NASA's
Glenn Research Center and nine other NASA field centers
received good news yesterday. Agency managers announced new
work assignments for the Constellation Program, which is
developing a fleet of spacecraft to carry astronauts to the
moon by 2020.
The new work assignments will allow the field centers to
begin planning and preparing for development of the lunar
lander, lunar operations and Ares V heavy-lift
rocket that will carry astronauts from Earth orbit to
the moon.
Glenn's new roles include leading the development of the
Ares V rocket's power system, thrust vector control and
payload shroud. The thrust vector control system will steer
the rocket, and the payload shroud will protect the lunar
lander as it reaches Earth's orbit aboard Ares V.
"The shroud is about 10 meters in diameter," said Robert
Moorehead, Glenn's director of space flight systems. "It
will be the largest payload shroud ever developed."
The center also will lead the development of the lunar
lander's ascent stage propulsion system, which "gets man
back from the moon to Earth," said Moorehead. As lead for
surface systems power generation and energy storage, the
center will explore options including solar arrays,
batteries and fuel cells to power a habitat, rovers and
other equipment for the lunar base.
Glenn's
Plum Brook Station facility near Sandusky will test the Ares
V Earth departure stage and the lunar lander in a simulated
space environment.
Glenn has extensive experience in designing space power and
propulsion systems as well as testing space hardware. "These
assignments are consistent with our competencies and
capabilities," said Center Director Dr. Woodrow Whitlow Jr.
"They recognize our accomplishments so far."
Development of NASA's new fleet of spacecraft is well
underway. In fact, NASA Glenn has already begun the work
on the Ares I crew launch vehicle and the Orion crew module
that was assigned in June 2006.
Ares V, Lunar Lander and Surface Operations Work
Assignments:
- Support lunar architecture work for Constellation
Program system engineer
- Lead Ares V power, thrust vector control and payload
shroud development
- Lead Earth departure stage orbital environments
testing at Plum Brook
- Subsystem lead for lunar lander ascent stage
propulsion
- Subsystem lead for ascent and descent stage power
generation, management and energy storage systems
- Lead lunar lander environmental testing at Plum
Brook
- Support for lunar lander project integration and
descent stage propulsion subsystems
- Lead lunar surface systems power generation and
management, energy storage systems and element
environmental testing
- Subsystem lead for passive thermal systems and
surface element communications
- Support lunar surface in-situ resource systems (the
moon's natural resources)
