When was the Orion spacecraft program officially announced?
The idea for a Crew Exploration Vehicle arrived on the 14th of January 2004. It emerged as part of the Vision for Space Exploration following the Space Shuttle Columbia accident.
Questions about Orion (spacecraft)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who manufactures the Orion crew module and where is it built?
Lockheed Martin Corporation manufactures the Orion crew module at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana. The module holds fifty percent more volume than the Apollo capsule and carries four astronauts.
What happened to the Constellation Program that originally included Orion?
On the 11th of October 2010, the Constellation program was canceled, ending development of the Altair, Ares I, and Ares V rockets. The Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle survived the cancellation and transferred to be launched on the Space Launch System.
How much did NASA spend developing the Orion spacecraft from 2006 through 2024?
NASA spent twenty-four point one billion dollars on Orion development from 2006 through 2024 in nominal dollars. This equals thirty-one point four billion dollars adjusted to 2025 values using NASA New Start Inflation Indices.
When will the first human landing mission on the Moon occur with Orion?
Artemis III targets mid-2027 for first human landing mission on Moon since 1972. Flights aim to achieve yearly cadence starting from Artemis IV onward in 2028.