Orion - USA's new capsule

news.independent.co.uk...

This new capsule is expected to bring americans back to the moon by 2020. however it does not enter service until 2013-2014. 4 years after the shuttle fleet is to be retired.

looks like the only ride to the ISS during that 4 year time frame will be with the russians.

Anyway, It is a re-useable space capsule designed to be launched with an Ares-1 rocket and will probably be what the first Americans will land on Mars with.

America will never go to mars.. we do not have the resources to do it, the finances to do, the will to do it.

Our sense of exploration and our wonder and awe with space is done. When we went to the moon we where in a space race, everyone was excited about it, no one cares enough to want to go to mars.

Originally posted by Rockpuck
America will never go to mars.. we do not have the resources to do it, the finances to do, the will to do it.

Our sense of exploration and our wonder and awe with space is done. When we went to the moon we where in a space race, everyone was excited about it, no one cares enough to want to go to mars.

Well sadly you are correct that social programs receive more funding than the space program do.

but I wouldnt underestimate the interest in space. I also give the USA the best chance of not having a catastrophic disaster in performing these operations.

if they were planning to go to mars they would also have to design yet another type of craft this one is far to small for the crew to survive the journey there, the only practical way we are gonna get to mars is to combine resources with the russians and mayby chinese/japs ect?

I don't think we will go to Mars for another 30 or so years unfourtunetly.

I mean. you'd think by now since we supposedly went to the Moon almost 37 years ago, that we would've set up some sort of base there to step foward in space exploration....it's the next logical step.

our technology is so crap

Originally posted by solidshot
if they were planning to go to mars they would also have to design yet another type of craft this one is far to small for the crew to survive the journey there, the only practical way we are gonna get to mars is to combine resources with the russians and mayby chinese/japs ect?

That's not the point of this craft. The point of this craft is to setup a base on the Moon to learn all the skills necessary to go to Mars and stay there.

Orion can also be used to loft components of a Mars craft as well, piece by piece. Though I don't want to go until we demonstrate the ability to be able to build a self-sufficient base first with the capacity to refine Moon rocks and dust into fuel as that will save a helluva lot of money in the long run.

Another part of the plan should include sending automated craft to Mars to start setting up habitation and even start to refine fuel for the trip back from Mars. We gotta think ahead if we want to be successful in the long run.

I believe Orion will be used in part to build in space the craft that will explore the solar system, including Mars. I imagine it will be assymbled in orbit around the moon.

The mars/solar system craft will be modular so you can replace components as technology developes such as crew areas, engines, sensor suites and power plant and eventual weapon mounts.

This craft will be very large on the order of a small destroyer or small submarine in size.

Once we assymble a modular craft in space it can be refurbished and upgraded as needed.

Basically a rail system with attach points for its various modules. Anything less is a waste of money and a pipe dream. It would only take around 10-20 heavy lifts to build it. Its fuel will probably come from the moon unless some breakthroughs with anti mater containment and production are made in the real near future.

Think of a flying space station. That is what will go to Mars and the rest of the solar system. You will see.

I believe the new space race is due to a comet or asteroid that is on route to slam into earth and the world governments (that are aware) are working on an escape plan along with an intercept plan and this is the simi cover story.

It may be apophis or a later comming asteroid that will probably never be announced. I will likely be gone by then.

We will either have some of us escape or deflect/destroy it.


[edit on 4-9-2006 by Xeven]

Perhaps to save space and weight, Bigalows inflatable space station could be used as habitation modules. The test one is in orbit right now as we speak.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

In the XXI century they are still projecting capsules?
Then, presuming that they learned something from Apollo Program, they have learned also that Mars is different from Moon, so they can't expect the same features of our Satellite in a Planet like Mars

[edit on 4-9-2006 by L3X]

posted by Xeven
I believe Orion will be used in part to build in space the craft that will explore the solar system, including Mars. I imagine it will be assymbled in orbit around the moon.

I believe the new space race is due to a comet or asteroid that is on route to slam into earth and the world governments (that are aware) are working on an escape plan along with an intercept plan and this is the simi cover story. [Edited by Don W]

Ok, I’m listening to this new spacecraft that Thiokol is about to get a multi billion dollar contract to build. It looks like an Apollo craft. That one was a tight squeeze for 3 men. What does anyone know about its size, its capacity, and how does it compare to the Apollo. I hope to Gosh that we don’t pay a few dozen billions for a warmed over Apollo that some wise guy fetched from a museum and passed off as the wonder of the ages.

When you Google on Ares-1, you ultimately get to the external link I’ve shown below. That Russian monstrosity - N1 - that never flew was said to be able to lift 2X the Saturn 5. I’ve forgotten what that lift was but I’m dead sure it is a lot more than any Ares-1 or Minuteman III which is spiritual father if not its biological one. The listed payload is 3,950 kg or 8,000 pounds, approx. 2 tons. Heck, it would take 10 of those to get one ready for a lunar round-trip. This smells of fraud, deep fraud. Deep in the taxpayer’s pocketbook.

LGM-118A Peacekeeper
* Contractors: Boeing, Martin Marietta, TRW and Denver Aerospace
* Power:
o First Stage: 2.2 MN (500,000 pound-force - lbf) thrust Thiokol SR118 solid fuel motor;
o Second Stage: Aerojet General SR119 solid fuel motor;
o Third Stage: Hercules SR120 solid fuel motor,
o Fourth Stage: Rocketdyne restartable liquid fuel motor; storable hypergolic fuel
* Length: 21.8 Metre|m (71 ft 6 in)
* Diameter: 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in)
* Mass: 87.75 Ton (193,500 lb)
* Range: 5,250 nautical mile (9,700 km)
* Guidance: Inertial (AIRS), 100 m CEP
* Payload: 3950 kg, up to 10 Avco Mk-21 re-entry vehicles each carrying a 300KT (1.25 PJ) W-87 warhead

[edit on 9/4/2006 by donwhite]

Allready been posted:

Lockheed wins 4 billion contract

Originally posted by donwhite
When you Google on Ares-1, you ultimately get to the external link I’ve shown below. That Russian monstrosity - N1 - that never flew was said to be able to lift 2X the Saturn 5. I’ve forgotten what that lift was but I’m dead sure it is a lot more than any Ares-1 or Minuteman III which is spiritual father if not its biological one. The listed payload is 3,950 kg or 8,000 pounds, approx. 2 tons. Heck, it would take 10 of those to get one ready for a lunar round-trip. This smells of fraud, deep fraud. Deep in the taxpayer’s pocketbook.

You should google the Ares V insted. That's the cargo lifter. The Ares 1 is only for the crew.

Lets compair...

Ares V: 130 t (287,000 lb.) to LEO, 65 t (143,000 lb.) to the Moon
Saturn V: 118,000kg (260,145 lbs) to LEO, 47,000kg (103,617 lbs) to the Moon
N-1 Rocket: 95 t (190,000 lbs) into LEO. unknown to the Moon.
Ares I: ~25 metric tons (55,000 lbs.) to LEO [crew only]
Shuttle: 24,400kg (53,700lb) to LEO

The N-1 definately didn't outlift the Saturn, but the Ares V does by a bit.

Orion, eh? they couldn't keep themselves away from Egyptian references!!! it almost makes Hoagland right...

Isn't Orion from Greek Mythology?

posted by jra

Lets compair...
Ares V: 130 t (287,000 lb.) to LEO, 65 t (143,000 lb.) to the Moon
Saturn V: 118,000kg (260,145 lbs) to LEO, 47,000kg (103,617 lbs) to the Moon
N-1 Rocket: 95 t (190,000 lbs) into LEO. unknown to the Moon.
Ares I: ~25 metric tons (55,000 lbs.) to LEO [crew only]
Shuttle: 24,400kg (53,700lb) to LEO
but the Ares V does by a bit.

Thanks. I have missed this. I'm still curious how NASA propses to deal with the solar wind and unpredictable sun spots. What is the status of the plutonium powerd generator for spacecraft?

I disagree with you. Eventually, we will go to Mars. The space program has always been the jurisdiction of the lone dreamers and visionaries who found a way to do it. It will certainly not be 20 years from now and probably not in our lifetimes. However, eventually we will land there. There will probably be some kind of economic incentive, like a mining a ready source of rare earths, or helium-3. One thing for sure is that it won't be in a small tin-can of a spaceship like the Aries craft...warmed over Apollo dreamt up by bureaucrats who long ago should have been purged from NASA. The Russians have a great idea. Instead of crashing the International Space Station into the Pacific, fly it to Mars. It's brilliant!! We need to get the vision and the imagination back into the program. There are thousands of people in America who would give their life savings to be a part of the adventure..