CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.,
Feb. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The
Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and NASA Orion team has secured the
2,700 lb. Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1) Orion crew module into its
structural assembly tool, also known as the "birdcage." The crew
module is the living quarters for astronauts and the backbone for
many of Orion's systems such as propulsion, avionics and
parachutes.
"The structure shown here is 500 pounds lighter than its
Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) counterpart," said Mike Hawes, Lockheed Martin Orion vice president
and program manager. "Once the final structural components such as
longerons, bolts and brackets are added, total crew module
structural weight savings from EFT-1 to EM-1 will total 700
pounds."
From experience gained by building test articles, building and
flying EFT-1, and now building the EM-1 crew module, the Lockheed
Martin team is learning how to shed weight, reduce costs and
simplify the manufacturing process – all in an effort to improve
the production time and cost of future Orions.
"Our very talented team in Louisiana has manufactured a great product and
now they have passed the baton to Florida," said Hawes. "This is where we
assemble, test and launch, and the fun really begins."
At Kennedy Space Center, the
crew module will undergo several tests to ensure the structure is
perfectly sound before being integrated with other elements of the
spacecraft. First it will undergo proof-pressure testing where the
structural welds are stress tested to confirm it can withstand the
environments it will experience in space. The team will then use
phased array technology to inspect the welds to make sure there are
no defects. Additional structural tests will follow including
proof-pressure testing of the fluid system welds and subsequent
x-ray inspections.
Once the crew module passes those tests it will undergo final
assembly, integration and entire vehicle testing in order to
prepare for EM-1, when Orion is launched atop NASA's Space Launch
System (SLS) for the first time. The test flight will send Orion
into lunar distant retrograde orbit – a wide orbit around the moon
that is farther from Earth than any human-rated spacecraft has ever
traveled. The mission will last about three weeks and will certify
the design and safety of Orion and SLS for future human-rated
exploration missions.
For additional information, visit our website:
www.lockheedmartin.com/orion
About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda,
Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace
company that – with the addition of Sikorsky – employs
approximately 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged
in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and
sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and
services.
Media Contact:
Allison Rakes, +1
240-364-4367; Allison.m.rakes@lmco.com
For additional information, visit our website:
www.lockheedmartin.com/orion
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SOURCE Lockheed Martin