Full Resolution Photos of NASA's New Spaceship

[Jessterw]

Pretty cool photos, even if they aren't real

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/spacecraft/cev_hi_res.html

Particularly like this one:

http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/149769main_CaLV_launch_full.jpg

Update: Here's some additional info one the work assignments for the various NASA locations when they start on the Constellation Program...

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/spacecraft/work_assign.html

[Nowhere]

So...NASA won't land on water this time? :P

[Jessterw]

I would assume there is an allowance in the design for a water landing, as opposed to the earth landing shown in one of the images. To leave such a contingency out would be irresponsible.

Then again, I'm not sure what's going on at NASA these days, so it's possible they could f* this up as well.

[KvHagedorn]

Pretty cool photos, even if they aren't real

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/spacecraft/cev_hi_res.html

Hmm looks familiar. Retro.. Apollo did well so just copy the look? erm.. no. Get the nazis to run the thing again and THEN maybe things will work properly.

Particularly like this one:
http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/1...aunch_full.jpg

hmm.. psychology at work..

It looks like a giant..

Johnson! What's that on radar?
I dunno, sir.. looks like a humongous..

Weiner?
Thanks, Dad.. got any mustard? Wait, what's that?
Oh my God, it's a big..

etc..

[Jessterw]

I may be the odd duck, but nothing of a phallic nature crossed my mind. It definitely resembles the Apollo launchers of years ago, but that was established awhile back.

I just thought they were some well done renderings... *looks down* nope, looks nothing like mine

[Dr Mordrid]

Yes, it's primary return mode is on land using air bags. Water is an option. Crew = 4 - 6 (6 man config. for Mars missions or unmanned for ISS cargo). Reusable lander w/interchangeable heatshields. Decision about using methane/oxygen in lander in flux. Most want it because it would allow refueling on Mars using concentrators & Mars own atmosphere.

MUCH larger than the Apollo capsule. Also note the escape tower/engine at the top.

Full rez animaton of Ares V and Altair launches/Altair landing (30mb *.mov)

Ares V? Altair?

"Constellation System" vehicle/launcher names;

Original thread: http://forums.murc.ws/showthread.php?t=57449

Rumor mills say;

CEV (crew): Altair

LSAM (lander): Artemis

CLV (crew launcher): Ares I 'I' because of its single SRB booster.

CaLV (cargo launcher): Ares V - because of its five Space Shuttle Main Engines. Also a result of wanting to identify with the Saturn V.

Ares V will use 5 shuttle main engines/shuttle main tanks and oversized (longer/more segments) Shuttle SRB's in the 1st stage and a modded Saturn V 2nd stage engine. BIG, and with >2 SRB's capable of up to 120 metric tons to orbit. Shuttle can deliver ~28 tons in its bay.

Dr. Mordrid

[KvHagedorn]

They need to recruit some old Apollo veterans to show em how it's done..

[Dr Mordrid]

MUCH different systems, so I doubt they'd make a difference. This is not your daddys spaceship.

Lets also not forget NASA COTS: Commercial Orbital Transportation Services. Under this program NASA is to acquire outside manned & ISS cargo spacecraft. Competitors are the t/Space CXV (Rutans in this one), SpaceDevs Dream Chaser & others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_orbital_transportation_services

Of these t/Space has tested their capsules landing system. Their launcher will be dropped from an aircraft & lit. They have done 2-3 drops so far using mockups to test that procedure.

http://www.transformspace.com/index.cfm

Movie (109 mb MPEG):

http://www.transformspace.com/media_gallery/media/CXV-ConOps_audio3_narration-SFX-music.mpg

Dr. Mordrid