MPCV

Yesterday, NASA unveiled the new spacecraft it will use in future manned deep space missions. Dubbed for now the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, it is essentially the Orion capsule of the old, canceled Constellation program. That makes sense, as NASA was already well along in developing Orion. Hopefully, NASA will run a contest to come up with a better name for the new program. Whatever the eventual name, however, when MPCV goes on long duration missions, it will rendezvous and dock with a larger habitation module, to give the crew of four more living space.

NASA also announced it will develop its own heavy lift launcher. That is in line with current law, but it would also seem to be a blow to the emerging commercial space industry. Perhaps, however, if companies like SpaceX can quickly establish their rockets as reliable and get them man-rated, NASA may still be able to forego building its own.