Would Orbit Earth At 277,000 Miles

NASA has a plan on the drawing board that would establish an outpost some 277,000 miles from the Earth, according to documents obtained by a Florida newspaper. The space station would maintain an orbit beyond that of the moon, and be a "staging area" for potential Lunar and Martian missions.

According to an enterprise report in the Orlando Sentinel, the agency thinks that the outpost could be built at least in part with leftover parts from the ISS about 38,000 miles beyond the moon. The orbit was chosen because it represents an "equilibrium" point that would allow the station to stay in orbit with minimal power. The orbit is called the "Earth-Moon Lagrange Point 2."

NASA administrator Charles Bolden reportedly briefed the white house on the plan earlier this month. There is no indication of the level of support that may be coming from the Obama administration.

The outpost would be built in a series of missions using the SLS and Orion spacecraft currently in development. Such a program would give the Orion, designed as a follow-on to the space shuttle, a more immediate purpose.

But of course, cost is always the issue with NASA. Such a program would likely cost billions of dollars, and even congressional proponents of the agency say the money is "going to get tighter." Astronaut safety is also a major consideration. At that distance, anyone on board the station would be subjected to high levels of solar and other radiation, and it would be a long way to get home should something go wrong.

(NASA artist's rendering of Orion spacecraft)

FMI: www.nasa.gov