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<\/p>\nLockheed Martin has completed the first-time power-up of the Orion capsule for the Artemis 2 mission \u2014 the first Orion capsule that will be tasked with carrying humans.<\/p>\n
As work continues on that capsule, Lockheed Martin \u2014 the prime contractor for the Orion spacecraft \u2014 provided updates on the other three capsules, and three European Service Modules, currently in various stages of their respective flows for Artemis missions 1, 2, and 3.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Powering up Artemis 2\u2019s Orion<\/p>\n
A significant milestone for all spacecraft is their very first power-up \u2014 a milestone the Orion capsule for Artemis 2 achieved the week of May 23.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just powered it up for the first time, which is a huge milestone for us because we\u2019ve been working on it now for several years,\u201d said Jules Schneider, Director of Orion Assembly, Test, and Launch Operations at Lockheed Martin \u2014 a position responsible for overseeing the assembly and testing of the spacecraft up to the point where it is delivered to NASA.<\/p>\n
Schneider himself has been with the Orion program from its inception and was part of the team that drafted the spacecraft\u2019s initial proposal when it was part of the now-canceled Constellation Program.<\/p>\n
The Orion capsule for Artemis 2 is currently in the Operations and Checkout (O&C) building at the Kennedy Space Center, where the Orions are assembled and \u2014 to a degree \u2014 tested.<\/p>\n
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The Artemis II Orion inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building . (Credit: NASA)<\/p>\n
\u201cWe finally got enough of the avionics and the electronics and all the wiring and everything else that\u2019s needed onboard and integrated such that we could power it up for the first time and kind of bring it to life, load flight software, etc.,\u201d related Schneider.<\/p>\n
Certain functional checkouts of the capsule\u2019s nascent state are currently being conducted, with Schneider noting that a good deal of assembly and integration work remains for this capsule even though it is far along in its overall build lifecycle.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, this Orion\u2019s European Service Module (ESM) is also at the Kennedy Space Center and undergoing preparations for integrated testing and flight.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe European Service Module has been integrated to the Crew Module Adapter, which is the part of the Service Module that [Lockheed Martin] builds and tests,\u201d noted Schneider. \u201cThat\u2019s all fully integrated. So if you were to walk out on the shop floor, you would see a nearly fully assembled Service Module that still has some work to go and some testing at the module level.\u201d<\/p>\n
He continued: \u201cThe phase we\u2019re getting into now for Artemis 2 is we\u2019re getting into a more test-centric phase versus an assembly or build phase. We still have some environmental testing to do, we have thermal cycle [tests] at the module levels for both the Crew Module and Service Module. We have direct field acoustics to do at the module level for both Crew Module and Service Module.\u201d<\/p>\n
After this, the next step will be vacuum testing on the integrated Orion assembly (which includes the Service Module) before delivering the system to NASA for stacking and flight on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.<\/p>\n
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The Launch Abort System separates from the Orion capsule during a nominal ascent to orbit. After Solid Rocket Booster separation, the Orion\u2019s European Service Module engines have enough power to push Orion safely away from a potentially failing SLS Core Stage or Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. (Credit: Mack Crawford for NSF)<\/p>\n
This delivery to NASA is currently targeted for Quarter 4 of 2023.<\/p>\n
Orion for Artemis 1<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the older sibling Orion for Artemis 1 has so far passed its portion of the mission\u2019s Wet Dress Rehearsal with flying colors.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy understanding is that the Orion for Artemis 1 has done very well during testing of ground processing and Wet Dress Rehearsal testing,\u201d noted Schneider. \u201cAnd we support all that because Orion gets powered up during that and all the systems are monitored. Orion has done very well.\u201d<\/p>\n
After Lockheed Martin turned over the Artemis 1 Orion to NASA, the US space agency took the assembly to a hazardous processing facility where it was fueled for the mission and had its inert Launch Abort System installed. <\/p>\n
The completed Orion stack was then taken to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) and hoisted atop the SLS in High Bay 3 of the building. Its stacking marked the first time a full SLS rocket was assembled and tested as a fully-integrated system.<\/p>\n
This Orion lacks some things \u2014 notably a fully-functioning Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) \u2014 that will be required on future Orion\u2019s inflow for Artemis 2 and beyond.<\/p>\n