Shuttle replacement program

Boeing also hopes to eventually use the capsule for space tourists, and developed it in collaboration with Bigelow Aerospace partly for this reason. Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment: to empower through understanding. Financial contributions from our readers are a critical part of supporting our resource-intensive work and help us keep our journalism free for all. Please consider making a contribution to Vox today to help us keep our work free for all.

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By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Reddit Pocket Flipboard Email. The International Space Station. Here's a look at each of the spacecraft. Next Up In The Latest. Delivered Fridays. Thanks for signing up! Check your inbox for a welcome email. Email required. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Notice and European users agree to the data transfer policy.

For more newsletters, check out our newsletters page. These fibers were supplied by three independent vendors. Many of these fibers were carbonized by two independent carbonizers. Each candidate was tested according to standard acceptance test methods at each step of the manufacturing process.

Additional testing was performed with the candidate CCPS, including hot fire tests, Process studies and mechanical and thermal characterization. Six of the twelve fiber candidates tested were dropped at the conclusion of Phase 1. The reasons for the elimination of these candidates included; difficulties in processing the material in the whitegoods, carbon and CCP forms; poor composite mechanical performance; and future availability concerns. The remaining six fibers demonstrated enough promise to merit continued evaluation and optimization of the CCP fabrication process.

Keywords Ablative materials Rayon High temperature tests Mechanical properties Carbon-phenolic composites Space shuttle boosters Rocket nozzles Carbon fibers Carbonization. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Orion has sometimes been called "Apollo on steroids" because of its similar appearance to the original lunar craft. In many basic ways, it is much more similar to Apollo than the current space shuttle.

Orion is shaped like a cone and features a capsule that will parachute to safety upon its return to Earth, rather than the space shuttle's airplane like landing.

The plans for Orion have it measuring It will weigh in at about about 31, pounds 14, kg when empty. The estimated habitable volume is cubic feet 11 cubic meters. This makes it larger than Apollo, but smaller than the space shuttle. Orion will have a single engine Service Module that houses storage bays. The basic functions will be run by batteries and electricity generating fuel cells.