CEV with lunar lander

CEV during a landing on earth

CEV rocket, the "Crew Launch Vehicle" (CLV) (right) along side the heavy-lift "Cargo Launch Vehicle" (CaLV) rocket. Both are derived from the current Space Shuttle

The Crew Exploration Vehicle is NASA's proposed series of human spaceflight spacecraft, intended to supercede the space shuttle system. Together with the Earth Departure Stage, the Lunar Surface Access Module, and the associated launch infrastructure, the CEV is one of the elements of Project Constellation. There is a report that the CEV has been christened Altair^[1] — named after a variable double star in the constellation Aquila (see Nomenclature below). Image File history File links Cev_with_lander. ... Image File history File links Cev_with_lander. ... Image File history File links Cev_landing. ... Image File history File links Cev_landing. ... Image File history File links Cev_rockets. ... Image File history File links Cev_rockets. ... Comparison of the Saturn V, Space Shuttle and the two proposed Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicles. ... NASA logo Listen to this article · (info) This audio file was created from an article revision dated 2005-09-01, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ... Human spaceflight is space exploration with a human crew, and possibly passengers (in contrast to dog-manned space missions, which are remotely-controlled or robotic space probes). ... An Ariane 5 expendable launch vehicle lifts off with the Rosetta spacecraft on March 2, 2004. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition, 1981 (NASA). ... The CEV Earth Departure Stage (EDS) is the name of the upper stage of the heavy-lift Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicle that will place the Lunar Surface Access Module into low Earth orbit, which will then propel the CEV/LSAM combination to the Moon. ... The CEV Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM) is the planned landing vehicle that will allow astronauts to land on the lunar surface when flights to the Moon will resume after 2015. ... Comparison of the Saturn V, Space Shuttle and the two proposed Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicles. ... Boeings CEV concept The Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) is NASAs proposed series of human spaceflight spacecraft, intended to replace the space shuttle system. ... Aquila (Latin for Eagle), is one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy and is now also part of the list of 88 constellations acknowledged by the IAU. It lies roughly at the celestial equator. ...

Origin

The proposal to create the CEV is partly a reaction to the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, the Columbia Accident Investigation Board report and the White House's review of the American space program; the CEV replaces the Orbital Space Plane program. Shuttle debris falling over Texas, on Time cover The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster was the disintegration of the Space Shuttle Columbia over Texas on February 1, 2003, during reentry into the Earths atmosphere on its 28th mission, STS-107. ... Memorial emblem for the three U.S. human space flight accidents. ... The southern side of the White House The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States of America. ... // Background The Orbital Space Plane program (now defunct and replaced by the Spiral series of CEV — Crew Exploration Vehicles) was designed to support the International Space Station requirements for crew rescue, crew transport and contingency cargo such as supplies, food and other needed equipment. ...

On January 14, 2004, President George W. Bush announced the CEV as part of the Vision for Space Exploration: January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... It has been designated the: International Year of Rice (by the United Nations) International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO) 2004 World Health Day topic was Road Safety (by World Health Organization) Year of the Monkey (by the Chinese calendar) See the world in... The presidential seal was used by president Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States. ... Image from NASA site Two planned configurations for a return to the moon, heavy lift (left) and crew (right) The Vision for Space Exploration is the United States space policy announced on January 14, 2004 by President George W. Bush. ...

"Our second goal is to develop and test a new spacecraft, the Crew Exploration Vehicle, by 2008, and to conduct the first manned mission no later than 2014. The Crew Exploration Vehicle will be capable of ferrying astronauts and scientists to the Space Station after the shuttle is retired. But the main purpose of this spacecraft will be to carry astronauts beyond our orbit to other worlds. This will be the first spacecraft of its kind since the Apollo Command Module."

U.S. Space Shuttle astronaut Bruce McCandless II using a manned maneuvering unit (MMU) outside the Challenger in 1984. ... Albert Einstein is almost without question, currently the most widely recognized scientist among the general public. ...

Design

In September, 2005, NASA decided to use an Apollo-like capsule for the CEV design, dubbed by NASA Administrator Michael Griffin as "Apollo on steroids." This is due to the fact that the new CEV design will use the crew and service module design principle, instead of a spaceplane-style lifting body used in the Space Shuttle system. The "Apollo" reference is reflected in the design of the modules, which is virtually identical to the Apollo Command Module. The new vehicle configuration, which uses both an Earth Orbit Rendezvous and a Lunar Orbit Rendezvous technique, can be broken down into three parts: The CEV Crew & Service Modules, the CEV Lunar Surface Access Module, and the CEV Earth Departure Stage. Apollo Spacecraft: Command Module, Service Module, Lunar Module. ... Dr.Michael D. Griffin Dr. Michael Douglas Griffin (born November 1, 1949 in Aberdeen, Maryland) is the current NASA Administrator. ... In chemistry and biology, Steroids are a type of lipid, characterized by a carbon skeleton with four fused rings. ... A spacecrafts service module is a compartment containing a variety of support systems used for spacecraft operations, but not any habitable area. ... A spaceplane is a rocket plane designed to pass the edge of space. ... Description Role: Earth and Lunar Orbit Crew: 3; CDR, CM pilot, LM pilot Dimensions Height: 36. ... Earth Orbit Rendezvous was a proposed method for American space missions to the moon. ... Lunar Orbit Rendezvous was the method of flying to the moon used in the Apollo Missions, where a Main ship would carry a ferry to the moon which would carry astronauts down to the surface. ... The CEV Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM) is the planned landing vehicle that will allow astronauts to land on the lunar surface when flights to the Moon will resume after 2015. ... The CEV Earth Departure Stage (EDS) is the name of the upper stage of the heavy-lift Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicle that will place the Lunar Surface Access Module into low Earth orbit, which will then propel the CEV/LSAM combination to the Moon. ...

CEV Crew & Service Modules

The CEV Crew & Service Modules (CSM) consists of two main parts--a conical crew module shaped similarly to the Apollo Command Module and capable of holding three to six crew members, and a cylindrical service module which will hold the spacecraft's onboard supplies. The CSM will be built on the designs of the Apollo CSM, but with the technologies introduced on the Space Shuttle in the past 20+ years of operation. Such technologies will include, but are not limited to, the "glass cockpit" technologies, improved waste management (the use of a minaturized camping-style toilet instead of the much-hated plastic bags for fecal disposal, and a unisex "relief tube" for urine elimination), and an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere at sea level or slightly reduced pressure instead of a pure oxygen atmosphere, the latter being extremely flammable as was the case in the Apollo 1 fire. The main feature that will be introduced in the new crew module will be a new recovery system that will employ the use of a combination of parachutes and airbags for capsule recovery. This will allow NASA to retrieve the CEV crew module on land, much like the Russian retrieval of the Soyuz descent module, and eliminate the need for an expensive naval recovery fleet employed on previous pre-Shuttle manned missions. Apollo One is the name given to the Apollo/Saturn 204 (AS-204) spacecraft after it was destroyed by fire during a training exercise on January 27, 1967, at Pad 34 atop a Saturn IB rocket. ... Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft approaching International Space Station Soyuz 19 spacecraft as seen from Apollo CM Soyuz spacecraft of the Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) Early 7K-OK Soyuz at National Space Centre, Leicester, England Soyuz (Soyus, Союз, union) is a series of spacecraft designed by Sergey Korolev for the Soviet...

Another feature will be the partial reusability of the CEV crew module. Each crew module will be able to be reused for up to 10 flights, thus allowing NASA to construct a fleet of CEVs like that of the current Shuttle fleet. To allow the CEV to service the International Space Station, it will use a more simplified version of the Russian-developed docking ring currently in use on the remaining Shuttle fleet, but with the ability of being discarded upon the ending of the mission. The docking adapter will be covered over with a Launch Escape System identical in design to that found on the Apollo spacecraft. International Space Station insignia ISS Statistics Crew: 2 As of March 5, 2006 Perigee: 352. ...

The CEV service module is identical in shape (but not in size) to its Apollo predecessor, but unlike the Apollo SM, the new CEV SM, which will be shorter in height, will feature a pair of deployable Soyuz-like solar panels, eliminating the need to carry fuel cells and hydrogen tanks. Instead, the new SM will have tanks containing liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid methane (LCH4), the latter being the fuel for both the onboard service propulsion system and reaction control system. The choice of liquid methane was simple: 1. It eliminates the hazards associated with the use of hypergolic system similar to that found on Apollo and the Shuttle, and 2. it can be mined on methane-rich bodies such as Mars, Titan, Pluto, and most of the trans-Neptunian objects in the Kuiper Belt. Also, liquid methane, which can be produced with normal liquified natural gas (LNG) methods, is cheaper to store on site and can be transported with normal transportation methods (trucks, trains, ships, or even by pipeline), while hypergolics require special hazmat permits. Solar Panel (photovoltaic array) Solar panels are collections of solar cells used for capturing the energy in sunlight. ... General Name, Symbol, Number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series Nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless Atomic mass 15. ... R-phrases S-phrases , , , Flash point −188°C Autoignition temperature 537°C Explosive limits 5–15% Supplementary data page Structure and properties Thermodynamic data Spectral data UV, IR, NMR, MS Related compounds Related alkanes Ethane Propane Related compounds Methanol Chloromethane Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in... Hypergolic rocket fuels spontaneously ignite when their two components come into contact with each other. ... Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the solar system, named after the Roman god of war (the counterpart of the Greek Ares), on account of its blood red color as viewed in the night sky. ... Atmospheric characteristics Pressure 146. ... Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 0. ... Artists rendering of the Kuiper Belt and hypothetical more distant Oort cloud. ... Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) is natural gas which has been artificially condensed into a liquid form by a combination of pressurisation and cryogenic cooling. ...

The CEV crew/service module will be launched into low earth orbit using a new Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV). This Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicle (SDLV), based mostly on the solid rocket boosters (SRBs) and external tank (ET) of the Shuttle, will consist of a solid-fueled first stage, using a five-segment booster instead of the current four-segment version, with the second stage being a liquid-fueled upper stage using LOX and liquid hydrogen (LH2) and powered by an uprated Apollo J-2 engine (the Shuttle's main engine was originally proposed, but an air-startable engine was never produced or tested while the Saturn-based J-2 was designed from the beginning to start in mid-air). A low Earth orbit (LEO) is an orbit in which objects such as satellites are below intermediate circular orbit (ICO) and far below geostationary orbit, but typically around 350 - 1400 km above the Earths surface. ... Comparison of the Saturn V, Space Shuttle and the two proposed Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicles. ... J-2 Rocket Engine Specifications. ... The Saturn family of rockets were developed to launch heavy payloads to Earth orbit and beyond. ...

An unmanned version, using a pressurized crew module stripped of all crew-required equipment, can be used for resupply mission to the ISS in a fashion similar to that of the Progress supply ships in current use, with old scientific and engineering equiment being sent back to Earth for ground analysis (the Progress spacecraft cannot do this as the entire ship burns up in the atmosphere). ISS Progress cargo spacecraft (NASA) The Progress is an expendable unmanned freighter spacecraft; it was derived from the Soyuz spacecraft, and is launched with the Soyuz launch vehicle. ...

CEV Lunar Surface Access Module

Main article: CEV Lunar Surface Access Module

The CEV Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM) is the main transport vehicle for lunar-bound astronauts and has its heritage from the Apollo Lunar Module (LM). Like its Apollo predecessor, the LSAM consists of two parts, a sideways cylindrical ascent stage which houses the four-person crew, and an octagonal descent stage which has the landing legs, the majority of the crew's consumables (oxygen and water), and scientific equipment. The LSAM, like the LM, descends from lunar orbit on the descent stage, and uses the bottom half as a launchpad when the ascent stage departs from the Moon. Unlike the Apollo LM, the LSAM will play a major role in braking the CEV stack into lunar orbit, which can be an equatorial or mid-inclinational orbit like that of Apollo, or in a near-polar orbit favored by NASA for future lunar base construction sites [1]. This "lunar orbit insertion" (LOI) technique is similar to the former Soviet Union's lunar mission profile in which the L-3 complex, consisting of the LK (lander), LOK (a modified two-man Soyuz), and "Block E" rocket stage would brake the entire L-3 into lunar orbit, and after an EVA transfer by a lone cosmonaut (this is not necessary with the CEV, which has a pressurized transfer tunnel), would split into the separate "Block E"/LK combination and LOK components, with the former descending to the lunar surface. The CEV Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM) is the planned landing vehicle that will allow astronauts to land on the lunar surface when flights to the Moon will resume after 2015. ... The Apollo Lunar Module was the lander portion of the Apollo spacecraft built for the US Apollo program to achieve the transit from Moon orbit to the surface and back. ...

This use of the LSAM for braking the stack into lunar orbit will be accomplished by the use of rocket engines fueled by LOX and liquid hydrogen (LH2), which is more powerful and efficient than the LOX/LCH4 mixture for the orbiter, or the hypergolic systems used on the Apollo LM. But like the orbiter, the ascent stage will use the same LOX/LCH4 mixture for its ascent engine and reaction control system. Like the orbiter, the LSAM will have the same computer technologies, but will also have provisions for the module to be powered by either solar batteries or with fuel cells (using leftover hydrogen in the descent stage's tanks), eliminating the extra weight and space created by batteries needed for a seven-day lunar stay. The LSAM, like its Apollo predecessor, is not reusable and is discarded after use.

CEV Earth Departure Stage

Main article: CEV Earth Departure Stage

The CEV Earth Departure Stage (EDS) is the main propulsion system that will send the entire CEV lunar stack from low Earth orbit to the Moon. It is launched on the Cargo Launch Vehicle (CaLV), a Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicle, (SDLV) roughly based on both the Magnum (U.S.) and Energia (U.S.S.R./Russia) boosters, and will incorporate five Shuttle main engines (or three RS-68 engines) with assistance from a pair of five-segment SRBs. The EDS places the LSAM into LEO approximately 2 to 4 weeks ahead of the manned CEV. Like that of Skylab, the manned CEV will rendezvous and dock with the EDS/LSAM combination, and after configuring the system, the EDS will then fire its engines to propel the CEV stack to the Moon. The CEV Earth Departure Stage (EDS) is the name of the upper stage of the heavy-lift Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicle that will place the Lunar Surface Access Module into low Earth orbit, which will then propel the CEV/LSAM combination to the Moon. ... Comparison of the Saturn V, Space Shuttle and the two proposed Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicles. ... The Magnum Booster is a large, heavy-lift rocket designed by NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center during the mid-1990s. ... Energia on the launch pad Energia on the launch pad Energia on the launch pad Energia lifting off with the Polyus military payload The Energia (or Energiya, Энергия in Cyrillic) rocket was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as... The RS-68 (Rocket System 68) is the largest existing liquid hydrogen / liquid oxygen engine, producing a thrust of 650,000 lbf (2. ... Drawing of Skylab with components labelled Skylab was the first space station the United States launched into orbit. ...

Based on the S-IVB upper stage of the Saturn V rocket, the EDS is in essence an enlarged S-IVB with larger LOX/LH2 tanks and is powered by two uprated J-2 (J-2S) engines similar to that found on the CLV. The EDS, while primarily being designed for its lunar role, can also support manned CEV flights to both Sun-synchronous orbit and geostationary orbit, along with providing the needed thrust to launch a larger version of the Hubble Space Telescope, and components to the ISS that cannot be launched with a Russian Proton rocket. The EDS, teamed with a Centaur upper stage, could also be used to launch large space probes in the same weight class as Galileo and Cassini-Huygens to Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto without having to use the complicated Venus and Earth flybys used by most post-Voyager probes--instead going on direct flight paths using Jupiter and Saturn for any needed flybys. For instance, it could have easily launched the now cancelled JIMO mission to the moons of Jupiter. The S-IVB (sometimes S4b) was built by the Douglas Aircraft Company and served as the third stage on the Saturn V and second stage on the Saturn IB. It had one J-2 engine. ... This article is about the rocket. ... By analogy with the geosynchronous orbit, a heliosynchronous orbit is a heliocentric orbit of radius 24. ... A geostationary orbit (GSO) is a circular orbit directly above the Earths equator (0º latitude). ... The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is a telescope in orbit around the Earth. ... The Proton rocket (formal designation: UR-500) is a Russian unmanned space vehicle design first launched in 1965 and still in use as of 2005. ... Guido Reni, Abduction of Deianira, 1620-21 In Greek mythology, the centaurs (Greek: Κένταυροι) are a race part human and part horse, with a horses body, including all four legs, and a human head and torso with arms. ... Galileo is prepared for mating with the IUS booster Galileo being deployed after being launched by the Space Shuttle Atlantis on the STS-34 mission Galileo was an unmanned spacecraft sent by NASA to study the planet Jupiter and its moons. ... This is an artists concept of Cassini during the Saturn Orbit Insertion (SOI) maneuver, just after the main engine has begun firing. ... Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 120 kPa Hydrogen 83% Helium 15% Methane 1. ... Atmospheric characteristics Surface pressure ≫100 MPa Hydrogen - H2 80% ±3. ... Look up voyager in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Artistss Conception of Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter The Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) was a proposed spacecraft designed to explore the icy moons of Jupiter. ...

It could also support a Mars Sample Return mission with direct descent and ascent from Mars surface, without the complication and technical challenge of a rendezvous in Mars orbit.

Exploration Systems Architecture Study

For details of this NASA system activity conducted during the summer of 2005, see Exploration Systems Architecture Study The Exploration Systems Architecture Study (ESAS) is the official title of a large-scale, system level study conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during the Summer of 2005 in response to President George W. Bushs announcement on January 14, 2004 to return astronauts to the Moon...

Competition

Lockheed Martin's CEV concept

Northrop Grumman's CEV concept

The Draft Statement of Work for the CEV was issued by NASA on December 9, 2004, and slightly more than one month later, on January 21, 2005, NASA issued a Draft Request For Proposal. The Final RFP was issued on March 1, 2005, with the potential bidders being asked to answer by May 2, 2005. CEV - Lockheed Martin concept Source: Lockheed Martin This work is copyrighted. ... CEV - Lockheed Martin concept Source: Lockheed Martin This work is copyrighted. ... Lockheed/BAE/Northrop F-35 Lockheed Trident missile C-130 Hercules; in production since the 1950s, now as the C-130J Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is an aerospace manufacturer formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. ... Source: http://www. ... Source: http://www. ... The Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is an aerospace and defense conglomerate that is the result of a 1994 merger between Northrop and Grumman. ... NASA logo Listen to this article · (info) This audio file was created from an article revision dated 2005-09-01, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ... December 9 is the 343rd day (344th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... It has been designated the: International Year of Rice (by the United Nations) International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO) 2004 World Health Day topic was Road Safety (by World Health Organization) Year of the Monkey (by the Chinese calendar) See the world in... January 21 is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... RFP is an acronym (or TLA) for request for proposal, a business term referring to a request for bids, through a tender process, on a specific product or service. ... March 1 is the 60th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (61st in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 2 is the 122nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (123rd in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

NASA had planned to have a suborbital or an Earth orbit fly-off called Flight Application of Spacecraft Technologies between two teams' CEV designs before September 1, 2008. However, Administrator Griffin has indicated that NASA will select one contractor for the CEV in 2006 to permit an earlier date for the start of CEV operations. He states that this will both help eliminate the currently planned four-year gap between the retirement of the Shuttle in 2010 and the first manned flight of the CEV in 2014 (by allowing the CEV to fly earlier), and save over $1 billion for use in CEV development. [2] September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On June 13, 2005, NASA announced the selection of two consortia, Lockheed Martin Corp. and the team of Northrop Grumman Corp. and The Boeing Co. for further CEV development work. Each team has received a $28 million contract to come up with a complete design for the CEV and its launch vehicle until early 2006, when NASA will award one of them the task of building the CEV. The teams will also have to develop a plan for their CEV to take part in the assembly of a lunar expedition, either in EOR, LOR, or in a direct mode. The two teams are composed of: June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lockheed/BAE/Northrop F-35 Lockheed Trident missile C-130 Hercules; in production since the 1950s, now as the C-130J Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is an aerospace manufacturer formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. ... The Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is an aerospace and defense conglomerate that is the result of a 1994 merger between Northrop and Grumman. ... The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA)(TYO: 7661 ) is the worlds largest aircraft manufacturer, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with its largest production facilities in Everett, Washington, about 30 miles north of Seattle, Washington. ...

• Northrop Grumman associated with Boeing as subcontractor for the Spiral One, Alenia Spazio, ARES Corporation, Draper Laboratory and United Space Alliance

• Lockheed Martin associated with EADS SPACE Transportation, United Space Alliance, Honeywell, Orbital Sciences, Hamilton Sundstrand and Wyle Laboratories

Another announced team was t/Space, a consortium including such groups as Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites, Elon Musk's SpaceX, and Red Whittaker[3] of the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute. Some news reports in mid-March 2005, stemming from an interview with New Scientist had reported that t/Space intended to withdraw from the competition, citing a high paperwork burden; however, no announcement of a withdrawal had been made by t/Space. NASA has not gone public about who did finally submit a bid. Therefore, either t/Space did not submit a bid, or its bid was not selected by NASA. Finmeccanica is Italys second largest industrial group. ... The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. ... Headquartered in Houston, Texas, United Space Alliance (USA) is one of the world’s leading space operations companies. ... EADS SPACE Transportation (acronym: EADS-ST) was formed in June 2003 from the Space Infrastructure division of Astrium (whose core was originally ERNO) and the EADS Launch Vehicles division (formerly Aerospatiales Space division). ... Honeywell NYSE: HON is a major American multinational corporation that produces electronic control systems and automation equipment. ... Categories: Stub ... United Technologies Corporation (UTC) (NYSE: UTX) is a major multinational corporation based in Hartford, Connecticut. ... Image from NASAs Vision for Space Exploration page, showing t/Spaces proposal for using cargo canisters as lunar habitats t/Space (or Transformational Space Corporation) is an American aerospace company which tried to compete for NASAs Vision for Space Exploration (VSE) contract. ... Elbert Leander Burt Rutan (born June 17, 1943 in Estacada, Oregon) is an American aerospace engineer, noted for originality in designing light, strong, unusual-looking, energy-efficient aircraft. ... Scaled Composites (often abbreviated as Scaled) was founded in 1982 in Mojave, California by famous aircraft designer Burt Rutan out of what used to be the Rutan Aircraft Factory. ... Elon Musk Elon Musk (born: 1971, South Africa) is an Internet and space launch entrepreneur. ... The Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) is a space-transportation startup company whose stated goal is to improve the cost and reliability of access to space ultimately by a factor of ten. It is based in El Segundo, California. ... William L. Red Whittaker is a roboticist and professor of robotics. ... Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ... The Robotics Institute (RI) at Carnegie Mellon University was established in 1979. ... New Scientist cover - 18 December 2004 New Scientist is a weekly international science magazine covering recent developments in science and technology for a general English-speaking audience. ...

Each contractor-led team will include subcontractors that will provide the lunar expedition astronauts with equipment, life support, rocket engines and onboard navigation systems. The planned orbital or suborbital fly-offs under FAST would have seen the competition of a CEV built by each team, or of a technology demonstrator incorporating CEV technologies [4]. Under FAST, NASA would have chosen the winner to build the final CEV after actual demonstration of this hardware. Fly-offs are often used by the U.S. Air Force to select military aircraft; NASA has never used this approach in awarding contracts. However, as Administrator Griffin has indicated he will abandon the FAST approach, it is likely NASA will pursue the more traditional approach of selecting a vehicle based on the contractors' proposals.

Proposals

Boeing's early CEV concept

Image File history File links Boeing-CEV-Concept. ... Image File history File links Boeing-CEV-Concept. ... The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA)(TYO: 7661 ) is the worlds largest aircraft manufacturer, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with its largest production facilities in Everett, Washington, about 30 miles north of Seattle, Washington. ...

Original designs

Lockheed's proposed craft was a small shuttle-shaped lifting-body design, big enough for six astronauts and their equipment. Its airplane-shaped design makes it easier to navigate during high-speed returns to Earth than the capsule-shaped vehicles of the past, according to Lockheed Martin. According to the French daily Le Figaro and the publication Aviation Week and Space Technology, EADS SPACE Transportation would be in charge of the design and construction of the associated Mission Module. The head of the Lockheed team is Cleon Lacefield. The Lockheed Martin design is quite similar to their OSP design, but has some slight changes, mainly the presence of the mission module. Le Figaro is one of the leading French morning daily newspapers. ... Categories: Stub | Science & technology magazines ... Cleon Lacefield is Lockheed Martin vice president and CEV program manager. ...

The Lockheed Martin CEV design included several modules in the LEO and manned lunar versions of the spacecraft, plus an abort system. The abort system is an escape tower like that used in the Mercury, Apollo, Soyuz, and Shenzhou craft (Gemini, along with the Space Shuttles Enterprise and Columbia [until STS-4] used ejection seats). It would be capable of an abort during any part of the ascent phase of the mission. The crew would sit in the Rescue Module (RM) during launch. According to the publication Aviation Week and Space Technology, the RM would have an outer heat shield of reinforced carbon-carbon and a redundant layer of felt reusable surface insulation underneath in case of RCC failure. The RM comprises the top half of the Crew Module (CM), which comprises the RM and the rest of the lifting-body structure. The CM includes living space for four crewmembers. In an emergency the RM separates from the rest of the CM. The RM would seat up to six crewmembers, with two to a row, and the CM has living space and provisions for four astronauts for 5–7 days. EVAs could be conducted from the CM, which could land on land or water and could be reused 5–10 times.[5] Project Mercury was the United States first successful manned spaceflight program. ... Apollo Program insignia Project Apollo was a series of human spaceflight missions undertaken by the United States of America using the Apollo spacecraft and Saturn launch vehicle, conducted during the years 1961–1972. ... Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft approaching International Space Station Soyuz 19 spacecraft as seen from Apollo CM Soyuz spacecraft of the Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) Early 7K-OK Soyuz at National Space Centre, Leicester, England Soyuz (Soyus, Союз, union) is a series of spacecraft designed by Sergey Korolev for the Soviet... 1:40 scale model of Shenzhou 1 Shenzhou (Chinese: 神舟; Hanyu Pinyin: ) is the name of a spacecraft from the Peoples Republic of China which first carried a Chinese astronaut into orbit on October 15, 2003. ... Project Gemini insignia Project Gemini was the second human spaceflight program in which the United States of America sent humans into space, between Projects Mercury and Apollo, during the years 1963-1966. ... STS-4 was a space shuttle mission by NASA using the Space Shuttle Columbia, launched June 27, 1982. ... US Air Force F/A-22 Raptor ejection seat test using a mannequin. ... Categories: Stub | Science & technology magazines ...

The mission module would be added to the bottom of the CEV for a lunar mission, and would be able to hold extra consumables and provide extra space for a mission of lunar duration. It would also provide extra power and communications capabilities, and include a docking port for the LSAM. On the bottom of the lunar CEV stack would be the Propulsion or Trans-Earth Injection Module would provide for return to Earth from the Moon. It would probably incorporate (according to Aviation Week) 2 Pratt & Whitney RL-10 engines. Together, the RM/CM, MM, and TEIM make up the Lockheed Martin lunar stack. The original idea was to launch the CM, MM, and TEIM on three separate EELVs, with one component in each launch. This vehicle would need additional modules to reach lunar orbit and to land on the Moon. However, this plan will be altered according to the CFI (Call for Improvements), described below.

Unlike the well-publicized Lockheed Martin CEV design, virtually no information is publicly available on the Boeing/Northrop Grumman CEV design. However, it is instructive to note that most publicly released Boeing designs for the cancelled Orbital Space Plane resembled the Apollo capsule. Lockheed Martin's CEV design is in many ways a derivative of their OSP [6]; therefore it is possible that the Boeing CEV is a capsule rather than a lifting body or plane design. [7] // Background The Orbital Space Plane program (now defunct and replaced by the Spiral series of CEV — Crew Exploration Vehicles) was designed to support the International Space Station requirements for crew rescue, crew transport and contingency cargo such as supplies, food and other needed equipment. ...

Changes to original bids

Sean O'Keefe's strategy would have seen the CEV development in two distinct stages, or Phases. Phase I would have involved the design of the CEV and a demonstration by the potential contractors that they could safely and affordably develop the vehicle. Phase I would have run from bid submissions in 2005 to FAST and downselect to one contractor. Phase II would have begun after FAST and involved final design and construction of the CEV. However, this schedule is unacceptably slow to Mike Griffin, and the current plan is that NASA will issue a "Call for Improvements" (CFI) after the release of the ESAS for Lockheed Martin and Boeing to submit Phase II proposals. [8] Downselect will then occur in March 2006. [9][10] Therefore, the CEV bids already submitted and described here are not necessarily representative of the final CEV design, as they will be changed in accordance with the CFI and any findings of the ESAS that are put into the CFI. For example, as described above, the ESAS recommends an Apollo-like capsule for the CEV, which would necessitate major changes to the Lockheed Martin proposal.

Spiral development and schedule

Under Administrator Sean O'Keefe, NASA planned to acquire the CEV in the style of United States Department of Defense procurements, by first conducting the FAST fly-off competition, and by designing the CEV ships in a series of "spirals." These spirals were announced as: Sean OKeefe (born January 27, 1956) was the 10th Administrator of NASA, leading the space agency from December 2001 to February 2005. ... The United States Department of Defense, abbreviated as DoD or DOD and sometimes called the Defense Department, is a civilian Cabinet organization of the United States government. ...

• Exploration Spiral One (CEV Earth Orbit Capability). By 2014, Spiral 1 equipment will test crew transportation elements in Low Earth Orbit, in preparation for human missions to the Moon. As new elements are developed, they will be tested in space with the Spiral 1 CEV.
• Exploration Spiral Two (Extended Lunar Exploration). By 2015 or 2020, Spiral 2 gear will put humans on the Moon for at least four days.
• Exploration Spiral Three (Long Duration Lunar Exploration). After 2020, Spiral 3 gear will allow routine human long-duration missions on the surface of the Moon to test out technologies and operational techniques for sending humans to Mars and beyond. Missions in Spiral 3 will last up to several months, serving as an operational analog of short-stay Mars missions.
• Exploration Spiral Four (Crew Transportation System Mars Flyby). After 2020, (by 2032 [11]) Spiral 4 gear will allow a Mars flyby mission using elements of the Human-Mars Crew Transportation System.
• Exploration Spiral Five (Human Mars Surface Campaign). After 2020, (by 2034 [12]) Spiral 5 gear will send humans to Mars.

However, after the appointment of Administrator Michael Griffin and a reshuffling of upper-level management personnel, it is now clear that neither the FAST competition nor the spiral development schedule will be followed. In testimony to the House Science Committee on 28 June 2005, Griffin stated, A low Earth orbit (LEO) is an orbit in which objects such as satellites are below intermediate circular orbit (ICO) and far below geostationary orbit, but typically around 350 - 1400 km above the Earths surface. ... Bulk composition of the moons mantle and crust estimated, weight percent Oxygen 42. ... 2020 (MMXX) will be a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Centuries: 20th century - 21st century - 22nd century Decades: 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s - 2030s - 2040s 2050s 2060s 2070s 2080s Years: 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 - 2032 - 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 The year 2032 (MMXXXII) in the Gregorian calendar corresponds to 5792-5793 in the Hebrew calendar. ... Centuries: 20th century - 21st century - 22nd century Decades: 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s - 2030s - 2040s 2050s 2060s 2070s 2080s Years: 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 - 2034 - 2035 2036 2037 2038 2039 The year 2034 (MMXXXIV) in the Gregorian Calendar corresponds to 5784-5785 in the Hebrew Calendar. ... Dr.Michael D. Griffin Dr. Michael Douglas Griffin (born November 1, 1949 in Aberdeen, Maryland) is the current NASA Administrator. ... The Committee on Science is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... (Some entries on this page have been duplicated on August 1. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

"You asked, what we will be doing different? First of all, I hope never again to let the words spiral development cross my lips. That is an approach to acquisition for large systems very relevant to DoD acquisition requirements, but I have not seen the relevance to NASA and I have preferred a much more direct approach, and that is what we will be recommending and implementing."

He later said,

"What else will be different? I hope that you will see, as we bring it forward, a very straightforward plan to replace the shuttle and a very straightforward architecture for a lunar return, that, on the face of it, will seem to you that if we are to do these things, that the approach being recommended is a logical, clean, simple, straightforward approach. You mentioned, sir, in your opening remarks postponing the arrival date at Mars in order that we can do the proper things now. And I agree."[13]

Spiral development is associated with large DoD projects such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter; indeed, Rear Adm. (ret) Craig Steidle, appointed by Sean O'Keefe to head the Exploration Systems office, had led the F-35 effort in the past. However, it had been pointed out that spiral development was not a logical approach to building the CEV; that the proposed CEV spirals did not effectively build on each other; and that Spirals 2 and 4 were unnecessary [14]. Through his disavowal of the spiral development system, Administrator Griffin appears to assent to this viewpoint. The ESAS as described in the Orlando Sentinel [15] also contains no mention of spiral development. The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a military fighter aircraft designed by the United States and the United Kingdom. ...

NASA is also looking into building rockets with nuclear propulsion and developing space nuclear power reactors under Project Prometheus. This will not be part of the initial phase of building the Crew Exploration Vehicle. Nuclear reactors may be used to power ion engines such as this one used on Deep Space 1 Project Prometheus was established in 2003 by NASA to develop nuclear-powered systems for long-duration space missions. ...

NASA hopes to follow this schedule in development of the CEV:

• 2006 - (March) NASA selects one team to build CEV.
• 2006 - (July) Engineering review of CEV design
• 2008–2010 - First unmanned flight of CEV in Earth orbit.[16]
• 2011 - (June) First manned flight of CEV in Earth orbit.
• 2015–2018 - First unmanned flight of Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM).
• 2016–2018 - First manned flight of LSAM.
• 2018 - First manned lunar landing with CEV/LSAM system.
• 2020 - Start of planning for Mars missions

It has been rumored that the ESAS will support a phased retirement of the Space Shuttle, which would begin by retiring one orbiter (probably Atlantis), as early as 2007. Under this plan, Discovery would likely be retired in 2009, followed by the retirement of Endeavour prior to September 30, 2010 (the last day of fiscal year (FY) 2010). In the meantime, NASA engineers would work to upgrade the current launch facilities to work with the next generation shuttle-derived launch vehicles. [17] Such a plan would allow lunar mission development to begin much earlier than currently planned, as additional funding will be available earlier. 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the film, see 2010: The Year We Make Contact. ... 2011 (MMXI) will be a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2015 (MMXV) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2018 (MMXVIII) is a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2016 (MMXVI) will be a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2018 (MMXVIII) is a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2018 (MMXVIII) is a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2020 (MMXX) will be a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Space Shuttle orbiter Atlantis landing in 1997 Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-104) is one of five NASA space shuttles. ... 2007 (MMVII) will be a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Shuttle Orbiter Discovery (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-103) is a NASA Space Shuttle. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Shuttle Orbiter Endeavour (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-105), is the fifth and final, and therefore, the youngest and newest, operational NASA space shuttle to be built. ... September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 92 days remaining. ... For the film, see 2010: The Year We Make Contact. ... Comparison of the Saturn V, Space Shuttle and the two proposed Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicles. ...

Possibilities for future CEV development

After the replacement of Sean O'Keefe, NASA's procurement schedule and strategy has completely changed, as described above. In July 2004, before he was named NASA administrator, Michael Griffin participated in a study called "Extending Human Presence Into the Solar System"[18] for The Planetary Society, as a co-team leader. The study offers a strategy for carrying out Project Constellation in an affordable and achievable manner. Since Griffin was one of the leaders of the study, it can be assumed that he agrees with its conclusions, and it is therefore instructive to review the study to gain insight into possible future developments regarding the CEV. Indeed, as described below, the actions he has taken thus far as administrator support the goals of the plan. 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December See also: July 2004 in sports Deaths in July • 31 David B. Haight • 29 Francis Crick • 29 Nafisa Joseph • 23 Joe Cahill • 23 Mehmood • 23 Illinois Jacquet • 23 Carlos Paredes • 22 Sacha Distel • 21 Jerry Goldsmith • 21... This article is in need of attention. ...

According to the executive summary, the study is built around "a staged approach to human exploration beyond low Earth orbit (LEO)." [19] It recommends that Project Constellation be carried out in three distinct phases, called "Stages." These are:

• Stage 1 - "Features the development of a new crew exploration vehicle (CEV), the completion of the International Space Station (ISS), and an early retirement of the Shuttle Orbiter. Orbiter retirement would be made as soon as the ISS U.S. Core is completed (perhaps only 6 or 7 flights) and the smallest number of additional flights necessary to satisfy our international partners’ ISS requirements. Money saved by early Orbiter retirement would be used to accelerate the CEV development schedule to minimize or eliminate any hiatus in U.S. capability to reach and return from LEO." [20]

• Stage 2 - "Requires the development of additional assets, including an uprated CEV capable of extended missions of many months in interplanetary space. Habitation, laboratory, consumables, and propulsion modules, to enable human flight to the vicinities of the Moon and Mars, the Lagrange points, and certain near-Earth asteroids." [21]

• Stage 3 - "Development of human-rated planetary landers is completed in Stage 3, allowing human missions to the surface of the Moon and Mars beginning around 2020." [22]

International Space Station insignia ISS Statistics Crew: 2 As of March 5, 2006 Perigee: 352. ... In celestial mechanics, the Lagrangian points, (also Lagrange point, L-point, or libration point) are the five stationary solutions of the circular restricted three-body problem. ... 2020 (MMXX) will be a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Stage I

Rather than designing a CEV solely for the earliest lunar landing possible, the report recommends developing the CEV in two Blocks. The Block I CEV would be suitable for LEO missions only and would be developed as quickly as possible to avoid the gap between the currently scheduled Shuttle retirement in 2010 and CEV flights starting in 2014. It would carry a crew of 4–6 astronauts. The report recommends the development of a shuttle-derived CEV launch vehicle based on the "Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor with a new liquid propellant upper stage" [23] for CEV launch, rather than man-rating an EELV. This approach would allow the advantages of using a proven, man-rated design (the Solid Rocket Motor), plus the ability to continue using Shuttle infrastructure to support CEV operations. The U.S. Government–sponsored Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program was intended to develop affordable alternatives to legacy medium-to-heavy-lift launch vehicles (e. ...

Indeed, as described above, the upcoming Exploration Systems Architecture Study is thought to contain an endorsement of exactly this option — the construction of an SRM-based SDLV, plus a heavy-lift launch vehicle derived from the Shuttle, in addition to options for expediting CEV development to permit earlier manned flight. [24] Therefore, the idea that the Planetary Society report could shed light on future CEV development is supported by these new developments. In other words, the very recommendations contained in the report for the beginning of Stage I — namely, the expedited CEV development and the SRM-derived launch vehicle — appear to have materialized. The Exploration Systems Architecture Study (ESAS) is the official title of a large-scale, system level study conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during the Summer of 2005 in response to President George W. Bushs announcement on January 14, 2004 to return astronauts to the Moon... Comparison of the Saturn V, Space Shuttle and the two proposed Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicles. ...

Under the rest of Stage I, the Shuttle would be retired as soon as possible after completing the "U.S. Core Complete" configuration of the International Space Station, an option that also appears to have gained support within NASA and the Bush administration [25]. The report makes no specific mention of a manned Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission, although Administrator Griffin has instructed Hubble managers at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center to make preparations for such a mission [26], and the report refers to Hubble as "world-class astronomy". [27] The report suggests the use of expendable launchers, either foreign vehicles such as the Ariane and Proton, or a new Shuttle-derived, heavy-lift launch vehicle to complete the ISS after Shuttle retirement. The Block I CEV could also act as an ISS Crew Return Vehicle, allowing crews of more than three to be supported. Stage I is to be implemented by 2010. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is a telescope in orbit around the Earth. ... Aerial view of Goddard Space Flight Center. ... The Ariane Family The name Ariane refers to a series of a civilian European expendable launch vehicles for space launch use. ... The Proton rocket (formal designation: UR-500) is a Russian unmanned space vehicle design first launched in 1965 and still in use as of 2003. ... ISS NASA Crew Return Vehicle cancelled in 2001. ...

Stage II

Under Stage II, a new Block II CEV would be developed, suitable for interplanetary flight. The report states that the new CEV should keep the same mold lines as the Block I, making the selection of an appropriate Block I CEV extremely important to the successful implementation of the plan. The report states that the Block II CEV would need to have capability to conduct interplanetary cruises of at least several months in duration. It suggests the development of other modules, specifically modules called "Hab," "Lab," "Propulsion," and "Consumables" to support longer-duration flights. The use of ISS module derivatives for the Hab and Lab modules is suggested but not explicitly endorsed.

Four destinations are suggested for CEV exploration in Stage II. They are (probably, although not necessarily, in the order that they would be visited):

• The Moon
• Sun-Earth Lagrange point 2 (SEL2)
• A Near-Earth Object (NEO)
• Mars orbit / Martian moons

The goal would be to conduct flights to each of these destinations but without a human-rated lander for the Moon and Mars. The use of SEL2 is described as important to demonstrate the capability of servicing future space telescopes (such as the James Webb Space Telescope) there and also for staging interplanetary flights. After the flights to SEL2, a flight to a NEO could be attempted; due to its extremely low surface gravity a landing module would not be needed and the astronauts could "walk" on it with MMU-like equipment. Finally, a mission to orbit Mars and possibly land on its moons is suggested. All these flights would be accomplished with one CEV design supported by the various modules, as necessary. Stage II would take place from about 2015 onward. However, according to the current descriptions of the ESAS, a landing on the Moon appears to be the first priority of Project Constellation and will occur by 2018 [28]. Bulk composition of the moons mantle and crust estimated, weight percent Oxygen 42. ... In celestial mechanics, the Lagrangian points, (also Lagrange point, L-point, or libration point) are the five stationary solutions of the circular restricted three-body problem. ... Near-Earth objects (NEO) are asteroids, comets and large meteoroids whose orbit intersects Earths orbit and which may therefore pose a collision danger. ... The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a planned orbital infrared observatory, intended (in part) to replace the aging Hubble Space Telescope. ... U.S. astronaut Bruce McCandless uses a manned maneuvering unit A Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) is a rocket pack (propulsion backpack that snaps onto the back of the spacesuit) which has been used on spacewalks (EVAs) from NASAs space shuttle, allowing an astronaut to move independently from the shuttle. ...

Stage III

In Stage III, human-rated landers are developed to allow landings on both the Moon and Mars. Since the Block II CEV should be capable of flights to both these destinations, lunar and Mars landings could begin simultaneously, with the experience gained from exploring the four destinations referenced in Stage II. These landings would begin in 2020.

Summary

Although CEV development is still in an extremely early stage and it remains to be seen what form it will finally take, NASA is apparently taking exactly the steps recommended for the implementation of Stage I of the report. Therefore it is not unlikely that the three-stage plan suggested in this report could be the plan for the actual Project Constellation. Although it now appears that the plan will not be followed exactly, it is possible that elements of it could still be used as a baseline for Constellation exploration strategies (for example, Stage I appears to have become a NASA strategy). Although the plan would not allow for lunar landings as early as 2015, as suggested in the Bush vision, it does permit an early Mars landing in 2020, contemporaneous with lunar landings by that date.

Funding

President Bush's budget request for Fiscal Year 2005 included: "$428 million for Project Constellation ($6.6 billion over five years) to develop a new crew exploration vehicle." The budget for FY2005 was confirmed by the Congress in November 2004 with full funding for the CEV.

The FY2006 budget request includes $753 million for continuing development of the CEV. As of 2005 the total development costs of the CEV are estimated at $ 15 billion. [29]

Although to date the exploration systems have received full funding and a House endorsement[30], there is a possibility that rising Shuttle return to flight costs will make funding of CEV development extremely difficult. There has been discussion of either obtaining a special supplemental from Congress to pay for the extra Shuttle costs, or of involving private industry in CEV development and operations. [31] The total funding of Project Constellation through 2025, inflation-adjusted and without any other increases to NASA's budget, is estimated at $210 billion; the ESAS estimates the cost of the program through that date at being only $7 billion more, at $217 billion [32]. This cost may in fact end up lower as it includes developing new engines for the EDS instead of the newer idea of using J-2 derivatives[33]. J-2 Rocket Engine Specifications. ...

Nomenclature

There is a great deal of speculation as to what the final name for the CEV/CLV Human Space Transport will be. A new name should be announced in 2006.

As of February 28, 2006, reported naming is: ^[1]

• Altair: Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV).
• Ares I: Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV).
• Ares V: Cargo Launch Vehicle (CaLV).
• Artemis: Lunar Surface Ascent Module (LSAM).

See also

Wikinews has news related to:

NASA plans for future moon missions

• Kliper, Russian counterpart of the CEV
• Orbital Space Plane
• Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicle, Current front-runner launch vehicle for the CEV
• Exploration Systems Architecture Study
• Atmospheric reentry

Image File history File links Wikinews-logo. ... Wikinews is a free content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ... Russian media coverage of Kliper spacecraft - Russias Channel One TV network. ... // Background The Orbital Space Plane program (now defunct and replaced by the Spiral series of CEV — Crew Exploration Vehicles) was designed to support the International Space Station requirements for crew rescue, crew transport and contingency cargo such as supplies, food and other needed equipment. ... Comparison of the Saturn V, Space Shuttle and the two proposed Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicles. ... The Exploration Systems Architecture Study (ESAS) is the official title of a large-scale, system level study conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during the Summer of 2005 in response to President George W. Bushs announcement on January 14, 2004 to return astronauts to the Moon... Mars Exploration Rover (MER) aeroshell, artistic rendition. ...

References

1. ↑ ^a b NASA closing in on naming new fleet. NASASpaceFlight.com. URL accessed on 2006-03-01.

2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 1 is the 60th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (61st in leap years). ...

External links

• CEV vs Apollo
• Astronautix CEV article
• President Bush Announces New Vision for Space Exploration Program - White House (Jan 14, 2004)
• NASA Budget Lays Out CEV Spiral Development - Aerospace Daily (Feb 4, 2004)
• Extending Human Presence Into the Solar System (Planetary Society report, PDF format) (July 2004)
• Exclusive: NASA begins moon return effort - UPI (July 29, 2004)
• NASA/Exploration Systems Mission Directorate Crew Exploration Vehicle solicitation (March 1, 2005)
• Getting Space Exploration Right - view on spiral development (Spring 2005)
• NASA Receives Crew Exploration Vehicle Proposals News article by Leonard David, Space.com (May 3, 2005)
• CEV: The Last Battlestar? (May 10, 2005)
• Article of Popular Mechanics about CEV - Lockheed concept (June 2005)
• NASA Selects Contractors for Crew Exploration Vehicle Work - (June 13, 2005)
• Full listing of midterm and final reports to NASA on CE&R studies (July 7, 2005)
• NASA outlines plans for Moon and Mars (July 31, 2005)
• SpaceRef articles on CEV
  • NASA and White House Discuss Early Shuttle Fleet Retirement (July 13, 2005)
  • NASA Studying Unmanned Solution to Complete Space Station as Return to Flight Costs Grow (July 24, 2005)
  • NASA Calls on Private Sector to Help Make Exploration Affordable (July 28, 2005)
  • NASA's New CEV Launcher to Maximize Use of Space Shuttle Components (July 31, 2005)
  • A Closer Look at NASA's New Exploration Architecture (October 9, 2005)
  • Executive Summary (Introduction-CEV): NASA ESAS Final Report (DRAFT) (December 22, 2005)
  • ESAS Final Report - First Installment (December 27, 2005)
  • NASA ESAS Final Report (December 27, 2005)
• NASA - CEV FAQ
• NASA - Exploration Systems - CEV Procurement
• Lockheed Martin: Crew Exploration Vehicle
• Boeing Space Exploration Systems
• Andrews Space - NASA Exploration Systems
• SPACE.com - CEV Makeover: NASA Overhauls Plans for New Spaceship (January 20, 2006)
• Virtual Spaceflight - Project Constellation (Links Page)