Nebula Public Library

The NEMS – Near-Earth Exploration Minimum System internal ESA study, conducted at ESA's Concurrent Design Facility (CDF) between March and April 2011 aimed at investigating and reporting on the main trade-offs, system drivers and critical risk areas associated with even the most basic human exploration beyond Earth-Moon system. The (purely theoretical) mission scenario addressed the transfer a crew of 3 astronauts from the Earth to an accessible Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) and their safe return to Earth before 2030. Dust contamination was identified as a major concern.