Post by glactus on Sept 29, 2011 2:02:25 GMT
The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) is a planned spacecraft that is being built by Lockheed Martin for NASA, the space agency of the United States, based on designs and tests already completed for the Orion spacecraft. The MPCV was announced by NASA on 24 May 2011. Debut unmanned test flight, known as OFT-1, will launch aboard a Delta IV Heavy rocket in July 2013
Orion crew capsule in lunar orbit
The MPCV is being developed for crewed missions to an asteroid and then to Mars. The capsule is also planned as a backup vehicle for cargo and crewed missions to the International Space Station. It will be launched by the Space Launch System.
Orion in Earth orbit
The crew module is the transportation capsule that provides a hospitable habitat for the crew, provides storage for consumables and research instruments, and serves as the docking port for crew transfers. The crew module is the only part of the MPCV that returns to Earth after each mission.
Orion and service module
The crew module will have 316 cubic feet (8.9 m3) and capabilities of carrying four astronauts for 21 day flights itself which could be expanded through additional service modules. Its designers claim that the MPCV is designed to be 10 times safer during ascent and entry than the Space Shuttle.
Credits: These are NASA/JPL images
Text by Wikipedia
Orion crew capsule in lunar orbit
The MPCV is being developed for crewed missions to an asteroid and then to Mars. The capsule is also planned as a backup vehicle for cargo and crewed missions to the International Space Station. It will be launched by the Space Launch System.
Orion in Earth orbit
The crew module is the transportation capsule that provides a hospitable habitat for the crew, provides storage for consumables and research instruments, and serves as the docking port for crew transfers. The crew module is the only part of the MPCV that returns to Earth after each mission.
Orion and service module
The crew module will have 316 cubic feet (8.9 m3) and capabilities of carrying four astronauts for 21 day flights itself which could be expanded through additional service modules. Its designers claim that the MPCV is designed to be 10 times safer during ascent and entry than the Space Shuttle.
Credits: These are NASA/JPL images
Text by Wikipedia