NASA is working with 14 international space agencies to publish a roadmap in January 2018 that would detail common space exploration goals, SpaceNews reported Thursday.
The voluntary organization, called the International Space Exploration Coordination Group, will release the new Global Exploration Roadmap to provide updated plans for missions such as extended presence in low Earth orbit; a cislunar habitat; and expeditions to the moon and Mars.
ISECG issued the last Global Exploration Roadmap in 2013 and posted a draft of the new roadmap to seek comments from government, industry and academia.
Kathy Laurini, NASA senior adviser for exploration and space operations, said at a Global Exploration Roadmap community workshop on Wednesday that NASA has been coordinating with international partners on how to use the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft for joint explorations.
Laurini, who chairs ISECG, added that ISECG members will use the updated roadmap to show the potential global contributions of space programs to policymakers and funding agencies.
The new roadmap outlines a three-phase plan that involves ongoing research and tests on the International Space Station as part of phase zero; explorations in the lunar vicinity during phase one; and missions to orbit Mars under phase two.
