NASA is concerned that the flight hardware for Orion crew exploration vehicle’s (CEV) extra vehicular activity (EVA) system is too heavy for its CEV and is working towards a preliminary design that is light enough for April 2009
credit: NASA / click on image to get larger versionOrion will use an umbilical EVA system. In May this year NASA began developing design concept plans to meet the EVA System Requirements Document mass allocation
This followed an EVA system master equipment list that was reviewed in April after a mass margin management plan was worked up for the EVA systems project
September will see a Integrated Baseline Review with the prime contractor Lockheed Martin to update the Constellation programme with the latest EVA system mass estimate
For the Orion Systems Baseline Review (SBR) planned for September Lockheed is to provide a status of its support for the EVA systems’ development and the work of the operations group that is examining outstanding issues such as the EVA handrail approach, post-landing assumptions and occupant protection system interfaces. At Orion’s November preliminary design review Lockheed will update the data supplied at the September SBR
By the end of February 2009 NASA expects to have reconciled the design concepts from its engineers and the EVA suit contractor, Houston based-Oceaneering International, in time to validate the spacesuit against requirements for its PDR
credit: NASA
NASA awarded a contract to Oceaneering in June for its Constellation space suit system’s design, development and production. The $183 million contract covers the period June this year to September 2014. As well as developing the suit for Orion it includes basic work for the lunar surface EVA version. NASA’s press release about the contract award states that “In addition, the spacesuit and support systems will provide contingency spacewalk capability…”
