Orion was designed to send humans on missions further than ever before, flying from Kennedy Space Center in Florida atop NASA’s Space Launch System rocket.
Aerojet Rocketdyne developed its Launch Abort System jettison motor, designed to separate crew capsule from service module during an emergency launch or ascent and land under parachutes.
Aerojet Rocketdyne
Aerojet Rocketdyne is one of many companies involved with NASA’s Orion spacecraft, designed to carry astronauts on missions to asteroids, the moon, and Mars. Furthermore, the team at Aerojet Rocketdyne are creating its Space Launch System rocket – the world’s largest rocket designed to propel humans faster and safer into space than ever before.
Orion crew will need advanced life support systems and navigational abilities in order to survive deep space exploration. Their capsule will feature the world’s largest heat shield to shield astronauts from radiation that might otherwise attack them on long journeys; additionally, an advanced power system will ensure enough energy remains for returning home after deep-space missions.
Orion European Service Module (ESM) will feature eight 110-pound-thrust bipropellant auxiliary engines based on Aerojet Rocketdyne’s flight-proven R-4D engine family to maintain Orion’s in-space trajectory and supplement its main engine. Aerojet Rocketdyne Redmond facility produces these engines in addition to OMS-E refurbishment services and jettison motor for escape tower separation after liftoff.
Lockheed Martin
Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle from NASA is currently being assembled and tested at Kennedy Space Center in Florida by Lockheed Martin under contract for annual missions known as Artemis. Three Orions will be built simultaneously.
The crew module, drawing upon more than 60 years of NASA space exploration expertise, can accommodate four astronauts on missions lasting 21 days or longer without docking to another spacecraft. It boasts advanced life support systems, avionics and power systems as well as state-of-the-art radiation protection features.
The crew module is intended to launch from a Space Launch System booster and transport astronauts deep into space. It features a tower-style launch abort system capable of reacting within milliseconds to an emergency launch situation by rocketing it free from its failing booster and onto an appropriate splashdown trajectory before being jettisoned. A single AJ10 engine provides primary propulsion while eight R-4D-11 engines and six pods of custom reaction control system engines manufactured by Aerojet Rocketdyne act as backup propulsion systems.
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency’s contribution to NASA’s Orion spacecraft, the cylindrical European Service Module (ESM), provides water, oxygen, electrical power and propulsion. Based on ESA’s Automated Transfer Vehicle which made five deliveries to the International Space Station over its lifetime.
Engineers designed it to shield astronauts from radiation encountered on long space missions. Engineers minimized welds to reduce its weight, using a technique called plastic deformation that turns metal into plastic-like shapes before stirring under high pressure to form welds.
ESA handed the initial service module over to NASA in November 2018 and has conducted rigorous tests designed to simulate the extreme sound and vibration loads it will experience when launched atop SLS. Initial power-on will occur sometime during 2024 when Orion’s crew capsule will be attached, making its journey towards Lunar landing later that same year.
Airbus Defense and Space
NASA is developing the Orion spacecraft as its successor to the Shuttle. It will carry astronauts on missions beyond Earth’s protective magnetic bubble and to the Moon, while providing air, cooling, communication and mobility support via spacesuits.
The crew module, commonly referred to as the capsule, draws upon 60 years of NASA space exploration experience. Equipped with state-of-the-art avionics, power systems and life support features – as well as four astronaut seats for long journeys – it features state-of-the-art avionics, power systems and life support technology that makes long journeys possible for four astronauts. At Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans it uses friction stir welding technology for assembly fusing seven large aluminum alloy pieces together using friction stir welding technology fusing seven large aluminum alloy pieces fused using friction stir welding technology fusing friction stir welding technology.
Space Launch System rocket will use its powerful thrust to propel Orion out of low Earth orbit for its 21-day test flight EM-1, designed to demonstrate that humans can safely survive deep space travel. In addition, this mission will test launch abort system using reusable rocket technology if an error should arise during launch.