Lawmakers want to make sure NASA’s next big mission to the moon doesn’t send too many workers to the unemployment line.

A four-year gap between the last scheduled shuttle launch and the first launch of Orion set for the year 2014 could leave thousands of NASA employees out of work, WESH 2 News reported.  Read more

The spacecraft that NASA hopes will return humans to the moon is scheduled to begin flight testing in fall 2008. The Orion spacecraft’s first duty will be to replace NASA’s aged space shuttle fleet with missions in Earth’s orbit, including visits to the International Space Station. They are scheduled to begin in 2015.   The spacecraft that NASA hopes will return humans to the moon is scheduled to begin flight testing in fall 2008. The Orion spacecraft’s first duty will be to replace NASA’s aged space shuttle fleet with missions in Earth’s orbit, including visits to the International Space Station. They are scheduled to begin in 2015.  View

NASA has authorized a contract with a maximum value of $16.7 million with Alcoa North American Rolled Products of Bettendorf, Iowa, to supply aluminum lithium plates and metal ingots for early development of the Ares I crew launch vehicles upper stage. The firm fixed-price contract has a period of performance through Aug. 5, 2008.

Ares I is an in-line, two-stage rocket that will transport to low Earth orbit the Orion crew exploration vehicle containing up to six astronauts. The first stage will consist of a single reusable solid rocket booster similar to those used on the space shuttle, with an additional fifth segment. The second, or upper, stage will consist of a J-2X main engine fueled by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants.

Pictures of Plum Brook Testing Center where NASA will test Orion.  View pictures

Check out some images of Orion and Ares hardware here

After a trip out of town its time to catch up on last weeks news.

NASA, Lockheed fret over Orion funding

Astronauts, NASA brass recognize Phoenix contributions to space program 

Orbital to provide Orion crew exploration vehicle launch abort test booster for NASA

NASA turns to past for ideas – Orion will use Apollo-style equipment for ocean recovery

NASA’S Orion Program: Hardware Progresses, Challenges Ahead

Space program needs to pick up pace

Orbital to Provide Abort Test Booster for NASA Testing

DED chief hopes funding keeps NASA plant in N.O.

NASA urged by Congress to continue planning robotic missions

Less is more for astronauts – As spacecraft get smaller, greener, shorter occupants in big demand

Boeing’s bid to win work in New Orleans on NASA’s next space exploration program will be joined by a team of eight suppliers — including Northrop Grumman — that would work with the aerospace company.

NASA will award what’s expected to be a multibillion-dollar contract in late August, with Boeing’s key competition being a team of Alliant Techsystems Thiokol, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and Lockheed Martin, which currently produces space shuttle components at the 832-acre Michoud facility.

Plans are underway to establish a permanent human presence on the moon by the year 2020.

Earth & Sky spoke with Pete Worden, Director of NASA’s Ames Research Center. We asked him why humanity should return to the moon.  Read more

NASA officials have set a requirements baseline for the Orion crew exploration vehicle, bringing the next U.S. spacecraft a step closer to construction. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Orion Project scientists completed the system requirements review in cooperation with the project’s prime contractor, the Lockheed Martin Corp.NASA said the review marks the first major milestone in the Orion engineering process and provides the foundation for design, development, construction and safe operation of the spacecraft that will carry explorers into Earth orbit, to the moon and eventually to Mars.

The detailed requirements established in the review will serve as the basis for design analysis work and systems testing.

Aerojet, a GenCorp, Inc.  company and a core propulsion provider for NASA’s
new space exploration vehicle, Orion, recently conducted an
internally-funded static firing of a key Launch Abort System component.
Orion’s Launch Abort System is a new capability that will allow the
astronaut crew to safely escape in the event of an emergency during launch.
Aerojet’s test of an abort motor reverse flow nozzle increases the
technical readiness of the Launch Abort System concept.