Orion+spacecraft

2014 Spring Editor: Joaquin Gonzalez 2011 Spring Editor: Kristopher Davis 2010 Fall Editor: Steven Gowans

=What is Orion = The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) is NASA's next generation spacecraft that is being designed by Lockheed Martin. The spacecraft is named after the Orion Constellation, which is one of the most prominent constellations in the night sky. Orion differs from the previous generation of manned spacecraft in that it does not look like a winged vehicle. The Orion spacecraft resembles the Apollo mission spacecraft. The MPCV will consist of the Crew Module, which will house the crew and the Service Module, which includes the spacecraft's propulsion system and crew supplies. The Orion MPCV will then be attached to a rocket that will launch it into space. Orion development began in 2005 as part of the Constellation program, where Orion would fulfill the function of a Crew Exploration Vehicle.

Each Orion spacecraft is projected to carry a crew of four astronauts. The spacecraft was originally designed to be launched by the Ares I launch vehicle. As of 11 October 2010, with the canceling of the Constellation Program, the Ares program has ended. Development of the Orion spacecraft continued because it supports the presidential goals for space exploration. Orion's first test flight will be launched from atop of a Delta IV heavy rocket. Eventually Orion will be launched on top of the Space Launch System, NASA's future heavy lift rocket. This new launch platform will be the most powerful rocket ever built by NASA. This new powerful rocket will enable the Orion spacecraft to go further into space than any previous manned spacecraft. The Orion spacecraft is a key component to future human missions to space.

=Plans for Orion Spacecraft = The Orion MPCV is designed to accommodate both low Earth orbit and beyond low Earth orbit missions. Orion's first Exploration Test Flight (EFT-1) is scheduled to occur during December 2014. The EFT-1 test flight will be unmanned and will orbit the Earth twice before making reentry into Earth. This test will validate Orion's flight control systems. Orion's second unmanned Exploration Mission (EM-1) will take Orion on a circumlunar trajectory around the moon. EM-1 is expected to occur in late 2017 and will last approximately 7-days. Orion's first manned Exploration Mission (EM-2) is expected to occur in 2025 and will take a crew to either an asteroid or the moon. Exploration Mission-3 (EM-3) is anticipated to occur in the mid-2030s and may be a mission to Mars. The Orion spacecraft is also expected to conduct missions carrying humans to the International Space Station in 2015.

=Specifications = -March 26, 2009 updated May 6, 2014
 * **Orion Summary ** ||
 * Role: || Low Earth Orbit and beyond Low Earth Orbit Missions ||
 * Crew: || 4-6 ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Crewed mission duration: || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">21-210 days ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Carrier Rocket: || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Delta IV (current) Space Launch System (Future) ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Total change in velocity: || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4,920 ft./s ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Gross liftoff weight: || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">69,181 lbs. ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Effective mass to orbit: || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">50,231 lbs. ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Crew Module-Crew and Cargo Transport ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pressurized Volume: || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">690.6 cu. ft. ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Habitable Volume: || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">316 cu. ft. ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Landing Weight: || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">19,463 lbs. ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Gross liftoff weight || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">21,650 lbs. ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Service Module- Propulsion, Electrical Power, Fluids Storage ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oxygen/nitrogen/water || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">694 lbs. ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Propellant weight || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">17,433 lbs. ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Gross liftoff weight || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">27,198 lbs. ||

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Orion Exploration Flight Test Animation
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The following link provides an animation of what we can expect from EFT-1: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Visual Simulation of EFT-1]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Jay Estes
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Overview: This is a video simulating EFT-1
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Last Updated: Unknown
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Date Reviewed: May 5, 2014
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reviewed By: Joaquin Gonzalez
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Accuracy: This site is maintained by NASA and is current.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reliability and Clarity: N/A
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ease of Navigation: Very easy.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Student Designed Radiation Experiment Chosen to Soar aboard Orion EFT-1 Test Flight In Dec. 2014

 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Ken Kramer
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Overview: Students from the Governors School for Science and Technology in Hampton, VA won NASA's Exploration Design Challenge competition. The goal of the competition was to design shields that would minimize radiation exposure to astronauts on the Orion spacecraft during test mission EFT-1.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Last Updated: May 3, 2014
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Date Reviewed: May 5, 2014
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reviewed By: Joaquin Gonzalez
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Accuracy: Universe Today is a website maintained by astrojournalists and reporters interested in space. Lat year, over 36 million people visited the website.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reliability and Clarity: The article is long but it does provide a detailed explanation on how the students won the competition. It also explains the purpose of the experiment and how they will conduct the experiment
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ease of Navigation: Easy to navigate

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Orion Monthly Accomplishments

 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Orion Monthly Accomplishments]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: NASA
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Overview: This link takes you to NASA's webpage the archives the milestones of the Orion Spacecraft's development on a month-to-month basis. It provides the information in a newsletter type format that is brief and concise.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Last Updated: March 2014
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Date Reviewed: May 5, 2014
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reviewed By: Joaquin Gonzalez
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Accuracy: Very accurate, site is maintained by NASA
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reliability and Clarity: Easy to read and information is in chronological order.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ease of Navigation: The navigation function can be improved. In addition to the month, it would be helpful if they somehow indicated milestones that are more noteworthy. The way it is formatted you have to click on each month to reveal what information is contained in the update.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">NASA Orion Update

 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Jonathan O'Callaghan
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Overview: This link takes you to an interview of NASA's Paul Marshall. Paul Marshall is the assistant manager for strategy integration on the Orion program. In the interview, Paul Marshall provides insight on the Orion program.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Last Updated: January 14, 2013
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Date Reviewed: May 5, 2014
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reviewed By: Joaquin Gonzalez
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Accuracy: Although the article is over a year old it still provides relevant information on the Orion spacecraft
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reliability and Clarity: The information is provided in an interview format with a manger of the Orion program, thus the information is reliable.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ease of Navigation: Easy to navigate.

How man will land on Mars

 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2616642/How-man-land-Mars-Nasa-video-reveals-steps-needed-transport-humans-Mars-2030s.html
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Jonathan O'Callaghan and Mark Prigg
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Overview: This article provides information on NASA's plans for a manned mission to Mars. The Orion Spacecraft is a key component of those plans
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Last Updated: April 30, 2014
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Date Reviewed: May 6, 2014
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reviewed By: Joaquin Gonzalez
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Accuracy: This article is current and up-to-date.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reliability and Clarity: The information provided in the webpage is accurate.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ease of Navigation: Easy to navigate.

2011
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 32px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">Orion Spacecraft Blue Prints == = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

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=NASA= <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">

[|http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/index.html#.U2gUI1ef8cs] Page Last Updated: April 27, 2011 Paged Editor: Amiko Kauderer Date Read: 5/24/2011 Reviewed By: Joaquin Gonzalez Review Date: May 5, 2015- Updated hyperlink

NASA is a great source for looking up anything that has to do with space.
NASA has the most updated news and the website stays current. Even if you click on this link a year or two from now it will still take you to the info it will just be updated and it will stay current for your convenience. Overall great source

=Lockheed Martin= == [] Date Read: 5/24/2011 Reviewed By: Joaquin Gonzalez Review Date: May 5, 2015- Updated hyperlink

Lockheed Martin is the designer of the Orion Spacecraft so of course when it comes down to it he knows what he is talking about. On his website he has all kinds of information/videos/pictures. He also has videos with future plans of what he wants orion to be capable of (digitally enhanced of course). Also A top website for updated news on the Orion Spacecraft topic plenty of in formation here for views open to the public. = = =Huffpost Tech: Orion Spacecraft Unveiled: Vehicle May Take Humans To Martian Moon= [|http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/24/orion-space-capsule-lockheed-martin_n_839892.html#s257221] Page Last Updated: May 24, 2011 Page Author: Catharine Smith Date Read 5/24/2011 Huffpost Tech is a up to date website with many pictures. It is on point with the Orion Spacecraft news. The thing that it lacks is a lot of information. The information is up to date but it has more pictures than information. But the information that they do have is current and easy to read and understand. It also has many other links on the page directing to sites that have more info on the things that are related to the Orion spacecraft which is a nice touch. Website talks about Lockheed and his plans for the spacecraft and all the info unveilings on the space craft.

=GIZMAG: First Orion Spacecraft Begins Testing= [] Page Last Updated: March 24, 2011 Page Author: Steven Hondrogiannis Date Read: 4/24/2011 This site is amazing it has all current news on the Orion Spacecraft to go along with pictures and videos. It also has a comment box for people to leave their feedabck. It goes into the things that are happening now with Orion as well as its future plans of bringing humans to mars. Overall wonderful website with great details on the Orion spacecraft topic.

=Space Travel: Orion Spacecraft Takes Shape= [] Page Last Updated: June 18, 2010 Date Read: 5/24/2011 This site has info on the Orion spacecraft mission. It has the specifics on the ship and details on the construction on the Orion Spacecraft itself. Only bad thing about the site is the format it isn't to easy to look at and the sizing of the font makes it a little hard to look at and stay focused because the text is so large. Other than that the info on the spacecraft itself is amazing and informative. = = =2010= =ORION SPACECRAFT= http://averyhenderson.wordpress.com/2009/02/10/what-happened-to-the-new-shuttle/ [] date read- Nov 28, 2010

Date Read: 11/29/2009
Reviewed By: Joaquin Gonzalez Review Date: May 5, 2015- Updated hyperlink