Blue Moon Lunar Module operational concept. Credit: NASA
NASA is considering enabling the Orion spacecraft to dock with Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lunar lander in low lunar orbit, rather than in an elliptical orbit about 8,500 kilometers above the Moon’s surface. The agency says the lower orbit could reduce the lander’s propellant requirements, improve contingency options for astronauts, and make the lunar landing easier for Blue Origin. NASA also announced that it is working with United Launch Alliance on an enhanced Centaur V upper stage to help Orion reach low lunar orbit.
A NASA diagram shows Orion docking with Blue Moon in the higher elliptical orbit. However, the agency is also studying a low-lunar-orbit docking option.
Jeremy Parsons, NASA’s Artemis program manager, said an orbit hundreds of kilometers above the Moon would substantially reduce the propellant Blue Moon needs to carry astronauts down to the lunar surface and back. That could free up mass for other uses on the vehicle. A lower orbit would also give astronauts more opportunities to leave the lunar surface sooner if necessary.
An enhanced Centaur V
NASA announced Friday that it is working with United Launch Alliance to develop an “enhanced” version of the Centaur V upper stage. Used with the Space Launch System’s core stage, the upgraded upper stage would allow Orion to reach low lunar orbit.
Orion has long lacked the delta-v capability needed to launch from Earth, travel to low lunar orbit, return to Earth, and splash down in the Pacific Ocean. NASA has not previously addressed that limitation directly.
“Bringing Orion to low lunar orbit means solving problems in propulsion and spacecraft integration that have been left unaddressed for far too long,” Isaacman said Friday.
Instead, NASA developed workarounds such as the Lunar Gateway, which is being placed in a near-rectilinear halo orbit that Orion could reach safely. That approach left the lunar lander and the companies developing it to handle more of the performance challenge involved in reaching the Moon’s surface.
Isaacman said NASA is trying to provide as much assistance as possible to lunar-lander companies because of the urgency of the situation.
“We’re listening to the data and looking at what’s happening around us,” he said. “What progress are our landing partners making? Where are they struggling? What can we do to help? If we can move Orion significantly closer to the moon, their lives will be easier. We can choose to continue on our trajectory and say, maybe they’ll show up and meet our timeline. Or we can say, let’s start turning those knobs to help.”
Source: arstechnica.com