A plan has been created for the continued use of Ares via a series of test flights, ultimately leading up to a Heavy Lift Vehicle (HLV) program in the second half of this decade. Appearing to bank on major changes being negotiated by Congress in NASA’s FY2011 budget proposal, the plan would result in three [...]
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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 [...]
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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 [...]
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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 [...]
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The strategic direction of NASA is set to be announced in the first week of October, when new administrator Charlie Bolden and Human Space Flight Review panel chairman Norm Augustine conduct a NASA Executive Summit for all Senior Executive Service employees. The news came as center and space industry directors continue to tell their staff [...]
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The Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) is undergoing further reductions in its capability – including the elimination of the vehicle’s unmanned ability - as Constellation managers attempt to resolve numerous issues ahead of the Orion Project PDR (Preliminary Design Review). Issues noted in the recent “Top Risks” review list 10 serious issues with the Ares and Orion vehicles, ranging from [...]
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The Ares I-X test vehicle is scheduled to begin stacking in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the end of the month, despite continued slips to the launch date – the latest of which places Ares I-X as lifting off from Pad 39B NET (No Earlier Than) September 18.
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Citing schedule concerns and technical challenges, Constellation manager Jeff Hanley has outlined a series of proposed solutions to avoid further slips in the Ares/Orion schedule. Mr Hanley proposes deleting the Ares I-Y test flight, making Ares I’s first stage disposable, switching from Orion 4 to Orion 3 as the Full Operational Capability (FOC) date, along [...]
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A study by the Aerospace Corporation, conducted at the request of NASA to disprove the viability of an option to switch Orion to an alternative Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV), has found both the Atlas V Heavy and Delta IV Heavy are capable of launching Orion on both ISS and Lunar missions. Meanwhile, former NASA [...]
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US lawmakers have agreed on a stimulus package that includes just over $1 billion in additional funds for NASA, to be utilized during 2009 and 2010. While the $400m allocated towards “Exploration” is not specifically earmarked for extension of the shuttle program, it could allow NASA to take the first steps in reducing “The Gap” [...]
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Lockheed Martin’s design efforts on the Orion vehicle are being hindered by Ares I driven requirements, documented notes claim, with concerns ranging from the constant design changes, to Thrust Oscillation (TO) mitigation requirements. With Crew Seat Isolation efforts deferred until next year – in order not to delay the recent Ares I PDR (Preliminary Design [...]
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As the Constellation Program prepare to update the media on the current status of Ares and Orion next week, NASASpaceflight.com L2 has acquired an expansive synopsis of the current data on the new vehicles.Meanwhile, the opening series of tests for the J-2X Ares Upper Stage engine have been completed at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, which [...]
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