Orion (spacecraft)

This article is about the crewed spacecraft class. For the Apollo Lunar Module named Orion, see Apollo 16. For the nuclear drive rocket, see Project Orion (nuclear propulsion). For other uses, see Orion (disambiguation).

Orion
Photo of Orion taken during the flight of Artemis I
Manufacturer
OperatorNASA[1]
ApplicationsCrewed exploration beyond LEO[2]
Project costUS$21.5 billion ($26.3 billion inflation adjusted to 2022)
Specifications
Spacecraft typeCrewed
Launch mass
  • CM: 22,900 lb (10,400 kg)
  • ESM: 34,085 lb (15,461 kg)
  • Combined mass: 58,467 lb (26,520 kg)
  • Total with LAS: 73,735 lb (33,446 kg)
Dry mass
  • CM: 20,500 lb (9,300 kg) landing weight
  • ESM: 13,635 lb (6,185 kg)
Payload capacity220 lb (100 kg) return payload
Crew capacity4[1]
Volume
  • Pressurized: 690.6 cu ft (20 m3)[4]
  • Habitable: 316 cu ft (9 m3)
PowerSolar
RegimeLunar Transfer Orbit, lunar orbit
Design life21.1 days[3]
Dimensions
Length10 feet 10 inches (3.30 m)
Diameter16 feet 6 inches (5.03 m)
Production
StatusIn service
On order6–12 (+3 ordered before 2019)[5]
Built4
Launched2
Maiden launchDecember 5, 2014 (EFT-1)
Related spacecraft
Derived from
  • Crew Exploration Vehicle
  • ATV

Orion (Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle or Orion MPCV) is a partially reusable crewed spacecraft used in NASA's Artemis program. The spacecraft consists of a Crew Module (CM) space capsule designed by Lockheed Martin that is paired with a European Service Module (ESM) manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space. Capable of supporting a crew of four beyond low Earth orbit, Orion can last up to 21 days undocked and up to six months docked. It is equipped with solar panels, an automated docking system, and glass cockpit interfaces. Orion is launched atop a Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with a tower launch escape system.

Orion was conceived in the early 2000s by Lockheed Martin as a proposal for the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) to be used in NASA's Constellation program and was selected by NASA in 2006. Following the cancellation of the Constellation program in 2010, Orion was extensively redesigned for use in NASA's Journey to Mars initiative; later named Moon to Mars. The SLS became Orion's primary launch vehicle, and the service module was replaced with a design based on the European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle. A development version of Orion's crew module was launched in 2014 during Exploration Flight Test-1, while at least four test articles were produced. Orion was primarily designed by Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Littleton, Colorado, with former Space Shuttle engineer Julie Kramer White at NASA as Orion's chief engineer.[6]

As of 2022, three flight-worthy Orion spacecraft were under construction, with one completed and an additional one ordered,[a] for use in NASA's Artemis program. The first completed unit, CM-002, was launched on November 16, 2022, on Artemis I.[9][10][11]

The Trump administration has called for the termination of Orion spacecraft program after Artemis III.

  1. ^ a b "Orion Reference Guide" (PDF). NASA Johnson Space Center. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 5, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  2. ^ "NASA Authorization Act of 2010". Thomas.loc.gov. Archived from the original on December 19, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2010.
  3. ^ Bergin, Chris (July 10, 2012). "NASA ESD set key Orion requirement based on Lunar missions". NASASpaceFlight.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
  4. ^ "Orion Quick facts" (PDF). NASA. August 4, 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  5. ^ "NASA Commits to Long-term Artemis Missions with Orion Production Contract". NASA. September 23, 2019. Archived from the original on June 24, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  6. ^ Cesar, Alan (December 15, 2023). "An Aerospace Titan Rooted in the Midwest". Aerogram. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  7. ^ Foust, Jeff (September 24, 2019). "NASA awards long-term Orion production contract to Lockheed Martin". SpaceNews. Retrieved December 10, 2019. The Orion Production and Operations Contract includes an initial order of three Orion spacecraft, for missions Artemis 3, 4 and 5, for $2.7 billion.
  8. ^ Clark, Stephen (November 29, 2019). "Earth observation, deep space exploration big winners in new ESA budget". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on December 10, 2019. Retrieved December 10, 2019. ESA member states put up money for two Orion service modules at this week's summit in Seville. The power and propulsion modules will fly with NASA's Orion spacecraft carrying astronauts to the moon on the Artemis 3 and Artemis 4 missions...
  9. ^ Kraft, Rachel (May 16, 2022). "Artemis I Mission Availability". NASA. Archived from the original on December 11, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  10. ^ Wattles, Jackie (November 8, 2022). "NASA's Artemis I mission delayed again as storm barrels toward launch site". CNN. Warner Bros Discovery. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  11. ^ "NASA Prepares Rocket, Spacecraft Ahead of Tropical Storm Nicole, Re-targets Launch". NASA. November 8, 2022. Archived from the original on November 8, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.


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