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Orion Spacecraft and ISS: NASA's Path to Human Space Exploration

Human space exploration goals for the 21st Century include destinations both in low-Earth orbit to the International Space Station and deep space missions to an asteroid and even to Mars. Different exploration destinations require different systems. NASA's journey to Mars has taken a critical step forward with the successful test launch of the Orion spacecraft. Meanwhile, NASA's Commercial Crew Program is spearheading the development of two commercially owned and operated space transportation systems that will give astronauts safe, reliable, and cost-effective access to and from the International Space Station, where cutting edge research and technology developments are increasing our knowledge about what it takes to live and work for long periods of time in space.

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    Transcript

    00:00:08 NASA's Orion spacecraft is designed to send astronauts on exploration missions into deep space. Closer to Earth, orbiting about 250 miles up, NASA is using the International Space Station to conduct cutting edge research and technology development and to increase our knowledge about what it takes to live and work for long periods of time in space. Currently, the six crew members of the space station travel to and from the orbiting laboratory in Russian Soyuz spacecraft. NASA's Commercial Crew Program is spearheading the development of a U.S. commercial crew space transportation capability that provides safe, reliable and cost-effective access to and from the International Space Station in low-Earth orbit.

    00:00:55 In September, NASA selected two commercial providers, Boeing and SpaceX, to develop the systems to transport astronauts from U.S. soil to and from the space station using the company's Boeing CST-100 and SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. These new American spacecraft also will allow us to add a seventh crew member to the space station and double the amount of time the crew has to conduct research aboard the unique microgravity laboratory. Certifying and using U.S. commercial companies' spacecraft to provide transportation services to low-Earth orbit allows NASA to expand its focus to even more ambitious missions . . . sending astronauts to explore an asteroid, learning in the proving ground of space around the moon.

    00:01:41 Ultimately NASA's Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, and the skills and techniques learned in lunar orbit will enable humans to explore Mars. We are going to different exploration destinations, so we need different systems. NASA will own and operate its Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System for deep-space missions and will purchase services from Boeing and SpaceX to get astronauts to and from the station. That's what America's space program should look like in the 21st century.