European Service Module (ESM) for Orion Capsule in Production

Airbus Defense and Space (DS) is building the new service module (ESM) for NASA (2015). The structural test version is to be delivered in this month. It looks very much the same as the 1960's version SM which was described in more detail in this article. We all remember the Apollo 13 mishap so lets hope they get everything right with all the numerous pressurized tanks.

The European Service Module made by Airbus DS

LEAMOR Mars Mission - Entry and Return Vehicles (Part 4)

PART 4: Entry and Return Vehicles

Why to have separated Entry and Return Vehicles (EV and RV) for the mission. Basically separating them makes it possible to divide the required consumables and propellants to two smaller amounts. And the one without the astronauts could then be sent using lower speed and less propellant expensive routes. Additionally two return capable vehicles in the LMO add to the safety of the astronauts. If one of the vehicles is broken the other one hopefully still is usable.

Return or Entry Vehicle without the Habitat Module (HM). Service Module (SM) to the left and the Orion re-entry capsule to the right.

LEAMOR Manned Space Craft - Modular Transport Engine (Part 3)

PART 3: Modular Transport Engine (TE)

LEAMOR stabnds for Light Extended Apollo Mars Orbit Rendezvous.

As we already have figured out that the large spacecraft must be modular (since the lift vehicle can only lift a certain amount to the LEO at one time). See the previous part of this article series and we call these about 150 ton (lbs) building blocks as L-modules.

L-Modules about 150 000 lbs each, size about D5 x L11.75

LEAMOR Manned Mars Mission - Why Modular? (Part 2)

PART 2: Why the Manned Mars Mission Must be Modular?

Simply because the launch vehicle can only lift a certain amount at any time - and that size or mass will be the maximum module size - and the only way to get larger masses and structures is to bolt them together in the low Earth's orbit (LEO).

LEAMOR stabnds for Light Extended Apollo Mars Orbit Rendezvous.

SLS can lift about 150 .. 300 tons (lbs) to LEO

LEAMOR Mission - Light Extended Apollo Mars Orbit Rendezvous (Part 1)

PART 1: LEAMOR MISSION BASICS

How to land a man on the Mars and return him safely to the Earth

It looks like the main problem is NOT that we couldn't do it but that we maybe need more time and/or money for it?

I represent here a simple LEAMOR mission plan to Mars and back which just extends the Apollo missions and tries not to do anything more in the first phase than just to get a man on the Mars and return him safely to the Earth. LEAMOR stands for Light Extended Apollo Mars Orbit Rendezvous. (See also LOR).

The following picture shows the basic Mars mission phases.

Typical Mars mission and its main events.

NASA's Orion Capsule Development & Testing Video

Orion capsule after its first real re-entry (EF-1 Dec. 5, 2014) heatshield removed

 
There is a 1 ½ hour video in Youtube which I have to link here since it contains collected material of Orion capsule's development and testing. I would call Orion just a (re-entry) capsule since a spacecraft is a much larger set and requires the propulsion to get it anywhere at all. Sure if just the gravity assisted space travel was applied .. one might go very far only with the capsule alone but to be more comfort with it there should be some kind of a propulsion reserve to make at least the final burn back to the Earth.

Youtube video: "NASA's Orion Spacecraft Development & Testing (1080p)"

Here is the Orion's first used heatshield going to inspections.

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Orion Cockpit Update

Some more pictures and videos about the Orion spacecraft cockpit. The basic layout seems to still be the 3 monitor flipped 4:3 size configuration seen in the following picture.

The Orion glass cockpit with 3 display screens.

The idea is to move all the millions switches and panels from old spacecrafts into the screens so that weight and space is saved. Also virtual buttons and switches are more reliable then old mechanical switches (remember the Apollo 11 Lunar Module incidence when a single switch almost disabled the ascent from the Moon). Here are some details what is known.

Orion cockpit, only a minimal amount of mechanical devices are added around the display screens

The several panels in the Apollo era LM and CM are replaced by screens with similar information.

Compare the large Apollo LM panel # 3 in this picture (among many other LM panels) with several functional sections to the current Orion design

Here is the Apollo 11 engine arm switch incidence from source /4/:

"Astronaut Neil Armstrong maneuvered toward the open hatch, aided by astronaut Buzz Aldrin. As Armstrong twisted his bulky suit to head out, unheard in the vacuum of the cabin, something small snapped. Armstrong's backpack had broken off the ascent engine arming switch. But upon their preparation to leave the moon some 21 hours later, Armstrong calmly flipped the broken stub with a ballpoint pen. Another crisis averted, this time courtesy of the Fisher Space Pen."


VIDEOS

Youtube video "Orion: Cockpit " by NASA Johnson

RESOURCES

/1/ NASA Johnson

/2/ Youtube

/3/ Wikipedia

/4/ http://www.space.com/26593-apollo-11-moon-landing-scariest-moments.html

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Orion Cockpit Mock-up

Orion project engineer Jeff Fox shows some details of the design

YouTube video: "A Look Inside Orion"

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