Modeling Interplanetary Logistics: A Mathematical Model for Mission Planning

The objective of this paper is to demonstrate a methodology for designing and evaluating the operational planning for interplanetary exploration missions. A primary question for space exploration mission design is how to best design the logistics required to sustain the exploration initiative. Using terrestrial logistics modeling tools that have been extended to encompass the dynamics and requirements of space transportation, an architectural decision method has been created. The model presented in this paper is capable of analyzing a variety of mission scenarios over an extended period of time with the goal of defining interesting architectural scenarios for space logistics. This model can be utilized to evaluate different logistics trades, such as a possible establishment of a push-pull boundary, which can aid in commodity pre-positioning. The results of this implementation are presented for a lunar campaign using estimated surface demands for exploration.