What is the Future In-Space
Operations Working Group (FISOWG)?
The Future In-Space
Operations Working Group (FISOWG) of scientists and engineers is led by Dr.
Harley Thronson, Associate Director for Advanced Concepts and Planning in
Astrophysics at NASAŐs Goddard Space Flight Center. Now a more informal group,
it is made up of senior engineers inside and outside NASA, scientists at NASA
Centers and academia, and individuals active in space policy.
The FISOWG
was originally chartered by NASAŐs Science Mission Directorate in mid-2005 originally
to develop concepts and identify key technologies to enable the major goals of
the 2004 Vision for Space Exploration via input to the NASA Exploration Systems
Architecture Study (ESAS). The working group agreed with the earlier Decade
Planning Team (http://history.nasa.gov/DPT/DPT.htm)
that sustaining a relatively small number of priority technology capabilities
was essential to long-term human exploration beyond the immediate vicinity of
the Earth. From the beginning, the working group concentrated on building on
the opportunities offered by the ISS to develop subsequent long-duration,
highly capable habitats beyond LEO.
The
concentration of NASAŐs human space flight concept development has been on
surface operations in space (Moon, Mars, etc.). In contrast, the FISOWG aims at
operations in free space that can benefit both science and human space
exploration, including activities taking place on surfaces: for example, depot
systems, assembly and upgrade of large scientific facilities, operation of
surface robots from orbit.
Presentations,
papers, visualizations, and graphics produces by the FISOWG and collaborators
were archived here -- http://www.futureinspaceoperations.com/ , when Jack Frassanito ran the site for
us. But heŐs retired as of a few months ago, and he seems to have let the site
go. But do go there to help with physical attractiveness! Except itŐs not our
advice anymore. Keith Cowing seems to like it, though É
For more
than four years, the FISOWG has organized telecons in which experts in the
field discuss issues of relevance to FISO. The public archive of their
presentations is here -- http://spirit.as.utexas.edu/~fiso/archivelist.htm
. The content of these FISOWG telecon presentations are considered the
intellectual property of the person who gave that presentation.
If you have
questions about the FISOWG, or its efforts, please contact
Harley
Thronson
Associate
Director for Advanced Concepts and Planning
NASA
Goddard
or
Dan Lester
Research
Fellow
Department
of Astronomy
University
of Texas