Yesterday, March 21, Denver, Colorado-based Lockheed Martin unveiled the first completed Orion spacecraft, which it developed for the American space agency. At the same time, it announced the inauguration of a new, state-of-the-art Space Operations Simulation Center (SOSC).These were two of the most ambitious projects the corporation had planned for this year, and they both came to a successful fruition. With the space capsule now ready, and with the SOSC operational, engineering teams at the company can begin orbital docking simulations.
The stated goal for this spacecraft is to ensure safe, affordable and sustainable human exploration, even of targets located beyond low-Earth orbit. These may include the Moon, Mars and nearby asteroids.
Orion answers the space agency's call for a Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, and also marks the successful completion of the Orion Project. The implications this space capsule will have on human spaceflight will undoubtedly begin to unravel soon.
Both projects are currently based at the Waterton Facility Lockheed Martin operates near Denver. According to company representatives, the next stage is to begin validating Orion for flight.
At first, the capsule will be put through some rigorous tests, that will reveal any structural weakness it may have. Afterwards, it will be subjected to conditions that will simulate the harshness of outer space.
Officials at Lockheed say that Orion needs to carry out its maiden orbital flight in 2013, which gives engineers only about a year to put the spacecraft in order. The NASA Authorization Act of 2010 calls for Orion to provide initial operational flights by 2016.
“Our nation’s next bold step in exploration could begin by 2016. Orion was designed from inception to fly multiple, deep-space missions,” explains John Karas, the Lockheed Human Space Flight programs general manager and vice-president.
“The spacecraft is an incredibly robust, technically advanced vehicle capable of safely transporting humans to asteroids, Lagrange Points and other deep space destinations that will put us on an affordable and sustainable path to Mars,” the official adds.
“Lockheed Martin built this remarkable facility [SOSC] to develop and test spacecraft systems, further demonstrating our commitment to improve safety and advance capabilities for future U.S. human spaceflight,” Karas goes on to say.
“Our collective expertise in systems integration, planetary exploration and human spaceflight operations will help ensure success for our nation’s next generation space transportation system,” he adds in a Lockheed Martin
press release.
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