From round ones to X-shaped rectangles for Orion’s solar arrays

by | Jan 17, 2013 | ESA | 0 comments

Now that the European Space Agency (ESA) is charged with building the new service module for NASA’s Orion manned spacecraft (full story here), its solar arrays are now expected to use the X-configuration that the ATV vessel uses (ESA’s ATV is being used as the basis of the service module) rather that the previously planned round/circular ones.

Out with the old and in with the new:  The original Lockheed Martin design configuration (top) with its definitive round/circular solar arrays has now been replaced by a service module based on ATV-heritage hardware which will thus use rectagular solar arrays in an X-shape configuration (bottom).  Images courtesy: Lockheed Martin and ESA respectively.

About Seradata

Seradata produce the renowned Seradata database. Trusted by over 100 of the world’s leading Space organisations, Seradata is a fully queryable database used for market analysis, failure/risk assessment, spectrum analysis and space situational awareness (SSA).

For more information go to https://www.seradata.com/product/

Related Articles

JUICE finally manages to get its radar antenna out but there is no joy for hobbled Lunar Flashlight

ESA's JUICE (JUpiter ICy-moon Explorer) mission built by Airbus which is planned to make detailed observations of Jupiter and its Read more

JUICE mission to Jupiter’s moons blasts off after initial delays…then it has a radar antenna deployment fault

After Flight VA260 was delayed by one day due to the weather, the Ariane 5 ECA+ rocket successfully launched the Read more

Gold rush for lunar comms attracts Lockheed Martin which sets up subsidiary to operate satellite relay pair

While landings on the Moon have been done before and are now regarded as a known technology, something not previously Read more

Italian government gives Vega C vote of confidence with a three-launch order for its IRIDE constellation

Arianespace has won a contract for up to three Vega C launches for IRIDE, the Italian government’s Earth observation constellation. Read more

Upgrade to ISS continues as EVA prepares for additional solar arrays

On 2 February 2023, after the Quest airlock was depressurised, NASA astronaut Nicole Mann and JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata opened Read more

What’s Next for Space Exploration in 2023 and Beyond

Much changed on Earth and in space during 2022. In July the James Webb Telescope, the largest optical telescope in Read more

Ariane 5 ECA+ launches three satellites from French Guiana: Galaxy-35 and -36, and MTG-I1

An Ariane 5 ECA+ rocket was launched from Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana on 13 December at 2030 Read more

SLD lunar lander competition: Blue Origin-led National Team has Boeing replacing Northrop Grumman which joins competitor Dynetics

Having previously lost the original Human Landing System (HLS) contract to SpaceX, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin has announced a new Read more

Categories

Archives

Tags

nasaspacexecoreviewsissesaArianespacevideochina25virgin galacticfalcon 9ULARoscosmosDGAFalcon 9v1.2FT Block 5evaaviation weekspacewalkaressoyuzIGTBeidouawardsInternational Space StationspaceBlue OriginSatellite broadcastingrussiamoonStarlinkCargo Return VehicleRocket LabresearchboeingmarsblogAirbus DSOneWeborionISROimpacthyperbolamarsdelayjaxaspaceshiptwodemocratgoogle lunar prizerocketlunarhypertextobamaEutelsatlaunchVegatourismconstellationbarack obamafiguresSESnorthspaceflightthales alenia spacenode 2fundedRaymond LygoIntelsat2009romeAtlas VExpress MD-2dassault aviationss2Elon MuskLockheed MartinaviationLucy2008wk2sstlukradiotestmissilesuborbitaldocking portexplorationVirgin OrbitinternetAriane 5 ECAChina Manned Space EngineeringSLSsts-122missile defensenewspapercotsgalileospace tourismflight2010Ariane 5Express AMU 1spaceportbuildspace stationaltairNorthrop GrummanElectronshuttleProton Minternational astronautical congressscaled compositesIntelsat 23LauncherOneEuropean Space AgencyCosmoshanleybudgetrulesnew yorksoyuz 2-1aLong March 4CLong March 2D/2Ariane 6shenzhouspace shuttleVietnamatvboldencongressMojaveLong March 2Cnew shepardOrbital ATKGuiana Space CenteriaccnesksclawsSpace Systems/LoralUK Space AgencyInmarsatLong March 4BILSUS Air ForceprotonTalulah RileyApollodarpaSkylonAstriumlanderpictureeuusaastronautdragonbaselunar landerfiveeventVega CSSLAprilSNCinterview50thSea LaunchfalconWednesdaycustomerlinkLong Marchatlantissuccessor7TelesatSpace InsuranceKuaizhou 1AFalcon 9v1.2 Block 5