Dual Orion capsules studied for manned asteroid missions

BY CRAIG COVAULT

SPACEFLIGHT NOW

Posted: August 17, 2009

A manned asteroid mission using two Orion spacecraft, docked nose-to-nose to form a 50-ton deep space vehicle, is being studied by Lockheed Martin Space Systems as an alternative to resumption of U.S. lunar landing missions.

The Orion asteroid mission concept is being unveiled just as the Presidential committee reviewing U.S. human space flight is citing asteroid missions after 2020 as a less costly alternative to NASA's proposed lunar landing infrastructure.

Results of the review will be briefed to President Obama by Norman Augustine, committee chairman, by the end of August.

Full article here:

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0908/17orion/