Great article on Orion Capsule

[publiusr]

The August 2014 issue of AIR & SPACE SMITHSONIAN is one of the best I've seen.

It has some history of the first Pacific solo flights, that didn't get a lot of press--Bill Sweetman laments the problems in finding support for of supersonic flight. Gore sat as DSCOVR was called, is also detailed.

The cover shows a great model from the Skunk Works, and an armed Venture Star is found on page 44--but the best article is on the new Orion capsule (page 19)

One of the folks interviewed is Josh Hopkins, who has a dim view of depots.

But here, he shows just how rugged Orion is.

The shuttle cockpit had 1,249 switches in all. This has fewer of course.

Check the article out. You will be glad you did.

 

[Metryq]

Is Orion still slated for a 2017 launch—assuming the Space Launch System is ready, or will NASA buy a ride on a SpaceX booster for an earlier date?

 

[sojourner]

Is Orion still slated for a 2017 launch—assuming the Space Launch System is ready, or will NASA buy a ride on a SpaceX booster for an earlier date?

Orion's first unmanned launch will be in 2016 on a Delta IV. It's too heavy for the Falcon 9.

 

[publiusr]

Too heavy for the single core Falcon 9. The tri-core Falcon heavy would cost less than the Delta IV heavy they will use for the initial test, and would allow a larger service module for Orion. The Liberty capsule was to have something like a trunk for light cargo:

Artist concept of ATK's Liberty spacecraft delivering a modular cargo module to the International Space Station. (ATK) http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-080312a.html

I like that concept a lot myself--but for Orion or Dragon instead.

Orion is made for the 20,000 mph, 4000 degree 12 G re-entry--compared to that "the low Earth orbit is a Sunday drive." Orion will still use the Avcoatclad heat shield material--" a testament to the engineering ingenuity" of Apollo. The abort system makes up for over half the weight. It will not use the latest electronics due to the ease a stray particle will flip a circuit--"shielding and redundancy have been added."

There will still be dedicated switches for the most important items, but touch screens will be in use. The article goes ton to mention a book by authors Nathan Shedroff and Christopher Noessel called Make It So: Interaction Design Lessons from Science Fiction. http://www.amazon.com/Make-It-So-Interaction-Lessons/dp/1933820985

Okudagrams were just cheaper than individual buttons on the set--so you will have him to thank for the look of Orion's controls--that and 2001 as well. Mike was a strong supporter of Constellation--and I thank him for that.

Is Orion still slated for a 2017 launch—assuming the Space Launch System is ready

Air And Space Smithsonian will also have an article out on that in the near future--October I think. With any luck, they will be more fair minded than the gnord running NASAWATCH

 

[sojourner]

Dragon already has a trunk for external cargo. Works quite well.

 

[gturner]

Orion is made for the 20,000 mph, 4000 degree 12 G re-entry--compared to that "the low Earth orbit is a Sunday drive." Orion will still use the Avcoatclad heat shield material--" a testament to the engineering ingenuity" of Apollo. The abort system makes up for over half the weight. It will not use the latest electronics due to the ease a stray particle will flip a circuit--"shielding and redundancy have been added."

Lunar return typically has re-entry velocities of 24,500 mph, so they better do so more work on their heat shield if they're going to try asteroid capture and return.

 

[publiusr]

I'm sure they are on top of the situation. Besides, if you have nuclear thermal power, you can slow down. Maybe not the best use of reaction mass, but easier on astronauts.

I heard that the engine of the shuttle's OMS pods was a first choice--then the disk type solar arrays. Now its pretty much an ATV for the service module for now.

Folks are still looking at some type of dish for other uses
http://www.universetoday.com/114051/space-shapes-watch-this-origami-solar-array-prototype-unfurl/

O/T--flame research from ISS--good enough for special effects use
http://www.universetoday.com/114062...e-created-on-the-international-space-station/
http://www.universetoday.com/114062...e-created-on-the-international-space-station/

Nice book review here on Mars missions http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2578/1

More on different sized vehicles, and Orion evolution
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=33500.msg1134769#msg1134769

 

[gturner]

The first flight of the SLS has been pushed back to 2018, possibly to 2019.

 

[sojourner]

I'm shocked! Shocked I tell you!

 

[gturner]

According to NASA's schedule, the first launch of a manned Orion will occur four years after the first SLS launch, which would push the Orion mission back to 2022. However, under NASA's rules a manned launch can't take place on the first launch of a new stage, so that should add another two year delay, pushing the first manned Orion mission back to 2024. The Shuttle follow-on program started in 2004...

 

[Dukhat]

So basically, any nation besides the USA could simply buy seats on an American-made Dragonrider and launch into space as early as next year, while the first manned Orion won't be happening until at least 2024?

 

[sojourner]

So basically, any nation besides the USA could simply buy seats on an American-made Dragonrider and launch into space as early as next year, while the first manned Orion won't be happening until at least 2024?

Barring ITAR restrictions.

And the U.S. is already in line to purchase Dragonrider flights. Funding major portions of it's development in fact.

 

[publiusr]

The Shuttle follow-on program started in 2004...

And people keep trying to underfund and kill it--that's not the rocket designers fault--but its enemies.

I wonder how Dreamchaser is doing. I thought there was to be another downselect.

 

[sojourner]

The down select is due sometime in the next week or two.