NASA Strategic Plan
February 1995

Strategic Enterprises

Human Exploration and Development of Space Enterprise

The mission of the Human Exploration and Development of Space Enterprise (HEDS) is to open the space frontier by exploring, using, and enabling the development of Space. In so doing, the Enterprise seeks to bring the frontier of space fully within the sphere of human activity for the benefit of America and all humankind in this and future generations. The HEDS Enterprise creates opportunities and the potential for their realization in an ever-changing worldwide market. In exploring space, the Enterprise sends humans and machines together into the solar system to unravel its mysteries. In using space, the Enterprise will develop the tools and skills to live and work there, to take advantage of its unique environment for conducting research in science and engineering, and to generate technology. The Enterprise makes use of resources found in space to achieve our goals. In enabling the development of space, the Enterprise seeks to serve as a catalyst to commerce. In the long term, the goals of the Enterprise are to:

With the dawning of a new era in international relations, the U.S. space program is moving to enhance cooperation among the space-faring nations. The international Space Station represents the largest multinational science and engineering program in history. The availability of this long-duration laboratory builds on Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle, and Spacelab to investigate the limits of human performance; it will vastly expand the human experience of living and working in space. The Station will also provide a platform for larger commercial investigations in the space environment. The confluence of these forces-an emphasis on global cooperation, the progression in availability of in-space capabilities, and the aspiration to further develop space for human benefit-has caused NASA to refocus this core Agency effort. As a research and development arm of the Nation, we will be the catalyst for space exploration and development. We will consciously integrate all the elements of and contributors to HEDS-human vehicles and platforms, research and technology development, robotic exploration, in a manner that permits the expansion of human endeavor into the far reaches of space. This requires close coordination with the Space Science and Technology Enterprises.

To achieve our goals, the Enterprise will employ a strategy that contributes to the national community; shapes activities to return near-term direct benefits in biology, biotechnology, combustion science, fluid physics, materials science, advanced technologies, medicine, education, and commerce; and, clearly communicates these benefits to the Enterprise's customers and investors, including the public. The experiential dimension of HEDS affects all peoples on Earth. In a time of increasing societal change and complexity, HEDS offers inspiration and hope for the future. The Enterprise will increasingly reach out to customers to both design relevant research and expand participation.

The Enterprise will contribute to creating new scientific knowledge by studying the effects of the space environment on important biological, chemical and physical processes. This knowledge will provide fundamental insights that serve as the basis for new Earthbound applications and technology. The HEDS Enterprise, in partnership with other Enterprises, will apply this knowledge to develop enabling technologies critical to humanity's needs and the quest for using and exploring space.

The Enterprise will combine technology and human presence to explore and settle the solar system. A near-term challenge will be to fully integrate and utilize the international Space Station, the Space Shuttle, and other international contributions. We will make good on our dedication to foster commercial space opportunities. This requires removing the impediments to commercial involvement and anticipating future market opportunities. We will pursue the HEDS objectives through Space Science Enterprise robotic missions. This will ensure that data are available on the composition of the Moon, Mars, and asteroids before any human sets foot on those bodies. The demonstration of utilization of extraterrestrial resources is a particularly important objective. The utilization of those resources will likely provide the basis for development and support of humans on planetary surfaces.

Our goal is to move from regular human access to space to routine space travel. We will keep the Space Shuttle fleet operational until a replacement vehicle is available in the next century. The Space Shuttle program emphasizes strategies to decrease operational costs, improve reliability, and increase performance. The program will meet the needs of the international Space Station. The Enterprise will collaborate with appropriate others to ensure that HEDS needs are incorporated in planning for next- generation rockets and spacecraft. These craft will support human and cargo access to space and beyond. The long-term Enterprise objective is to bring space travel increasingly within routine human experience.

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Curator: James H. Chi
Last Updated: Wed, Apr 19, 1995