Orion Moved From NASA Control Today To Lockheed Martin

Status
Not open for further replies.
D

docm

Guest
Orion removed from NASA control...

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2010/03/ ... ommercial/

Orion removed from NASA control – MOD positioning for commercial role

NASA managers are pushing through the shutdown of the Constellation Program (CxP) at a pace, with a series of memos showing all the Ares test flights have already been cancelled, along Orion ‘defunded’ and returned to the sole control of contractor Lockheed Martin. Meanwhile, MOD director Paul Hill has written to NASA administrator Charlie Bolden, requesting the Agency promotes MOD to the commercial sector.

>
There remains some hope that lead contractor – Lockheed Martin – may yet be able to modify the work already conducted on Orion into a vehicle of a smaller – taxi-like only – design, one which could become a viable crew transport of choice for a commercial carrier to the International Space Station (ISS).
>
Ironically, NASA involvement is continuing on another vehicle, SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, as engineers check the progress of the transport’s Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) testing and EVA (Spacewalk) capability.

“Engineering is at SpaceX for some CBM tests. Per SpaceX request, (engineers) went to SpaceX to assess Dragon EVA compatibility,”
>
 
R

rockett

Guest
Re: Orion removed from NASA control...

WOW So they killed it ALL! I had some small hope Orion would survive for launch by somebody else. Honestly I can't say I surprised though. They did the same thing at the SSC when I was working there and the Clinton administration took over. It was like they sent a SWAT team in when they cancelled us...
 
M

mr_mark

Guest
As reported at nasaspaceflight.com, NASA has given full control of Orion to Lockheed Martin to develop Orion as a Private spacecraft. NASA still must fulfill until 2011 it's budget obligations but, basically all work has stopped on the Orion vehicle at NASA. Also this just in NASA working closely with Spacex for crewed Dragon Spacecraft.
 
T

trailrider

Guest
Re: Orion removed from NASA control...

WAIT A MINUTE! HOLD ON THERE! I thought they couldn't do that without Congress approving it! They will still have to pay whatever the costs of contract closeout to LockMart. However, maybe now L-M, given an appropriate heavy-lift booster can get somewhere with the Orion spacecraft! Of course, L-M doesn't have any potential boosters around, do they??? ;) Like maybe man-rating Atlas 5 and/or Delta 4!

Of course, it is true that any human spaceflight beyond LEO will have to await an HLV. Lately there have been mumblings from the White House about "Mars being our goal," etc. Well, Mars could be our goal...with maybe some "technology development" on that "Ol' Debil Moon". (How do you say, "Passport please!" in Cantonese? :evil: )

It is still going to take action by Congress before any of this can be "finalized"!

Ad LEO! Ad Luna! Ad Ares! Ad Astra!
 
R

rockett

Guest
Re: Orion removed from NASA control...

trailrider":2qo0ei50 said:
WAIT A MINUTE! HOLD ON THERE! I thought they couldn't do that without Congress approving it!

Bolden can do pretty much what he wants, as long as Congress doesn't interfere directly. If you have watched any vids of his Congressional grilling, um excuse me "testimony" (if I recall it was on an episode of "This Week In Space"), it was pretty obvious while he doesn't seem to like the White House's marching orders, as a good soldier, he'll follow them to the bitter end.
 
T

trailrider

Guest
Re: Orion removed from NASA control...

rockett":1zplmtwa said:
trailrider":1zplmtwa said:
WAIT A MINUTE! HOLD ON THERE! I thought they couldn't do that without Congress approving it!

Bolden can do pretty much what he wants, as long as Congress doesn't interfere directly. If you have watched any vids of his Congressional grilling, um excuse me "testimony" (if I recall it was on an episode of "This Week In Space"), it was pretty obvious while he doesn't seem to like the White House's marching orders, as a good soldier, he'll follow them to the bitter end.

No, I don't think so! IIRC, Congress passed a LAW around 2004 or maybe it was more recently, that prevents the administration from cancelling Constellation or possibly other programs without their consent! Bolden may be "the good Marine", but he can't violate the law! I can't find the references to the legislation right now, but I'm sure it was passed.

If nothing else, it is going to "irrigate"-off some of the folks at "Foggy Bottom"!
 
E

EarthlingX

Guest
http://www.lockheedmartin.com : Orion Spacecraft on the Path to Future Flight
CAPE CANAVERAL, FL ,

September 21st, 2010

-- Preparations for Orion’s first mission in 2013 are well under way as a Lockheed Martin-led crew begins lean assembly pathfinding operations for the spacecraft. The crew is conducting simulated manufacturing and assembly operations with a full-scale Orion mockup to verify the tools, processes and spacecraft integration procedures work as expected.

As the nation’s next generation spacecraft for human spaceflight, the Orion crew exploration vehicle is designed to support missions to the International Space Station and far beyond into deep space. The Orion spacecraft will be fully assembled and integrated on site in the Operations & Checkout (O&C) Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, a capability that provides significant time and cost savings.


A production assembly crew lowers a full-scale Orion mockup onto the crew module holding structure during an assembly pathfinding maneuver at the Operations & Checkout Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Image Credit: NASA

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atwBhIHRZ0U[/youtube]
LockheedMartinVideos | September 21, 2010

Preparations for Orion's first mission in 2013 are well under way as a Lockheed Martin-led crew begins lean assembly pathfinding operations for the spacecraft.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts