Bringing Constellation To Life

Not since the Space Shuttle was developed more than 30 years ago has NASA and the U.S. aerospace industry undertaken the challenge of developing a major space exploration system. With the Constellation Program poised to take the skies in less than two years, USA’s expertise and experience is already being put to work to bring the next-generation family of exploration vehicles and launch systems to life.

The first official test flight of the Constellation Program will be the Ares I-X demonstration launch in April 2009. Between 2009 and the first manned mission targeted for 2014, there will be a series of launch abort system test flights in White Sands, N.M., an Ares I-Y demonstration launch and a full Ares I/Orion unmanned test flight.

In addition to the Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle, the Constellation systems include Orion, the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV); Ares V, the Cargo Launch Vehicle; the Earth Departure Stage; and the Lunar Lander. Enhanced by vast technology improvements, each of these systems has its blueprint derived from heritage Apollo or Space Shuttle designs.

More than 1,300 USA team members are currently working on various Constellation-related tasks, many of which are being conducted through a “flexible utilization plan” that allows USA employees to temporarily lend their operations expertise to Constellation startup work. Flexible utilization benefits NASA with a more efficient use of available workforce, and it gives USA employees valuable exposure and experience meeting next-generation human space flight program requirements.

USA also has a role on early Constellation contracts that includes subcontract work with Lockheed Martin and ATK Launch Systems. Lockheed Martin is responsible for the design and development of Orion, and ATK is responsible for the modifications to the Solid Rocket Booster to become the Ares I First Stage.

“Constellation is the future of human space exploration,” said Anne Martt, USA Constellation Program Manager. “Being a team member with the prime contractors that are responsible for the design and development of the Constellation systems is going to be a cultural change from our prime role we have on Shuttle, but it’s one that will be exciting.”

“Our work on Ares I is a great challenge and opportunity for USA,” said Lee Pollard, Ares I Deceleration Subsystems IPT Lead. The Ares I First Stage is a single, five-segment reusable Solid Rocket Booster derived from the Space Shuttle’s reusable solid rocket motor.

“It will be rewarding watching the Ares rockets launch knowing that the work we did on the parachutes will enable the first stage to get a gentle ride back to the ground,” Pollard said. “I can’t wait to see the equipment we worked on in action on the first Constellation launch.”

Ares I Deceleration Subsystems IPT teams are responsible for the design, development, test and evaluation for the parachute systems for the Ares I First Stage and are currently performing drop tests at the U.S. Army Proving Ground in Yuma, Ariz.

On Orion, USA is providing support in three key areas of work. These areas are Assembly Integration and Processing (AI&P); the CEV Avionics Integration Lab and Flight Software verification; and design for operations expertise to the Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) and Systems Engineering Integration Teams.

“We have a fantastic team that we’ve put in place. Everyone is very focused and excited about this new work,” said Lloyd Gregg, USA CEV Associate Program Manager. “One of our major goals is to demonstrate all the capabilities and expertise that USA possesses to Lockheed Martin, which we’ve done through our excellent performance. We’re doing that, and it’s resulting in new scope being added to our contract.”

Orion CEV Assembly, Integration and Production teams will be responsible for assembly and test operations of the Crew Module, Service Module and Spacecraft adapter prior to delivering the vehicle to the NASA customer and Ground Operations for subsequent launch processing.

“I’m excited and feel a great sense of pride knowing that I get to play a role in assembling the next generation of U.S. spacecraft that will follow in the great tradition of Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and the Space Shuttle,” said Tere Burke, Director of Orion AI&P.

Since the hardware is still in development, the team is currently taking its expertise in operability and lessons learned from the Space Shuttle and providing Lockheed with input for concepts during the design process.

“This new role for us, as a subcontractor, is definitely a change,” said Mike Parker, Manager of Orion AI&P. “We are working hard to enable a shift in culture that will allow us to be open to new solutions with the new vehicles. It’s a very interesting but exciting time.”

Orion flight software teams face a different challenge. They are responsible for the software engineering, development and testing of ground-based simulation and test software as well as portions of the Communications and Tracking onboard software, plus a large amount of integration testing for the entire avionics subsystem. USA will be responsible for about 95 percent of the testing of Orion-related avionics software. Final assembly, integration and production of this equipment will take place at Kennedy Space Center.

“ America needs a new vehicle to carry out our space exploration mission,” said Brian Watson, CEV Flight Software Manager. “Our work is a new chapter for the history books, and I am honored to be part of it.”

With the scope of Constellation work steadily evolving, USA is also pursuing future contracts. The company is teamed with two primes for potential work on Ares I Upper Stage procurements for Production and on the Instrument Unit Avionics (IUA). Both are in the proposal and contract award phases.

Teamed with The Boeing Company for the Ares I Upper Stage Production, USA is again lending its operation experience to this team’s concepts. For the Ares IUA, USA has joined the BAE Systems team.

A crucial area of USA’s expertise lies in its knowledge of extravehicular activities where the company is actively providing its experience to the development of the Constellation Space Suit System (CSSS), NASA’s next-generation space suit that will be capable of zero-gravity operations in low-Earth orbit and low-gravity operations on the moon.

USA is teamed with Oceaneering International Inc. to pursue this work.

The award announcements of these contracts are expected by the end of the year.

“We are the only company in the world that does human space flight operations with the breadth and magnitude at which we perform,” Martt said. “ USA will play a critical role in transforming Constellation from concepts to hardware and then step up to our future in Constellation operations.”

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