New NASA administrator Michael Griffin has initiated a 12-week investigation, the Exploration Systems Architecture Study, to examine the feasibility of accelerating the development of the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV).
Finishing in mid-July, the study will assess the requirements for accelerating development of the CEV and its launch vehicle to provide crew transport to the International Space Station and for Moon missions. The aim is to understand what has to be done to start manned flights of the CEV as soon as possible after the Space Shuttle is retired in 2010.
During his Congressional nomination hearings, Griffin criticised the original timetable for CEV development that scheduled a manned flight for 2014.
Lockheed Martin unveiled its design for the CEV earlier this month (Flight International, 10-16 May) and says it can deliver the vehicle by 2010.
ROB COPPINGER/LONDON
Source: Flight International
