NASA Orion Multi Purpose Crew Vechicle - Full Explanation

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Contents

• Orion multi-purpose crew vehicle• Components• Advanced technologies used in Orion crew module• Thermal protection system• Radiation shielding• Launch abort system

Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle

• Carry a crew of up to four• Beyond low earth orbit • Currently under development

by NASA• Sustain the crew during space

travel• Provide safe re-entry from

deep space.• Also provides an emergency

abort capability

DIMENSIONSHeight: 3.3 m

Diameter: 5 m

Pressurized volume: 19.56 m3

Capsule mass: 8,913 kg

Service Module mass: 12,337 kg

Total mass: 21,250 kg

Service module propellant mass: 7,907 kg

The Orion Spacecraft

Launch Abort SystemProvides crew escape during launch

pad and ascent emergencies

Service ModulePower, propulsion and environmental control support to the Crew Module

Crew ModuleHuman habitat from launch

through landing and recovery

Spacecraft AdapterOrion-to-Space Launch System (SLS)

structural interface

Design and Components

• Designed to support long-duration deep space missions

• Up to 8 months• Includes both crew and service modules, and a

spacecraft adaptor.• The service module fuels and propels the spacecraft

as well as storing oxygen and water for astronauts. • Also provide locations to mount scientific

experiments and cargo.

Crew module (CM)

• Reusable transportation capsule• Provides a habitat for the crew, provides storage for

consumables and research instruments• Only part of the MPCV that returns to earth after

each mission• It will have more than 50% more volume than the

Apollo capsule• Carry four to six astronauts

• The CM is constructed of aluminum-lithium alloy• The CM is covered with thermal protection system• Reusable recovery parachutes to slow down the

decent of spacecraft into earth• Designers claim that the Orion is designed to be 10

times safer during ascent and reentry than the space shuttle.

Crew Module ManufacturingMichoud Assembly Facility – New Orleans, Louisiana

Advanced technologies used in Orion crew module

Orion spacecraft uses various advanced technologies in its cockpit to control the flight • Glass cockpit: Features digital flight instrument

displays, typically large LCD screens, rather than the traditional style of analog dials and gauges

• Traditional relies on mechanical gauges to display information but a glass cockpit uses displays that can be adjusted to display flight information as needed.

Analog controllers

Digital controllers

• An "Auto dock" feature : Auto dock is a feature which allow the Orion spacecraft to control itself automatically and dock (to come in contact ) with international space station in space

• Improved waste-management facilities, with a miniature camping-style toilet

• A nitrogen/oxygen mixed atmosphere at sea level 101.3 kPa pressure.

• Much more advanced computers than on previous crew vehicles.

TESTING OF CREW MODULE

- Full-Scale Spacecraft Testing- Simulates Launch Acoustic Forces & Vibration- Validates Structural Integrity of the Spacecraft

COMPLETED COMPLETED COMPLETED COMPLETED

Vibration TestingLockheed Martin - Denver, Colorado

Water Drop Testing for Landing LoadsLangley Research Center – Langley, Virginia

Parachute Drop TestingU.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground – Yuma, Arizona

Thermal Protection SystemIncludes various types of material covering the Orion for thermal protection

• Reinforced carbon–carbon (RCC)- Used where reentry temperature exceeded 1260 °C.

• High-temperature reusable surface insulation (HRSI) tiles Made of coated Silica ceramics. Used where reentry temperature was below 1260 °C.

• Fibrous refractory composite insulation (FRCI) tiles, used to provide improved strength, durability, resistance to coating cracking and weight reduction.

• Flexible Insulation Blankets (FIB), a quilted, flexible blanket-like surface insulation. Used where reentry temperature was below 649 °C (1,200 °F).

• Felt reusable surface insulation (FRSI). Used where temperatures stayed below 371 °C

Thermal Protection System Development and TestingLockheed-Martin - Colorado, Johnson Space Center - Texas, Ames Research Center - California

Radiation Shielding

• Materials rich in hydrogen and carbon are known to be effective shielding materials

• Usually lead coating is used over the spacecraft• Water is also known to be an effective shielding

material• This is because of their ability to fragment (via

fragmentation reaction) the incoming cosmic ions into smaller fragments

• Orion uses various techniques to protect the astronauts from space radiations

• Lead coating• Aluminum coating and aluminum foil• Uses the mass that is already on board to protect its

crew• Maximizing the amount of material that can be

placed between the crew and the outside environment

• Includes supplies, equipment, seats, as well as water and food.

Service ModuleProvides primary power and propulsion

Functionsi. Supports the crew module from launch through separation

before reentry.ii. Provides in-space propulsion capabilityiii. Provides the water and oxygen needed for a habitable

environmentiv. Generates and stores electrical powerv. Maintains the temperature of the vehicle's systems and

componentsvi. Transport unpressurized cargo and scientific payloads.

• Lithium hydroxide cartridges will recycle the spacecraft's environmental system by "scrubbing" the carbon dioxide exhaled by the astronauts and adding fresh oxygen and nitrogen, which is then cycled back out into the system loop

• Onboard water tank which will provide drinking water for the crew

• A pair of LOX tanks will provide, along with small tanks of nitrogen, the crew with breathing air.

• Orion will have an onboard recycling system that will convert both waste water and urine into both drinking and cooling water.

• The Orion service module (SM) is projected comprising a cylindrical shape, having a diameter of 5.03 m and an overall length (including thruster) of 4.78m.

• Solar panels span 17 m

EFT-1 Service Module ManufacturingMichoud Assembly Facility – New Orleans, Louisiana

Launch Abort System (LAS)

• Crew safety system• Quickly separate the capsule

from rocket in case of a launch abort emergency, such as an impending explosion.

• The system is typically controlled by a combination of automatic rocket failure detection, and manual control by the crew commander.

Types

Solid-fueled rocketi. Mounted above the capsule ii. Delivers a relatively large

thrust for a brief period of time to send the capsule a safe distance away from the launch vehicle

iii. The capsule's parachute recovery system can be used for a safe landing on ground or water.

Ejection Seatsi. The crew are seated in

ejection seats as used in military aircraft

ii. Each crewmember returns to Earth with an individual parachute.

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