NASA Testing Alternative Orion Capsule

October 13, 2009

What looks like NASA's Orion capsule, costs about the same as an Orion capsule but isn't made of metal? Why that would be NASA's Composite Crew Module, a structural prototype commissioned by NASA to determine if there would be any advantages to using new polymers to fabricate its planned replacement for the retiring space shuttles. 

The NASA Engineering and Safety Center, set up in the wake of the Columbia accident to provide independent testing, analysis and assessments of the agency's high-risk programs, has been studying the alternative Orion capsule for about three years. 

The NESC found that an alternative Orion was feasible but a detailed design would be needed to ascertain if it could meet mass requirements and manufacturing concerns. NASA told it to go ahead and build one. 

Here's a quick synopsis of the project from NSEC's website:

The team ...  focused on a design that utilizes aluminum honeycomb sandwich and solid polymer matrix laminate material systems. The design integrates the capsule backbone with the floor and pressure shell walls, which helps share the structural loads -- particularly important for water landings. The design also trims the capsule by about 150 pounds. The capsule is constructed in two major sections: an upper and a lower pressure shell.

Manufacturing of the prototype began last October and was finished in July. Testing is under way.

Preliminary results are not particularly promising, as any cost savings in weight and manufacturing are eroded by the alternative Orion's more complex design. Engineers also determined that the composite capsule would take longer to build due to manufacturing changes associated with switching from metallic materials . 

NASA did like the composite's clam-shell design and is considering using it for the operational vehicles.  NESC also concludes that using composites reduces the number of parts needed to manufacture and maintain the vehicles, which cuts life-cycle costs. 

"Throughout the manufacturing phase, a number of 'unknown unknowns' materialized, giving the team the opportunity to evaluate and demonstrate the inspectability and repairability of the (composite) design," NESC said.

(Alternative Orion capsule, ready for pressure tests. Credit: NASA) 

Comments

[Kris Ringwood]

Well, all very nice, but it would appear the experiment has been shelved in favor of going with what we know and employing the ET Aluminum - Lithium alloy for Orion structures. No problem? Er, not quite. This is the cause of the delays in producing Orion. What's more the weight-saving is over conventional Aerospace alloys and provides almost none over AL-LI structures...The cost involved was not mentioned either...