Yes, NASA’s Orion spacecraft is designed to take humans farther into space than ever before. Orion is capable of carrying a crew of four astronauts on independent free-flight missions up to 21 days. It’s designed to withstand higher levels of radiation and re-entry speeds than any previous human-rated spacecraft.
Orion’s features include:
- Protection from solar radiation
- High-speed entry into Earth’s atmosphere
- Advanced and reliable technologies for communication and life support
- Emergency abort capability
- Safe return to Earth
- Safe re-entry from deep space return velocities
Orion is launched on NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) super heavy-lift rocket.
NASA’s Orion spacecraft is built to take humans farther than they’ve ever gone before. On Artemis missions, Orion will carry the crew to space, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during the space travel, and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities
Orion is designed to support future missions to send astronauts to Mars, likely in the 2030s. NASA’s goal is for Orion to carry the first human explorers to Mars
Orion is a cornerstone of NASA’s Artemis program. The program is paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and eventual journey to Mars.
The Orion spacecraft, part of NASA’s Artemis I mission, re-entered Earth’s atmosphere on December 11, 2022. The uncrewed capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at 9:40 AM PST, marking the end of the 25.5 day mission
The Orion capsule re-entered Earth’s atmosphere at 32 times the speed of sound, or roughly 25,000 miles per hour. The capsule’s heatshield reached temperatures of up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
The capsule hit the atmosphere at 122 kilometers above Earth’s surface, then plunged to 61 kilometers. It then skipped higher to 91 kilometers before descending again. The capsule rolled 180 degrees, changing its center of gravity and causing it to skip off the atmosphere.
The Orion spacecraft is partially reusable. NASA plans to reuse more components in the future to reduce operating costs. For example, the Artemis II vehicle will reuse some avionics from the Artemis I crew module. The Artemis III pressure vessel capsule will be completely refurbished for the Artemis VI mission.
The crew module is the only part of Orion that returns to Earth after each mission. On early flights, NASA reused high-value crew module components like avionics, environmental control, and life support systems.
Lockheed Martin plans to reuse about 600 components from Artemis 2 through Artemis 5. By Artemis 6, engineers intend to reuse about 5,000 Orion components between missions.
- Crew Module: A space capsule designed by Lockheed Martin
- European Service Module: Manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space
- Emergency abort capability
- Crew sustenance
- Safe return to Earth
- Safe re-entry from deep space return velocities
Orion was launched on November 16, 2022 using NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS). On December 11, the capsule re-entered Earth’s atmosphere at about 24,500 mph (39,400 kph). The heat shield, the largest ever built, passed the test.
The Orion spacecraft is powered by the European Service Module. The service module has four solar array wings that generate enough electricity to power two three-bedroom homes. Each wing is about 2 meters wide by 7 meters long. The solar array panels are about 2 meters by 2 meters in size. The service module also has 33 engines, including a large main engine for deep space maneuvers
The service module also provides life support, including water and oxygen, to the crew module. The service module attaches to the rocket. When Orion separates from the rocket, the service module provides energy and in-space propulsion.
The Orion spacecraft also has four lithium-ion battery assemblies
The Orion spacecraft uses a two-fuel propulsion system:
- Monomethyl hydrazine (MMH): The fuel
- Mixed oxides of nitrogen (MON): The oxidizer
The Orion’s service module has four 2,000-liter tanks that hold the fuel. The tanks have a total capacity of nine tonnes of fuel.
The Orion also uses:
- Liquid hydrogen: The fuel for the main engines
- Liquid oxygen: Combines with hydrogen to create thrust
- Space Shuttle Orbital Maneuvering System Engine: The main propulsion system
The Orion relies on solar energy instead of fuel cells, which allows for longer missions.
The Orion spacecraft uses NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The SLS is a super-heavy-lift rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and cargo to the moon on a single mission. The SLS is the primary launch vehicle for NASA’s Artemis Moon landing program.
The SLS and Orion have already worked together on the uncrewed Artemis I test flight. In 2024, they will team up again to send a crew around the moon during Artemis II.
The SLS is the world’s most powerful rocket. It has a series of smaller propulsion engines and motors that allow the Orion spacecraft to navigate around the moon and back to Earth
The Orion spacecraft has 33 engines:
- Main engine: A refurbished Space Shuttle Orbital Maneuvering System Engine that provides 27 kilonewtons of thrust. It’s used for deep space maneuvers and major maneuvering capabilities in space.
- Auxiliary engines: Eight engines that provide secondary propulsion.
- Reaction control thrusters: 24 thrusters that steer and control Orion while in orbit.
The Orion spacecraft also has:
- One AJ10 engine for primary propulsion
- Six pods of custom reaction control system engines
- Eight bipropellant engines
The Orion spacecraft’s main propulsion system is the European Service Module
The Orion spacecraft is 16.5 feet (5 meters) in diameter and 10.8 feet (3.3 meters) tall. It weighs about 31,000 pounds (14,000 kg) when empty. The crew module has a maximum diameter of 5.02 meters and is 3.3 meters tall.
The Orion crew module has a habitable volume of 316 cubic feet (8.95 cubic meters). This is about 1.5 times larger than the Apollo spacecraft. The Orion crew module can seat four astronauts.
The Orion spacecraft consists of a gumdrop-shaped capsule and service module. The capsule is 11 feet (3 meters) tall.
The Orion spacecraft can carry up to four astronauts. The crew module provides a safe habitat for the astronauts during launch, landing, and recovery. The seats in the crew module fold down to create more room for the astronauts. The crew module also has a private toilet.
Orion can support a crew of four for up to 21 days in orbit. Missions to more distant destinations may have a crew of two to allow more room for consumables.
The next flight of Orion, Artemis II, is scheduled to carry four astronauts around the Moon and back in 2024.
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