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NASA has reached an important milestone for the next
deep space. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden NASA
has reached an important milestone for the next
announced today that the system will be based on U.S.
transportation system that will carry humans into
Exploration Vehicle. Those plans now will be used to
Exploration Vehicle. Those plans now will be used to
develop a new spacecraft known as the Multi-Purpose
Crew Vehicle (MPCV).
generation of systems to take us there," Bolden said.
"The NASA Authorization Act lays out a clear path
forward for us by handing off transportation to the
International Space Station to our private sector
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launch vehicle, we are moving forward with an existing contract to keep development of our new crew
vehicle on track."
Lockheed Martin Corp. will continue working to develop the MPCV. The spacecraft will carry four
astronauts for 21-day missions and be able to land in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast. The
spacecraft will have a pressurized volume of 690 cubic feet, with 316 cubic feet of habitable space. It is
designed to be 10 times safer during ascent and entry than its predecessor, the space shuttle.
associate administrator for the agency's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate in Washington. "The
Orion government and industry team has shown exceptional creativity in finding ways to keep costs down
through management techniques, technical solutions and innovation."
The Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) is based on the Orion design requirements for traveling beyond
Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The MPCV will serve as the exploration vehicle that 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.
Spacecraft to serve as the primary crew vehicle for missions beyond LEO Capable of conducting regular
in-space operations (rendezvous, docking, extravehicular activity) in conjunction with payloads delivered
by SLS for missions beyond LEO Capability to be a backup system for ISS cargo and crew delivery.
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