Posts Tagged ‘Orion’

SLS EM-1 & -2 launch dates realign; EM-3 gains notional mission outline

Following a series of issues over the last year with the Core Stage for the first flight of the Space Launch System rocket, the launch dates for both…

Piecing together NASA’s crewed Deep Space spacecraft

The first Orion spacecraft that will be capable of transporting NASA astronauts into deep space is now being constructed. Although it won’t launch until 2022 at the earliest,…

Orion ESM begins hot fire testing at White Sands

The Orion European Service Module (ESM) Propulsion Qualification Module (PQM) is in the opening phases of testing – including hot firings – at the White Sands Test Facility…

Orion STA undergoing pre-mission testing in Denver

With all the structural test articles (STA) of the Orion spacecraft at prime contractor Lockheed Martin’s Space Systems facility in the Denver area, work is underway to qualify…

Orion deep in processing for EM-1, planning for following missions

As US Vice President Mike Pence visited the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), one of the welcoming party, the Orion crew module, is fast taking shape ahead of its…

ASAP on board with NASA’s DSG as stepping stone to Mars

NASA’s major push towards building a new outpost near the Moon has received encouraging words from its key safety advisory body. NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) was…

Investigating the potential of including a crew on the maiden flight of SLS

With NASA’s management officially informing the workforce that evaluations are taking place into installing a crew on to the first flight of the Space Launch System (SLS), the…

Software and Service Module cited as main critical paths to EM-1 launch date

A top level overview at NASA’s Advisory Council (NAC) has shown most of the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft flows are on track for a 2018…

NASA creates working group to get Orion ESM back on schedule

NASA is continuing to work towards the historic maiden launch of the Space Launch System (SLS), with the rocket still on schedule to make a 2018 debut. However, the…

Orion’s heat shield arrives at Kennedy for EM-1 mission preparations

Lockheed Martin has delivered the Orion crew vehicle’s heat shield for the upcoming EM-1 test flight to the Kennedy Space Center from its manufacturing facility in Denver, Colorado….

SLS critical flight paths refined for 2018 debut; thrust profiles updated

NASA’s Exploration Systems Development office has completed its review of progress to date as well as forward path activity on the development of the Space Launch System (SLS)…

NASA updates status and timetable of ambitious Asteroid Redirect Mission

NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) standing committee has presented the NASA Advisory Council with a status update regarding the agency’s direction and execution of the upcoming Asteroid…

SLS Mission Trajectory – Mike Sarafin outlines the ride uphill for EM-1

NASA managers are closing in on a mission trajectory plan for the new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that is set to debut in 2018. Mike Sarafin, NASA’s mission…

NASA attempting to put the “meat on the bones” on its Mars plan

NASA managers have told the Agency’s safety oversight board that they are continuing to put together the plan for Mars missions while warning the nation is now heavily…

Orbital ATK unveils cislunar habitat plan, potential missions for SLS and Orion

Orbital ATK has unveiled preliminary plans to place a four-person habitat in cislunar space by 2020. The announcement during testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on…

ASAP concerned NASA is taking risks to meet Orion schedule

NASA’s key advisory body has warned the agency that schedule pressure, in combination with cost pressure, is causing compromises that carry additional risk. Focusing on the Orion spacecraft,…

Space Industry press forward with exploration hardware development

The multi-center, multi-partner effort is continuing to piece together the key hardware elements that will return NASA to deep space exploration. Recent progress has been made on items…

NASA moves to enforce early switch to EUS for SLS

NASA managers have placed a “stop work order” in relation to the human-rating of the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (lCPS) for the Space Launch System (SLS). The stage,…

NASA to begin testing Orion’s European Service Module

NASA is nearly ready to begin testing of a core component of the Orion spacecraft. A structural test version of the European Service Module has arrived in the…

NASA considers SLS launch sequence for human Mars missions in the 2030s

As NASA continues to develop their plans for delivering humans to the Martian system in the 2030s, a Technical Interchange Meeting has outlined two potential hardware launch sequence options…