Future Human Spaceflight Trajectory

Plans and programs are being formulated with the goal to ensure the nation is pursuing the best trajectory for the future of human spaceflight — one that is safe, innovative, affordable and sustainable. The pursuit of that goal requires a vision of what human spaceflight should be. Whatever that vision be, the pursuit of that goal with evolved transportation systems — evolved 20th century technologies — would be extremely difficult. Instead, it would take a combination of evolutionary and revolutionary space transportation systems to achieve that goal. The latter systems would use revolutionary propulsion systems; they would be reusable; and they would manifest aircraft-like operations for Earth to low Earth orbit (LEO) transportation. These are the key innovations necessary for safe, affordable and sustainable human spaceflight.