zerofay32
Buckeye
September 17 2011
KSC staff are busy preparing for the first flight of the new launcher, Ares 1, and new capsule, Orion. This flight will be the shakedown flight for both vehicles and will be unmanned. This flight has meny firsts but one of the biggest is the first launch from the newly built Pad C at LC39. This pad was built to allow for both Ares and Shuttle operation at the cape. Proposed in the early stages of Apollo, LC39 C was never built due to smaller budget, and NASA's refocus to the Shuttle program, now this pad will support Ares 1 launches.
The Orion for this flight is an unmanned version of the new capsule. This woun't be its only flight as it is scheuled to be launched again from SLC-4 east out at VAFB testing the western test range Ares facilities and showing the reusability of the capsule. Orions are expected to make ten flights in their designed lifespan. The flight designation for Orion flights are Ares/Orion System or AOS-XX.
Launch is scheduled for October 08.
UPDATE October 09:
The first flight of Orion was a complete success. The launch vehicle performed a flowless ascent and Orion performed all of the entended tests. The flight lasted about 24 hours and Orion was recovered in the Orion Recovery Zone in the mid-Atlantic. The capsule will be referbished and mailed to VAFB for flight processing and launch.
The next launch on the Eastern Test Range schedule is a Dragon flight to SSF carrying the second group of "space tourists" to visit the complex. That is slated for early November.
VAFB is getting ready to launch Space Shuttle Constitution to Skylab around November 25th. The shuttle will deliver the X-38 CRV named Savior to the station. This will make the station ready to welcome the first skylab II crew, who will launch in March 2012 on board an Orion capsule. The first production run Orions, designated Block I Orions, don't have a long enough on-orbit storage time for skylab missions. The Orion will deliver the crew of four and return unmanned. The next skylab crew will launch and swap places with the current crew. The X-38 is improved over the HL-20s used for Freedom and can be stored in orbit almost indefinately (where as the HL-20s have a two year storage limit). Block II versions will have orbital storage capabilities and a planned Block III that will be a Moon/Long duration version (Ares I will not be able to launch a Block III Orion requiring a new LV). Block II Orions will be ready for full duration Helios missions starting in 2014, at that time the Block I Orions in service will be used for Freedom and Skylab crew exchanges until they reach their 10 flight limit at which time will be decomissioned and replaced with in service Block II Orions. Three Block I Orions will be built (two will be kept at KSC for SSF operations and one at VAFB for Skylab). As of now, no set number of Block IIs have been determined but current plans are for them to be the mainstay of crewed operations with all/any Block IIIs to be built on an as needed basis since their capabilities far exceed LEO requirements.
Crew for the maiden flight of the capsules have the oppertunity of naming them. The first three Orions are named as follows(OC stands for Orion Capsule and is the in-house designation):
OC-101: Columbia
OC-102: Challenger
OC-103: Eagle
KSC staff are busy preparing for the first flight of the new launcher, Ares 1, and new capsule, Orion. This flight will be the shakedown flight for both vehicles and will be unmanned. This flight has meny firsts but one of the biggest is the first launch from the newly built Pad C at LC39. This pad was built to allow for both Ares and Shuttle operation at the cape. Proposed in the early stages of Apollo, LC39 C was never built due to smaller budget, and NASA's refocus to the Shuttle program, now this pad will support Ares 1 launches.
The Orion for this flight is an unmanned version of the new capsule. This woun't be its only flight as it is scheuled to be launched again from SLC-4 east out at VAFB testing the western test range Ares facilities and showing the reusability of the capsule. Orions are expected to make ten flights in their designed lifespan. The flight designation for Orion flights are Ares/Orion System or AOS-XX.
Launch is scheduled for October 08.
UPDATE October 09:
The first flight of Orion was a complete success. The launch vehicle performed a flowless ascent and Orion performed all of the entended tests. The flight lasted about 24 hours and Orion was recovered in the Orion Recovery Zone in the mid-Atlantic. The capsule will be referbished and mailed to VAFB for flight processing and launch.
The next launch on the Eastern Test Range schedule is a Dragon flight to SSF carrying the second group of "space tourists" to visit the complex. That is slated for early November.
VAFB is getting ready to launch Space Shuttle Constitution to Skylab around November 25th. The shuttle will deliver the X-38 CRV named Savior to the station. This will make the station ready to welcome the first skylab II crew, who will launch in March 2012 on board an Orion capsule. The first production run Orions, designated Block I Orions, don't have a long enough on-orbit storage time for skylab missions. The Orion will deliver the crew of four and return unmanned. The next skylab crew will launch and swap places with the current crew. The X-38 is improved over the HL-20s used for Freedom and can be stored in orbit almost indefinately (where as the HL-20s have a two year storage limit). Block II versions will have orbital storage capabilities and a planned Block III that will be a Moon/Long duration version (Ares I will not be able to launch a Block III Orion requiring a new LV). Block II Orions will be ready for full duration Helios missions starting in 2014, at that time the Block I Orions in service will be used for Freedom and Skylab crew exchanges until they reach their 10 flight limit at which time will be decomissioned and replaced with in service Block II Orions. Three Block I Orions will be built (two will be kept at KSC for SSF operations and one at VAFB for Skylab). As of now, no set number of Block IIs have been determined but current plans are for them to be the mainstay of crewed operations with all/any Block IIIs to be built on an as needed basis since their capabilities far exceed LEO requirements.
Crew for the maiden flight of the capsules have the oppertunity of naming them. The first three Orions are named as follows(OC stands for Orion Capsule and is the in-house designation):
OC-101: Columbia
OC-102: Challenger
OC-103: Eagle
.
