NASA To Use Moon New Capsule For Other Space Missions
HOUSTON (CBS4) - NASA has unveiled a new look and name for its previously planned moon capsule.
The crew capsule named Orion was a cornerstone of former President George W. Bush's plan to return astronauts to the moon. A year ago, President Barack Obama scrapped the moon mission but saved Orion -- possibly for an escape pod at the International Space Station.
Tuesday's announcement gives the spacecraft a new name -- the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV). NASA says the capsule will carry four astronauts on 21-day missions and will be able to land in the Pacific Ocean.
Its destination would be beyond Earth's orbit, perhaps to an asteroid.
Still in development is a giant rocket that would send the capsule away from Earth.
For more information on the MPCV, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/mpcv
