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1.3 Infrastructure
A very strong effort towards space exploration will be required to complete this mission and this commitment will have to begin in order to ensure that those systems essential for the production of the probe and its initial boost phase will be in place when the enabling technologies are realized. These systems include a heavy-lift launch vehicle, a large space station and an advanced, high energy upper stage. These requirements represent merely the technological infrastructure; also required is a very large initial human infrastructure, as well as a long term human commitment.
The heavy-lift launcher is needed since current weight estimates for the spacecraft are in excess of 350 metric tons. Even after taking into account the assumption that the ship will be launched into LEO as a series of modular components, the size of many of the modules precludes their launch on the Shuttle. Additionally, some units will be too massive and complex to be launched by available launch vehicles.
Since a basic assumption in this analysis is that the probe will be launched in a modular form and assembled in orbit, it is necessary to provide an orbiting base of operations for the personnel assembling the components of the spacecraft. This base will be Space Station. Requirements for the station will include:
