A vice president of Lockheed Martin commenting at a blog (all the way at the bottom):
I would like to provide a more accurate summary of Lockheed Martin and NASA’s proposed goal for a 2013 Orion flight test. The flight test is designed to test Orion for exploration mission capability beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) and is in no way a launch vehicle test. In fact, the launch vehicle that would be used is as close to a standard launch service configuration as possible and there is no NASA objective for this Orion flight test that would require any human rating modifications to the launch vehicle. Its focus is on testing the multipurpose crew vehicle (MPCV) capabilities and systems only and capturing valuable data for NASA’s test objectives for the MPCV. Targeting 2013 for this Orion flight test allows us to fully support Orion IOC as called for in the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 approved by Congress and signed by the President. Ultimately, Orion will fly on the launch system determined by NASA. As Orion progresses, it’s absolutely vital for the nation to move forward on a NASA-developed heavy lift vehicle as a goal for 2016, called for in the NASA Authorization Act of 2010. The HLV is critical to supporting space exploration missions beyond LEO and is key to maintaining U.S. leadership in space if we are to advance technology and explore destinations beyond LEO, such as Earth-Moon Lagrange points, asteroids, and Mars.
John Karas
VP & GM for Human Space Flight
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company
It looks real enough. Almost like a press release, though in an unusual venue. Note the rote recitation that HLV is required. To say anything else would politically incorrect for a company attempting to get funds out of this ignorant congress.
Well this is interesting (grab tinfoil hat please) why does we need to run a dry test of the Orion Capsule now when the Apollo Program NEVER had a dry run ?
Unless I’m mistaken never an Apollo capsule was sent unmanned to in a cislunar trajectory just to ”collect data” … so this is pure PORK.
I wouldn’t say it’s pork, so much as a show launch to demonstrate progress, and keep the funding coming.
Sams, you are mistaken:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_4
And that was hardly the only tests of the Boilerplates, Block One and Two Apollo capsules. There was an extensive test program.
After the Apollo 1 fire, they had a change of heart.
Sams,
[[[Unless I’m mistaken never an Apollo capsule was sent unmanned to in a cislunar trajectory just to ”collect data”]]]
When you are in race, as we were with the Russians, you take chances and shortcuts.
Also the Russians did send their Zond on two cislunar tests.
Tom,
Read the wiki link I gave. They did something almost the same during both Apollos 4 and 6. They cut no corners testing the heat shield.
@Thomas :
Nope I’m right, Apollo 4 wasn’t a dry run to the moon and coming back, see the flight section of the Wiki.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_4#Flight
The better analogy would be Apollo 6. They wanted to do a similar set of tests had it been successful.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_6
The point of the mission is to retire some technical risk (i.e. heat shield, etc.).
A side effect is that it also retires technical debt on the ability for Delta IV Heavy to launch the craft . . . So if it’s successful, tell me WHY we need a Super HLV?
Sams,
[[[Nope I’m right, Apollo 4 wasn’t a dry run to the moon and coming back]]]
Read my post. I never mentioned Apollo 4, merely that NASA felt time pressure that caused it to take shortcuts to get to the Moon first.
By contrast the Russians DID take the time to send two of the Zonds on unmanned test flights around the Moon.
Since we are not in a race why should NASA take shortcuts today?
Alan,
If you read the Lockheed press release you will see that they are cutting weight on the Orion so the Delta IV may be used. For example it won’t have a functioning launch escape system, just an aerodynamic similar substitute.
NASA may not be in a race with anyone, but LM is anxiously trying to keep Orion alive. From their point of view the only way to do that is to fly something as soon as possible.