NASA 'deep space' ship: Humans beyond orbit by 2020? Just maybe
– if Elon Musk can do what he says Analysis NASA has declared
that its pork-tastic Orion moonship – whose primary mission
disappeared with President Obama's decision that there will be
no manned US return to the Moon – is now to be a "deep space
transportation system", suggesting that the agency plans to send
it on missions beyond Earth orbit. Well, this isn't happening
any more. It remains unclear how the newly-renamed Multi Purpose
Crew Vehicle (MPCV) will travel into space, when it will do so
and what its destination might be – though a near-Earth asteroid
is a likely possibility. A major reason for Orion's continued
survival appears to be ignoble porkbarrel politics – but there
is a tantalising possibility that it might fly beyond Earth
orbit in the relatively near future. The history of Orion
stretches back to 2004. The Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle was
conceived as part of the "Constellation" plans envisioned under
the previous Bush admini