As the Constellation Program (CxP) splutters along, ahead of its “proposed” cancellation, managers have successfully concluded its Preliminary Design Review (PDR), although several major elements – such as cost and schedule – were omitted from the review due to the “new direction”. Meanwhile, NASA managers preparing a draft document to prospective commercial crew providers, listing 31 high level requirements.
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March 10th, 2010
NASA managers are pushing through the shutdown of the Constellation Program (CxP) at a pace, with a series of memos showing all the Ares test flights have already been cancelled, along Orion ‘defunded’ and returned to the sole control of contractor Lockheed Martin. Meanwhile, MOD director Paul Hill has written to NASA administrator Charlie Bolden, [...]
Tags: Dragon, Lockheed Martin, Orion, SpaceX
Published in Commercial, Constellation, Featured
March 3rd, 2010
Senator Kay Hutchison – in conjunction with Representatives Suzanne Kosmas and Bill Posey – has produced a 37 page Bill that proposes major refinements to NASA’s FY2011 proposal, and NASA’s forward plan. The Bill is centered around a shuttle extension to 2015, in support of fully utilizing the International Space Station (ISS), along with saving [...]
Tags: Augustine, Extension, HLV
Published in Commercial, Constellation, Featured, Shuttle
February 25th, 2010
As the Heavy Lift Launch Team (HLV) transition from the Shuttle Derived vehicle to a Technology Development Activity (TDA) effort, led by engineers associated with the Space Shuttle Program (SSP), a passionate call to extend the shuttle manifest was made by an Orbiter Project manager a Senate hearing into NASA’s FY2011 budget proposal.
Tags: Extension, HLV
Published in Constellation, Featured, Shuttle
February 11th, 2010
One of the final tests of the now-cancelled Orion Program has ended in failure, when a parachute drop test of an Orion boilerplate resulted in the near-destruction of the vehicle. It marks what is likely to be a sad end for the vehicle that was set to take US astronauts to the International Space Station [...]
Tags: Constellation, Orion
Published in Constellation, Featured
January 30th, 2010
The Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) have confirmed they have almost enough External Tank resources to allow for one ET-sized “In Line” Shuttle Derived Heavy Launch Vehicle (SD HLV) test flight and up to three Block I SD HLVs. The news comes as NASA managers insist the workforce should wait for official news, and not to [...]
Tags: ares, Constellation, HLV
Published in Constellation, Featured
January 23rd, 2010
With the official opening statements on the overhaul of NASA’s future expected “soon”, the realignment of NASA’s future goals will create a Human Space Flight path that will likely stretch out for decades. The end goal remains footsteps on Mars, but the approach may involve the use of deep space and Phobos as the precursor [...]
Tags: Constellation, Extension, HLV, Mars, MTV, Phobos
Published in Constellation, Featured
January 14th, 2010
NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden will review the findings of his “special team” – which he set up to evaluate all Heavy Lift alternatives to the current plan – on Friday. Pre-empting the overview, Exploration Project officials all-but ruled out the Sidemount HLV, whilst noting a couple of In-line heavy lifters – one of which appears [...]
Tags: ares, Augustine, Constellation, HLV
Published in Constellation, Featured
January 10th, 2010
NASA managers have created an evaluation and roadmap for a potential human mission to visit the 1999 AO10 Near Earth Object (NEO) as early as 2025, as part of their options under the Flexible Path approach to the future of Human Space Flight. The mission would focus on using the International Space Station (ISS) as [...]
Tags: Augustine, Constellation, NEO, Orion
Published in Constellation, Featured
January 3rd, 2010
Buoyed by the success of the Hubble Space Telescope, one of the key proposals on NASA’s internal interpretation of the Augustine Commission’s “Flexible Path” option includes a 45 day manned mission to construct a giant telescope in Geostationary orbit (GEO). A huge deep space telescope is also included in the roadmap, which would focus on [...]
Published in Constellation, Featured
January 1st, 2010
2010 will mark a number of key decisions for NASA, not least the potential switch from the current Ares I/V architecture to an alternative mix of commerical crew launch – accompanied by a new heavy lift workhorse. A decision is expected to be announced early in the new year by President Obama, although at least [...]
Tags: ares, Extension, HLV
Published in Constellation, Featured
December 10th, 2009
MOD Director Paul Hill has hinted that there’s a “remote” chance NASA may add one or more shuttle flights, in addition to “under evaluation” STS-135. Mr Hill’s comments came during an address to his team – relating to the upcoming White House decision on NASA’s Human Space Flight program - in which he noted his awareness of discussions relating [...]
Tags: Constellation, Extension, STS-135
Published in Commercial, Constellation, Featured, Shuttle
November 29th, 2009
Despite apparently failing to be short listed for President Obama’s upcoming decision on the forward path for NASA’s Human Space Flight program, the Ares I teams are pushing forward with new plans to follow up the Ares I-X test flight with a 2012 to 2013 flight of Ares I-X Prime – a replacement test launch [...]
Tags: Ares I, Ares I-X, Ares I-X Prime
Published in Constellation, Featured
October 31st, 2009
Pad workers have begun to evaluate what is being described as substantial heat damage to Pad 39B, following the launch of Ares I-X. Meanwhile, the damage to Ares I-X’s First Stage was the result of splashing down at high speed and at an angle, due to only “one and a half” of its three main [...]
Tags: Ares I-X
Published in Constellation, Featured
October 28th, 2009
Ares I-X has launched on the second attempt at 11:30am Eastern, and although the First Stage and the Upper Stage Simulator (USS) appeared to recontact after separation (later confirmed that no recontact took place) - managers are claiming the flight to be a success. Sources also claim one of the FS’ parachutes failed, with the booster splashing down with two working [...]
Tags: Ares I-X, SRB, STS-128
Published in Constellation, Featured
October 27th, 2009
Ares I-X has seen its opening launch attempt scrubbed, following unacceptable weather conditions over the Pad. A few small gaps in the weather failed to coincide with the continuously realigned T-0s, which was also interrupted by a cargo ship entering the Eastern Range.
Tags: Ares I-X
Published in Constellation, Featured
October 23rd, 2009
The first – and possibly the last – Ares rocket is set to launch on October 27, following clearance by the Agency Flight Test Readiness Review (FTRR) on Friday. Ares I-X will launch on a two and a half minute powered flight at 8am local time next Tuesday, pending acceptable weather conditions. Engineers will also be tested [...]
Tags: Ares I-X
Published in Constellation, Featured
October 21st, 2009
NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden has asked for a “Special Team” at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to evaluate the Heavy Lift alternatives – including DIRECT’s Jupiter launch vehicle – as a “top priority”. The team has been asked to create a report on their findings in time for Thanksgiving, in an apparent reaction to [...]
Tags: Altair, Constellation, Direct, HLV
Published in Constellation, Featured
October 20th, 2009
A floodlit Ares I-X departed the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) in the early hours of Tuesday, ahead of test launch of a new system that is under real threat of being cancelled in the coming months. However, Ares I-X – set to launch on October 27 from the slightly modified Pad 39B – is still [...]
Tags: Ares I-X
Published in Constellation, Featured
October 7th, 2009
Ares I-X is on track to rollout of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on October 19 following the completion of several milestones and processing work relating to an issue involving 78 Upper Stage bolts. Meanwhile, the Constellation Program (CxP) have set September 2010 for a Human Lunar Return (HLR) Systems Requirements Review (SRR) summit.
Tags: Ares I-X, HLV
Published in Constellation, Featured