Selparis

Space Exploration

Posts Tagged ‘Delta IV Heavy’

NASA’s Orion Spacecraft

Posted on: July 26th, 2013 by partapsingh No Comments

The Orion spacecraft is the vehicle NASA plans to use to extend the reach of manned spaceflight beyond Low Earth Orbit. Originally, it would have been perched on top of the Ares I launch vehicle, which was tested . . . but then canceled. Now, it will be on top of the Delta IV Heavy rocket for missions to LEO – like getting crew to the International Space Station – and eventually boosted up by the Space Launch System for more far-flung destinations.

Image converted using ifftoany

 

The basic stats for the spacecraft are as follows:

Diameter: 5m

Habitable Volume: 316 cubic feet (8.95 cubic meters)

Capsule Mass: 8913 kg

Service Module Mass: 12337 kg (7907 kg propellant)

Crew: 2-6

Delta-V: 1595 m/s

Endurance (with current service module configuration): 21.1 days

(more…)