January 15, 2013

Image Caption: The Orion Exploration Flight Test 1 crew module undergoes proof pressure testing at the Operations and Checkout Building. Credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

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Lawrence LeBlond for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

To ensure that the future of the US space exploration program keeps its head above water, NASAs Kennedy Space Center has partnered with the private sector to get Orion rolling out the door. By employing outside workers, NASA has provided a means to expedite the Orion spaceship building process from months to just days.

Working with contractors from Lockheed Martin, NASA is working hard at Kennedys Operations and Checkout Building preparing Orion for its first launch (Exploration Flight Test-1 or EFT-1) in 2014. Orion is being designed to ferry American astronauts farther into space than ever before.

The cooperativeness is allowing the Orion team to achieve scheduling milestones much faster than it would have if NASA kept the program as an inside job only.

This new and unique working relationship, in essence having a Lockheed Martin factory within a NASA facility, has allowed us to leverage Lockheeds strength in building spacecraft and the strength of our Kennedy workforce in providing world-class services and facilities, Scott Wilson, manager of production operations for the Orion program, said in a statement.

Wilson said several processing milestones have been achieved in preparation of EFT-1. The team has ensured that the spacecraft will be ready for a 2014 launch, and with the assistance of engineers and technicians from a number of different companies, as well as those working for NASA, has also ensured that issues arising during the on-site assembly and preparation of Orion have been met and diffused.

Other major milestones that lie ahead will be testing the crew module, powering up the vehicle for the first time, completing subsystem installations, assembling the service module and launch abort system, and joining the crew and service modules together.

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NASA Employs Private Companies To Make Orion Project A Reality By 2014