private enterprise and individual countries.

Lunar Outpost provides a detailed account of the various technologies, mission architectures, medical requirements and training needed to return humans to the Moon within the next decade. It focuses on the means by which a lunar outpost will be constructed and also addresses major topics such as the cost of the enterprise and the roles played by private companies and individual countries. The return of humans to the surface of the Moon will be critical to the exploration of the solar system. The various missions are not only in pursuit of scientific knowledge, but also looking to extend human civilization, economic expansion, and public engagement beyond Earth. As well as NASA, China's Project 921, Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency, Russia, and the European Space Agency are all planning manned missions to the Moon and, eventually, to Mars. The Ares-I and Ares-V are the biggest rockets since the Saturn V and there is much state-of-the-art technology incorporated into the design of Orion, the spacecraft that will carry a crew of four astronauts to the Moon. Lunar Outpost also describes the human factors, communications, exploration activities, and life support constraints of the missions.

Addresses comprehensively the logistics of returning to the Moon by the year 2020 Describes the transportation and exploration challenges humans will face roaming the lunar surface Details for general readers the spacecraft, launch vehicle and life support designs Provides a unique insight into the training processes of future Moon travelers Shows how the Moon provides a stepping stone for future manned and unmanned interplanetary missions

Autorentext

Erik Seedhouse is a Norwegian-Canadian suborbital astronaut whose life-long ambition to work in space is one step closer to being realized thanks to the organization that provided the inspiration for this book. After completing his first degree in Sports Science at Northumbria University, the author joined the legendary 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, the world's most elite airborne regiment. During his time in the "Para's," Erik spent six months in Belize, where he was trained in the art of jungle warfare and conducted several border patrols along the Belize-Guatemala border. Later, he spent several months learning the intricacies of desert warfare on the Akamas Range in Cyprus. He made more than 30 jumps from a Hercules C130 aircraft, performed more than 200 helicopter abseils, and fired more light anti-tank weapons than he cares to remember! Upon returning to the comparatively mundane world of academia, the author embarked upon a Master's degree in Medical Science at Sheffield University. He supported his studies by winning prize money in 100 km ultradistance running races. Shortly after placing third in the World 100 km Championships in 1992 and setting the North American 100 km record, the author turned to ultradistance triathlon, winning the World Endurance Triathlon Championships in 1995 and 1996. For good measure, he also won the inaugural World Double Ironman Championships in 1995 and the infamous Decatriathlon, the world's longest triathlon - an event requiring competitors to swim 38 km, cycle 1,800 km, and run 422 km. Non-stop! Returning the academia once again in 1996, Erik pursued his Ph.D. at the German Space Agency's Institute for Space Medicine. While conducting his Ph.D. studies, he still found time to win Ultraman Hawai'i and the European Ultraman Championships as well as completing the Race Across America (RAAM) bike race. Due to his success as the world's leading ultradistance triathlete, Erik was featured in dozens ofmagazines and television interviews. In 1997, GQ magazine nominated him as the "Fitted Man in the World." In 1999, Erik decided it was time to get a real job. He retired from being a professional triathlete and started his post-doctorial studies at Vancouver's Simon Fraser University's School of Kinesiology. In 2005, the author worked as an astronaut training consultant for Bigelow Aerospace in Las Vegas and wrote Tourists in Space, a training manual for spaceflight participants. He is a Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society and a member of the Space Medical Association. Recently, he was one of the final 30 candidates of the Canadian Space Agency's Astronaut Recruitment Campaign. Erik works as a manned spaceflight consultant, professional speaker, triathlon coach, and author. He is the Training Director for Astronauts for Hire (www.astronauts4hire.org) and completed his suborbital astronaut training in May 2011. He is eligible for spaceflight assignments and plans to travel into space as an A4H astronaut on board one ore more (hopefully several!) of the commercial spacecraft written about in this book. In addition to being a suborbital astronaut, triathlete, skydiver, pilot, and author, Erik is an avid mountaineer and is currently pursuing his goal of climbing the Seven Summits. Astronauts for Hire is his ninth book. When not writing, he spend as much time as possible in Kona on the Big Island of Hawai'i and at his real home in Sandefjord, Norway. Erik is owned by three rambunctious cats - Jasper, Mini-Mach, and Lava - none of whom has expressed any desire to travel into space but who nevertheless provided invaluable assistance in writing this book (!).

Inhalt
Vision for Space Exploration.- Racing to the Moon.- Next-generation launch vehicles.- Designing the Crew Exploration Vehicle.- Lunar outpost.- Astronaut selection and medical requirements.- From launch to landing.- Alternative mission architectures.- Lunar exploration objectives.- Lunar space tourism.- Epilogue.