NASA SEV (Space Exploration Vehicle)

[DocM]

NASA plans with the Space Launch System and the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle to do deep space exploration missions to an asteroid, Martian moon, dead comet, whatever.

Long term trips of more than Orion's 2 week life support capability requires a habitat. That isn't the subject of this post - NASA itself, Bigelow Aerospace, ESA and others are addressing that problem.

While Orion can take astronauts up and down and handle many duties, it is not a lander, rover, overland explorer, mining truck, 2001-style space pod, overland crew taxi or any of the other configurations necessary to work once you get where you are going.

These could all be individually designed and built, but making a modular system that can be configured to numerous jobs makes more sense - the prototype for that is the Space Exploration Vehicle (SEV.)

There are many images to go with this, but first a word as to how SEV works. Up front is a cockpit, and to either side are docking or berthing ports. To the rear in most configurations are 2 spacesuit ports, which pretty much eliminate the need for an airlock.

Each suit is on the outside of the vehicle and has a trap door on its rear. Astronauts would open a corresponding hatch in the SEV, open the suit, then crawl in like the doctor and nurse got into their isolation suits in The Andromeda Strain.

The underside can be wheeled, or it can be set up to fly free as that 2001 pod did, including manipulator arms. Cabins too can be swapped onto the driving platform to do different jobs, such as acting like a pickup truck or straight land taxi. In the NASA lab it's on a float table - a reverse air hockey table it pumps air between the floor and SEV so they can practice using the controls.

Time for pictures and a video.

[Biotoxic_hazard_835]

Pretty nice vehicle. Wonder if it comes with leather seats and premium sound system.

[DocM]

Probably not leather, but given the direction NASA, commercial outfits and airlines are moving they'll have the manuals, maps, mission docs etc. on iPads (more compact storage.) Then all you need is an i-speaker rig and music files.

[DocM]

[Arachno 1D]

That vehicles been around for a few years now hasnt it.....yea looking here on wiki its gone through several evolutionary names already.Ive seen Richard Hammond [uK Top Gear presenter] driving into a lamp post with it last year.

Mind they wont have any funds or a space ship to actually launch the vehicle any time soon so I guess getting it right isnt a rush job.

[DocM]

The SLS launcher is funed for launch ~2017-2019 and the Orion flies unmanned tests in 2014, so if they plan an asteroid mission in the early 2020's they have to test this before then.

[Brian Miller]

Just don't fart...

[DocM]

The Environmental Control and Life Support System can handle that. The moisture can be condensed out of the air and is reused for drinking etc. Stray chemicals like methane (farts are mostly methane) are trapped with activated charcoal.

[neoadorable]

awesome vehicle, i love the way it can fly and drive...cute. it doesn kinda look like those flying buses they used in 2001. i just hope they make it big enough where it's comfortable to work in.

[DocM]

Good for a crew of 2-4, and it has the dual docking ports. One would be for a crew vehicle like Orion or Dragon, and the other could be a hab. That ot those could be attached to a hub that docks to SEV. Very flexible.

[neoadorable]

How fast can it travel? I understand the need to conserve power and also play it safe when on a different world, but exploration vehicles should have more muscle to them.

[DocM]

It would be a short range gig, transported to approach range by a transfer vehicle where it would detach and run the mission. Very much like a 2001 pod but larger and even more capable. The transfer vehicle could be as small as Orion itself, Orion with an attached hab & propulsion module, or as large as something like the NAUTILUS-X concept.

[neoadorable]

as long as we also have long range and powerful vehicles like converted humvees and stuff...

[DocM]

The rover version would have a long range, but we need a way to get it wherever.