Lockheed to Lead New Space Program

NASA announced it has tapped Lockheed Martin Corp. to develop the Orion Project crew capsule, a prestigious $3.9 billion assignment that marks America's next big push into interplanetary travel.

The program, an opportunity for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to expand its mission, is also seen as a boon to the aerospace industry at large as it develops the technology and materials needed to carry humans back to the Moon and, eventually, to Mars - a journey of at least 35 million miles.

Scientists envision a revived lunar program as establishing a launch pad for flights deeper into space, with the Red Planet the logical next step as humans explore the solar system.

The Orion capsule will be the primary vehicle for NASA's manned space program. Its basic design resembles conical capsules used in the Apollo missions. But the 16.5-foot diameter, 25-ton craft will have room for six astronauts, twice what its predecessors could carry.

According to NASA, the Orion capsule will be launched on Ares, a new generation of rockets designed initially to put it into low earth orbit so it can rendezvous with the International Space Station. Larger versions will eventually blast Orion capsules to other planets.

The first manned Orion launch is slated for 2014 with a lunar landing expected by no later than 2020. Humans have not set foot on the Moon since Apollo 14 touched down on Earth's nearest neighbor in December 1972.

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