NASA has reached an important milestone for the next U.S.
transportation system that will carry humans into deep space. NASA
Administrator Charles Bolden announced Tuesday that the system will
be based on designs originally planned for the Orion Crew
Exploration Vehicle. Those plans now will be used to develop a new
spacecraft known as the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV).
NASA Image
"We are committed to human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit
and look forward to developing the next generation of systems to
take us there," Bolden said. "The NASA Authorization Act lays out a
clear path forward for us by handing off transportation to the
International Space Station to our private sector partners, so we
can focus on deep space exploration. As we aggressively continue
our work on a heavy lift launch vehicle, we are moving forward with
an existing contract to keep development of our new crew vehicle on
track."
Lockheed Martin Corp. will continue working to develop the MPCV.
The spacecraft will carry four astronauts for 21-day missions and
be able to land in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast. The
spacecraft will have a pressurized volume of 690 cubic feet, with
316 cubic feet of habitable space. It is designed to be 10 times
safer during ascent and entry than its predecessor, the space
shuttle.
MPCV Under Development NASA Image
"This selection does not indicate a business as usual mentality
for NASA programs," said Douglas Cooke, associate administrator for
the agency's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate in Washington.
"The Orion government and industry team has shown exceptional
creativity in finding ways to keep costs down through management
techniques, technical solutions and innovation."
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