Future astronauts might say, “Houston, the Altair has landed!”

William Atkins
Friday, 14 December 2007 19:48

Science - Space

NASA announced December 13, 2007, at the Johnson Space Center, that the new name for its 21st century lunar lander is Altair. Its official designation is Lunar Surface Access Module, or LSAM.                

The “Altair” lunar landers (or lunar module spacecraft) joins the “Orion” crew vehicles and the “Ares” launch vehicles as the three major components of its Project Constellation, the program that succeeds the Space Transportation System (STS), which includes the space shuttle fleet.

Project Constellation is expected to begin active flights around the year 2014. The space shuttle fleet will be retired in 2010 after it completes the building of the International Space Station and returns for one more repair mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

In Project Constellation, NASA expects to launch astronauts onboard the manned Orion crew vehicles with the Ares I rocket, while the unmanned Altair lunar lander will be launched from the Ares V rocket.

The Altair spacecraft, which is similar but larger than the Apollo lunar module (LM), will consist of two stages. The Descent stage will contain the fuel, power supplies, and oxygen for the astronauts to breathe. The Ascent stage will contain the astronauts, life-support equipment, and fuel for the ascent motor and rockets. Altair is designed to house four astronauts. The Orion spacecraft will remain in lunar orbit without anyone onboard while the four astronauts explore the lunar surface.

NASA’s plan is to send a lunar landing mission to the Moon before the year 2020. Four astronauts will be sent to the lunar surface in each mission, along with necessary supplies and equipment to eventually establish a lunar outpost.

To Follow: Reasoning behind the name selection and the design of the Altair logo ....