Epic Challenges

In this project, students applied the Innovative Conceptual Engineering Design (ICED) methodology to come up with a solution to a component of the Sustainable Human Mission to Mars 'epic' challenge.  The actual colonization of another heavenly body such as the planet Mars will require an entirely new paradigm shift in current space exploration strategy to achieve Earth independence: a return to a pioneering philosophy with the intent to establish a permanent presence.  This pioneering philosophy will focus on simple, robust, maintainable, and easily repairable technical solutions; and living off the land (in-situ resource utilization (ISRU)).  This complex, 'epic' challenge is decomposed into sub-challenges by function.  A functional decomposition of this 'epic' challenge is available at http://cmapspublic3.ihmc.us/rid=1SBZY1V8F-1T19QBG-1Y3S/Sustained%20Human%20Mission%20to%20Mars.cmap  Student presented their work at NASA Langley Research Center (2016 & 2017) and at NASA Kennedy Space Center (2018 & 2019).