More prosaically speaking, Lockheed Martin has now officially completed the assembly and testing of NASA’s Orion Artemis II spacecraft (above).
Orion Artemis II
Specifically, Lockheed built this version of Orion’s crew module, crew module adaptor and launch abort system. It describes Orion as the most advanced, human-rated, deep space spacecraft ever developed.
The company explains:
“To support the health and safety of the crew, new systems have been added, which include life support – air, water, thermal control, waste management – displays and controls, audio communications, an exercise machine and a fully functional Launch Abort System. Additionally, the vehicle is outfitted with a subset of docking sensors and an experimental laser communication system, enabling high data-rate communications and paving the way for future missions.”
The plan is the mission will also help build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
Launch
What comes next? Orion, for the Artemis II mission, will travel from the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to various processing facilities.
EGS will load propellants and other consumables, such as water and oxygen, and install the launch abort system and its protective fairings.
When this is complete, it will then move to the Vehicle Assembly Building. Here, EGS will lift it onto the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion will undergo final preparations for launch.
Eventually, Artemis IV, in 2028, plans to link up with a space station orbiting the moon called the Lunar Gateway. Annual landings on the moon will follow as part of the preparations for a flight to Mars.
Image: Lockheed Martin
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