More in

Aerospace

2018: A space odyssey

In-Depth

The competition to design NASA’s Crew Exploration Vehicle, which will shuttle equipment and astronauts to and from the ISS, and lead the next manned mission to the Moon is at a critical stage. Niall Firth reports.

For those watching on in horror as Columbia splintered and disintegrated upon re-entry to Earth in 2003, it might have seemed as if we were witnessing not only the tragic death of seven astronauts but the final collapse of NASA’s manned space flight ambitions.

 

However, in January 2004, just one year later, President Bush surprised many when he outlined his Vision for Space Exploration and named a manned mission to the Moon as his main priority. This meant that a new vehicle would be required, not only to achieve the president’s lunar ambitions but also to replace the shuttle, destined for the scrapheap in 2010. The new craft is called the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV).

While NASA’s $100bn (£58bn) plan to fly four astronauts to the Moon for a seven-day visit in 2018 will be the first manned lunar mission since 1972, the new spacecraft will — the agency hopes — be in service long before then transporting crew and cargo to and from the International Space Station (ISS).

Register now to continue reading

Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of premium content. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our premium content, as well as the latest technology news, industry opinion and special reports. 

Benefits of registering

  • In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends

  • Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year

  • Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox

Register
Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address