orion status and multi-mission capabilities

7/27/2019 ORION STATUS AND MULTI-MISSION CAPABILITIES

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INPUT TO THE REVIEW OF U.S. HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT PLANS COMMITTEE

LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION

ORION STATUS AND MULTI-MISSION CAPABILITIESAs the Orion team prepares for the Preliminary Design Review

(PDR) in August 2009, the design is more mature than PDR levels for

similar complex systems, meeting stringent human rating requirements

to ensure a safe, robust, and affordable vehicle to address mission

needs within and beyond Low Earth Orbit(LEO)Human exploration requires going beyond Low Earth Orbit.

Human exploration requires a destination beyond our own making,

such as the Moon, asteroids, or Mars. Exploration is discovering the

unexpected, exploring the unknown, and expanding the range of hu-

man endeavors. The Orion spacecraft provides the ability to stay in

space for 210 days and to re-enter at the velocities typical of lunar orasteroid missions. It is a highly mass efficient, safe, spacecraft config-

ured for trans-LEO missions and also capable of transporting humans

to the ISS. Therefore, it is the only human spacecraft currently con-templated that can do human exploration. Other human spacecraft,

planned to be commercial, cannot perform the human exploration mission. Orion, on the other hand, in addition to human ex-

ploration missions can do the LEO human missions envisioned by the commercial community and other LEO missions as well.

Key Messages

Orion Design is MatureOrion hardware is being

qualified to be safer, more reliable, and more op-

erable than the Shuttle and is approved by theNASA Crew Office

Orion Design is RobustOrion is designed to be

easily adapted to architecture changes and the

schedule can be accelerated to minimize the gap

following Shuttle retirement

Orion is Capable, Flexible and Affordable, ena-

bling U.S. Leadership in Human Space Flight

Orions multi-mission capability and adaptability

will enable LEO missions and exploration beyond

Low Earth Orbit

Orion Design is MatureThe design maturity of the Orion vehicle far exceeds the maturity of the Apollo and Shuttle designs at PDR, according to

engineers and experts who worked on the Apollo and Shuttle programs. This maturity has been achieved with an unprecedented

emphasis on safety, reliability, operability, and affordability in close coordination with the NASA Safety and Astronaut offices.

The requirements and design embrace lessons learned from the Columbia accident report findings regarding loss of crew and

loss of mission, with a focus on design for survivability. The Orion team is adhering to rigorous human rating requirements.

Early quantitative safety and mission success analysis and demonstrations have enabled risk identification to support weight

optimization resulting in sixty design improvements. Orions process for minimizing loss of mission probability for a 210 daymission has resulted in a spacecraft that is currently 8 times safer than the Shuttle with a target of achieving a minimum of 10

times better than the Shuttle.The NASA Constellation program manager recently commended the Orion teams safety analysisstating, We have used this analysis to great effect and have a great vehicle heading into PDR. In addition, a standing review

board serves as an independent review team to routinely assess design maturity, technical issues and risk. At a recent NASA

Independent Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) public meeting, the ASAP commented on the Constellation Programs

process for what they call the design for minimum risk This process incorporates an event-driven reduction in risk so thatresidual risk is both controlled and documented, with retirement taking place

only after a specific event is successfully completed. The advanced design

maturity of Orion serves to greatly reduce program technical, schedule, and cost

risk as the program moves forward to Critical Design Review (CDR).

The Orion project takes advantage of the expertise of all 10 NASA fieldcenters and includes a diverse industry team led by Lockheed Martin and

supported by major subcontractors and small businesses. The NASA/Industry

team benefits from the highly skilled aerospace workforce from across thecountry enabling broad public outreach and constituent support.

Although the first missions for Orion will deliver crew and cargo to the

International Space Station, lunar capability is being designed into Orion from

the outset. The crew capacity requirement recently was optimized from six to

four with a positive impact resulting in an initial Orion configuration that meetsboth Space Station and Lunar mission requirements, thereby reducing testcomplexity, schedule and budget concerns. The system architecture and volume

allows for later modifications to achieve a 6 person contingency crew rescue

capability. The aerodynamics and aero-thermal characteristics of the capsuleconfiguration are well understood and proven advancements in technology are

being integrated into the design. A block upgrade approach has been adopted

with high Technology Readiness Level subsystems used now for near term

LEO missions with a path to graceful continuous product improvement. Any

slips in Orion's Initial Operational Capability (IOC) have been primarily a resultof budget realities rather than design challenges.

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Risk reduction testing of critical subsystems has been ongoing with no technical drivers identified. Features are being in-

corporated into the design to maximize mission success and crew safety. For example, the propulsion system is dual fault toler-

ant for lunar return; the crew module will be fully operational using only one of its two solar arrays; and the crew module struc-

ture has crumple zones designed to enable safe contingency land landings. Many components and subsystems have already

completed development testing. Environmental Control and Life Support Systemcomponentshave been bench tested and someof the Guidance, Navigation and Control hardware and software are being flown in simulation labs using Test-Like-You-Fly

principles. The Crew Module has undergone buoyancy testing. An operational Launch Abort System has been assembled and is

being prepared for a launch pad abort test at White Sands Test Facility later this year. Sixty-one of eighty-three planned windtunnel tests have been completed. The docking system hardware and software is undergoing validation in a specially designed

simulation facility. Fourteen successful parachute drop tests have been completed. Crew Module avionics components have

been lab tested and will fly later this year on the launch pad abort test at White Sands Test Facility. Infrastructure, such as the

Kennedy Space Centers Operations and Checkout (O&C) facility; NASA and industry test labs; and White Sands have been

activated and are being prepared for test, production and operations. The photographs below show some of the Orion hardwarebefore, during, and after testing. Photos Courtesy of NASA

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The Orion development and test program is designed to accommodate current NASA funding and risk levels. While sig-

nificant acceleration of the IOC would be difficult, the following items are examples of program changes that are being evalu-

ated that would result in building additional schedule margin and confidence in meeting the early 2015 IOC:

1. Changing the Systems Qualification test to a Flight Qualification test that includes autonomous docking to the ISS

2. Enabling flight qualification through additional subsystem test and verification, including environmental testing andhuman-in-the-loop testing

3. Adding another CEV Avionics Integration Lab (CAIL) test facility to eliminate lab test bottlenecking

4. Starting production immediately and adding ground operations and production pathfinders to shorten the timeline tolaunch

5. Expediting transfer of ground support equipment from White Sands Test Facility to Kennedy Space Center to support

launch operations

6. Deferring additional lunar-unique requirements/verification could also help accelerate the current IOC date

If additional funds are made available, an improvement in schedule margin and the potential to accelerate the current IOC is

possible.

Orion Design is Robust

Orion is being designed for the harsh environments beyond LEO resulting in a versatile

vehicle suitable for missions within and beyond LEO. While the Crew Module is being de-

signed for four crew members and will provide anytime crew rescue from the ISS, Orion is

also designed to operate autonomously in close proximity to the ISS and can provide ISS re-boost and cargo de-orbit capability.

A smart" Service Module can

provide cargo delivery capabilities

similar to what the Shuttle delivers

today. This version of the service

module can perform repeated tug

missions capturing payloads

located in low Earth orbit for

delivery to the ISS or other orbits.

Currently, the program baseline is to qualify

Orion for both a two propellant tank and a four

propellant tank version. By flying only two of itsfour propellant tanks, Orion can use the additional

volume to perform ISS resupply missions for un-

pressurized cargo. Additionally, the Crew Modulecan deliver and return pressurized cargo depending

on the number of crew aboard Orion. This cargo

concept can deliver approximately 1,800 lbs of

pressurized and unpressurized cargo every crewed

mission (four crew), or approximately 3,600 lbs of

cargo per year at little or no additional cost. This is approximately 17% of the 22,000lbs requirement for ISS servicing in 2015, leaving ample opportunities for commer-

cial cargo supply for the ISS. Orion could also provide 100% of ISS annual cargo

requirements at a cost equal to or less than the current commercial approaches to sup-plement planned commercial systems. This concept employs an upgraded autono-

mous Orion Service Module as a tug once the primary ISS mission is complete and

after the Crew Module has been delivered

to its de-orbit target. Using low cost

launch vehicles that do not have ISS-qualified transfer stages to deliver cargo

to LEO, the autonomous Orion Service

Module can capture the cargo in LEO then deliver it to the ISS with its sparepropellant capacity.

Currently designed to transport

four astronauts to the moon,

Orion has considerable

capabilities for missions in low

Earth orbit. Its first mission

delivers four astronauts to ISS.

Currently designed to transport

four astronauts to the moon,

Orion has considerable

capabilities for missions in low

Earth orbit. Its first mission

delivers four astronauts to ISS.

Orion stays at ISS for 210 days as a

crew rescue vehicle providing

anytime return. It can provide space

station re-boost and de-orbit assist.

Cargo and science payloads can be

affordably delivered to and from ISS

using the existing Crew Module for

pressurized cargo and the Service

Module for un-pressurized cargo.

Orion stays at ISS for 210 days as a

crew rescue vehicle providing

anytime return. It can provide space

station re-boost and de-orbit assist.

Cargo and science payloads can be

affordably delivered to and from ISS

using the existing Crew Module for

pressurized cargo and the Service

Module for un-pressurized cargo.

In addition to providing cargo services in conjunction with Orions nominal

ISS missions, the upgraded autonomous Service Module as described above couldbe launched to deliver 30,000 lbs of unpressurized cargo including additional nodes,

large spares and Orbital Replacement Units (ORUs) if the ISS continues to operate

beyond 2016. With spare propellant capacity, even in the two tank version of theService Module, the ability exists to provide ISS re-boost reducing reliance on the

International Partners providing this service. In addition, when it is necessary to

deorbit the ISS, Orion can provide this capability using a full propellant load in a

four tank version.

A smart" Service Module can

provide cargo delivery capabilities

similar to what the Shuttle delivers

today. This version of the service

module can perform repeated tug

missions capturing payloads

located in low Earth orbit for

delivery to the ISS or other orbits.

Orion can support NASAs Science Mission Directorate by hosting payloads

and delivering or servicing spacecraft. A remote manipulator system can be in-

stalled in one of the cargo compartments and on-orbit servicing for the ISS and

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other spacecraft can be performed. A science payload or observation instrument

can be installed in one of the cargo compartments and the Service Module can

serve as a science or observation platform after the nominal crew delivery mission

is complete. Since the baseline design mission duration for the Service Module is

210 days at the ISS, there is ample time for a variety of science experiments. Useof all four propellant tanks in the Service Module could provide additional delta V

(approximately 600 meters/second), thereby allowing the Service Module to

operate as a space platform or a space tug for non-functioning satellites.

The Orion Service Module can be

used to transport and deliver

small secondary payloads into

orbit for science, defense or

university missions.

The Orion Service Module can be

used to transport and deliver

small secondary payloads into

orbit for science, defense or

university missions.

A pair of Orions can be launched for a six-month mission to a Near Earth

Object (asteroid) as early as 2018. The two-Orion configuration provides

additional habitat volume, provisions, propellant and redundancy without the need

for development of any new

Constellation elements. Thiscould provide an early opportunity

for an operational exploration

mission prior to a lunar missionwhile supporting NASAs high

priority science objectives and serving as a pathfinder for Mars missions,

thereby validating Orions design for long duration deep space missions. An

Orion crewed mission to libration points could provide a servicing capability for

the James Webb Space Telescope or other science pl

Orions considerable capabilities are a

result of its design to operate beyond low

Earth orbit in a variety of extremely

demanding and harsh environments.

Currently, Orion is the only human rated

vehicle that can perform missions to the

moon, to nearby asteroids and other

destinations in our solar system.

Orions considerable capabilities are a

result of its design to operate beyond low

Earth orbit in a variety of extremely

demanding and harsh environments.

Currently, Orion is the only human rated

vehicle that can perform missions to the

moon, to nearby asteroids and other

destinations in our solar system.

atforms.Orion is highly configurable

with the addition of mission kits to

perform the various missions de-scribed above. Since it is already

being qualified for a four-tank and

a two-tank Service Module con-

figuration, a range of missions anddestinations is possible while

maintaining the ability to easily

adapt to potential changes in the

overall Constellation architecture.

Modified to include a robotic arm,

Orion can support humanservicing missions to large space

telescopes such as Hubble.

Capable of supporting extra-

vehicular activity, Orion can attach

to, repair, re-boost or de-orbit

these large spacecraft.

Modified to include a robotic arm,

Orion can support humanservicing missions to large space

telescopes such as Hubble.

Capable of supporting extra-

vehicular activity, Orion can attach

to, repair, re-boost or de-orbit

these large spacecraft.

Orion Capability Enables U.S. Human Space Flight LeadershipOrion is being designed as a safe, affordable, and operable system for Con-

stellation missions with the flexibility to support additional space exploration mis-sions. Using Orion for science, civil, and defense missions leverages the govern-

ments investment and ensures the United States maintains its preeminence in

space while inspiring our next generation of scientists and engineers.

orion status and multi-mission capabilities

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