Introduction

What is Architecture?

When most think of architecture, they envision skyscrapers, cantilevered homes, or marbled museums. In this case, architecture isn’t the built environment. It isn’t a mission, a manifest, or a set of requirements. Instead, NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture defines the elements needed for long-term, human-led scientific discovery in deep space.

NASA’s architecture approach distills agency-developed objectives into operational capabilities and elements that support science and exploration goals. Working with experts across the agency, industry, academia, and the international community, NASA continuously evolves that blueprint for crewed exploration, setting humanity on a path to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Our Process

Define the Architecture

In collaboration with other agency directorates – Space Operations, Science, Space Technology, and Aeronautics – as well as commercial, academic, and international partners, NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate develops systems for Moon to Mars exploration. Within the directorate, NASA’s Strategy and Architecture Office leads definition, documentation, and disposition of the overarching Moon to Mars architecture with buy-in from all stakeholders.

Architecting from the right, the Strategy and Architecture Office begins with the broadest goals – farthest in the future on the timeline. From there, they ensure that each objective is traced to relevant architectural elements. A yearly strategic analysis cycle informs architecture decisions by identifying technology gaps and needed capabilities. Based on this analysis, NASA develops solutions that fulfill objectives for crewed exploration.

The primary result of these efforts is the Architecture Definition Document, released after the annual Architecture Concept Review with updated from a yearly strategic analysis cycle. Additional products developed by the Strategy and Architecture office include workshops, webinars, white papers, and other resources that explain or expand upon concepts withing the Architecture Definition Document.

Dive Deeper

Explore the Architecture

NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture is the roadmap for our return to the Moon and our future exploration of Mars. The strategy and objectives documents below set NASA’s long-term goals for human exploration of our solar system, while the architecture seeks to ensure that human spaceflight missions — starting with Artemis and continuing to Mars and beyond — achieve those ambitions. 

The tabs below host information about some of the architecture-related resources produced by the Strategy and Architecture Office. NASA makes these materials available to the general public and partner organizations to grow understanding of the Moon to Mars effort and to facilitate discussion and collaboration on the architecture.

Engage with Us

Become an Architect

NASA has a long, successful history of working with a diverse community of partners to advance common space exploration and science objectives. The agency is committed to building on and broadening these global partnerships as we establish a sustained presence on the Moon and venture on to Mars.