NASA's next generation spacecraft: Orion Multi Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV)

[333crypta]

Why the hell are we building antique spacecraft? all the money NASA pours into developing this and they couldnt come up with a beter design? I guess it will do the job but instead of throwing money at something like this why arent they trying to develop a vehicle that can take off and land under its own power from runways? With a design like that you could land almost anywhere you want and not have to worry about booster rockets or retrieving it from the ocean. I dont get it.

[A86]

@333crypta - What are you talking about? A spaceplane would be absolutely useless for a manned mission to the Moon or beyond. Spaceplanes are only useful for LEO flights. Other than that a spaceplane would be a BAD design for a mission to the Moon, Mars or an asteroid. Spaceplanes are heavier and carry no logistic benefit for such missions. For one thing the damn things wings would break off during reentry due to the fact a mission beyond LEO involves higher reentry speed.

[A86]

@333crypta - The reason they are going with the capsule design is because it's the best design for such a mission. The fact it is shaped like a capsule doesn't make it "antique" because it bears a superficial resemblance to Apollo. Orion is more advanced than the Space Shuttle.

[plasmalux]

@333crypta

The design is dictated by the laws of physics. Something that looks like a spaceplane would look cool, but try slamming it into Earth's atmosphere at 25,000 mph after completing an interplanetary trajectory and you wouldn't be left with much.

[floydian218]

This thing spells the end of NASA to me. I would think you would want something bigger for 900 days. its gonna lead to the first murder in space I think with being so close to others for such a long time.

[rock853okg]

There should be technology now or very close to it to have a modern space vehicle sent to the moon on regular missions. For now, forget about Mars. Please have something modern looking instead of those vehicles used in Apollo missions.

[ThatAdelaideGuy]

@rock853okg I think NASA knows what they are doing

[RomanSage]

@ThatAdelaideGuy I wouldn't be so sure about that. NASA is has been heavily criticized by several high profile former astronauts, flight directors, and program managers. Guys like Armstrong, Glen, Kranz, etc. say that NASA is lacking good leadership and focus.

[64SGH]

We should have a science base on the moon by now,

but no we have to keep playing monopoly !!

[usaeagle1776]

wish the govt would just fund NASA and then leave them alone to do what they do best. freaking politicians.

[NewVahan2011]

Well, I hope the U.S. Government will provide the money necessary for these missions.

[MrSYSTEM20]

900 days ?? that's 2 1/3 years...so you telling me four astronauts are going to be cramped up in that tiny module for over 2 years at a time ?? taking them to Mars ? that timy module is going to hald enough fule to GET to Mars...and then BACK ?

what am I missing here ?

[rickythepitbull]

Once random companies are in on space travel they wont be able to keep a lid on any secrets

[ti994apc]

>>> QUESTION to my "Republican" friends. (keep it clean please) Why do Republicans believe in free enterprise and privatization for everything, except when it comes to the Space program? I just don't get it? We are missing out on so much innovation it seems to me. I know the SpaceX falcon9 is light years safer, more reliable, lower cost, and works. Why not expand on COTS? Bush started COTS and it was a success, so why not completely privatize space and make companies compete?

[SamuHell782]

@ti994apc

Just like European powers didn't want to loose control of their new world colonies, just like any nation doesn't want to loose control over their people, just like any feudal system doesn't want to loose control over their tiered cast system... On paper, in a perfect world, we would all benefit from private enterprise going into space... Do you really think the 1% need more power?

[ti994apc]

@SamuHell782 Well put and good point. 

[Joxman2k]

@SamuHell782

That feudal system you talk of will still be in place when "private" enterprise develops. It will just be called commercialization. It's the same system. First it was Religions, then Nationalism, now Corporatism.

...I'm just saying.

:)

:P

[MrSYSTEM20]

@ti994apc ummm...I FULLY support the privatization of the space program...for I believe that once we do...we will accomplish FAR more in 1/2 the time. and at a fraction of the cost...just my republican opinion.

[Swidhelm]

@MrSYSTEM20 I don't think Nasa should be privatized, as the research would take a turn for the worse I think, geared towards making money. However, I do think there needs to be private companies getting into space. That would put a fire under Nasa's seat, and really push technology. That way you'd have an industry for profit, and Nasa can keep doing the exploring side. Because let's face it, there's no money in just exploration

[Gorilder]

NICE lets get this thing running! I hope colonization is on NASA's list of things to do, we could make a huge profit off it (the Europeans did with the American colonies) and the tech that would inevitably come from colonization makes it worth investing in!

[RifullOfTheWest]

FUCK YOU NASA!! Just die and go to hell! We need to disclose the truth! God damn this pisses me off. All our tax dollars going down the shitter in 2 space programs, one for the civilian market and 1 we cant even know about! Fuck our government!

[ThatAdelaideGuy]

@RifullOfTheWest All your Tax dollars? how much do you think goes to NASA? it's half a cent off every dollar, how about they stop funding the unjust wars going on instead?

[fucktardickis]

hAY CHECK OUT CHANG DIAZ,S PLASMA ENGINES

MARS IN 39 DAYS!

[bishop51807]

Its actually kind of sad because nasa is more concerned of its budget and profits from sat tv and phone launches than actual space exploration now more than ever. With no human spaceflight program Nasa now has become another gov, organization with a high spending budget that dose absolutely nothing.

[Kaiza490]

900 days in this thing?!?!

[bishop51807]

@Kaiza490 3 months is the exact trip time to mars

[illustriouschin]

Wish we used this sort of thing 30 years ago instead of the shuttle.

[louielouie11224]

@illustriouschin without the shuttle there would have been no ISS, or it would be much smaller than it is today.

[illustriouschin]

@louielouie11224 Other rockets could have done it, and they would have had the added benefit of not needing to carry a space plane into space each time.

[TheWwweee]

first comment

[thereluctantspaceman]

@TheWwweee It's not if you don't say anything worthwhile.

[TheWwweee]

@thereluctantspaceman ah shut up