Agency Moves To Implement Deep Space Exploration Plan
NASA plans to add an unmanned flight test of the Orion
spacecraft in early 2014 to its contract with Lockheed Martin Space
Systems for the multi-purpose crew vehicle's design, development,
test and evaluation. This test supports the new Space Launch System
(SLS) that the administration says will take astronauts farther
into space than ever before, and provide the cornerstone for
America's future human spaceflight efforts.
NASA Orion Artist's Concept
"President Obama and Congress have laid out an ambitious space
exploration plan, and NASA is moving out quickly to implement it,"
NASA Associate Administrator for Communications David Weaver said.
"This flight test will provide invaluable data to support the deep
space exploration missions this nation is embarking upon."
This Exploration Flight Test, or EFT-1, will fly two orbits to a
high-apogee, with a high-energy re-entry through Earth's
atmosphere. Orion will make a water landing and be recovered using
operations planned for future human exploration missions. The test
mission will be launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., to acquire
critical re-entry flight performance data and demonstrate early
integration capabilities that benefit the Orion, SLS, and 21st
Century Ground Systems programs. The agency has posted a synopsis
explaining its intention on NASA's procurement website.
"The entry part of the test will produce data needed to develop
a spacecraft capable of surviving speeds greater than 20,000 mph
and safely return astronauts from beyond Earth orbit," Associate
Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations William
Gerstenmaier said. "This test is very important to the detailed
design process in terms of the data we expect to receive."
NASA SLS Artist's Concept
NASA also intends to release several competitive solicitations
to industry in the near future. One solicitation will request
proposals for the design, development, test and evaluation of a new
advanced liquid or solid booster capability for the SLS. Another
future contract NASA intends to compete will be for the development
of spacecraft, and payload adaptors and fairings for crew and cargo
missions. The competition and award dates for these will be
determined as missions are identified.
NASA is developing the Orion spacecraft to launch astronauts to
asteroids, the moon, Mars and other destinations atop SLS, the
agency's new heavy launch vehicle. An early orbital flight test
such as EFT-1 will provide data needed to influence design
decisions and serve as a pathfinder to validate innovative new
approaches to space systems development. The goal is to reduce the
cost and schedule risks of exploration missions.