NASA Announces Key Decision For Next Deep Space Transportation System

May 24, 2011

Michael Braukus/J.D. Harrington
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1979/5241
michael.j.braukus@nasa.gov j.d.harrington@nasa.gov

Josh Byerly
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
bill.j.byerly@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 11-164

NASA ANNOUNCES KEY DECISION FOR NEXT DEEP SPACE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

WASHINGTON -- NASA has reached an important milestone for the next
U.S. transportation system that will carry humans into deep space.
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden announced today that the system
will be based on designs originally planned for the Orion Crew
Exploration Vehicle. Those plans now will be used to develop a new
spacecraft known as the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV).

"We are committed to human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit and look
forward to developing the next generation of systems to take us
there," Bolden said. "The NASA Authorization Act lays out a clear
path forward for us by handing off transportation to the
International Space Station to our private sector partners, so we can
focus on deep space exploration. As we aggressively continue our work
on a heavy lift launch vehicle, we are moving forward with an
existing contract to keep development of our new crew vehicle on
track."

Lockheed Martin Corp. will continue working to develop the MPCV. The
spacecraft will carry four astronauts for 21-day missions and be able
to land in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast. The spacecraft
will have a pressurized volume of 690 cubic feet, with 316 cubic feet
of habitable space. It is designed to be 10 times safer during ascent
and entry than its predecessor, the space shuttle.

"This selection does not indicate a business as usual mentality for
NASA programs," said Douglas Cooke, associate administrator for the
agency's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate in Washington. "The
Orion government and industry team has shown exceptional creativity
in finding ways to keep costs down through management techniques,
technical solutions and innovation."

To learn more about the development of the MPCV, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/mpcv

-end-

To subscribe to the list, send a message to:
hqnews-subscribe@mediaservices.nasa.gov
To remove your address from the list, send a message to:
hqnews-unsubscribe@mediaservices.nasa.gov