NASA / Lockheed Martin · Operational · us · Crew Spacecraft
Orion MPCV
NASA deep-space crew capsule; flew first crewed Artemis mission (Artemis II, April 2026).
Verified 2026-09-24 · First flight 2014-12-05
Subsystems
1 OMS-E main engine (6,000 lbf / ~26.7 kN); 8 auxiliary engines (110 lbf each); 24 RCS thrusters (50 lbf each) on European Service Module.
ESM supplies life-support essentials; architecture supports deep-space missions.
Glass cockpit displays; sensor suite for deep-space navigation; GNC for a hybrid free-return lunar trajectory.
Avcoat ablative heat shield; thermal control provided by European Service Module radiators.
ESM solar arrays generating 11 kW.
NASA Docking System (NDS) port for docking; deep-space communications via DSN.
Specs & Metrics
- Crew Capacity ↑ better
- 4 seats
- Maximum number of crew members the vehicle can carry on a nominal mission.
- Pressurized Volume ↑ better
- 19.6 m³
- Total pressurized volume; habitable volume 8.9 m³
- Total internal pressurized volume of the spacecraft in cubic metres.
Program roadmap
- achieved
Artemis II crewed lunar flyby — launched April 1, 2026, splashed down April 10 after 9 days, 1 hour, 32 minutes; crew returned safely
2026-04↗ - planned
Artemis III — crewed Earth-orbit test: Orion rendezvous and docking with test versions of one or both commercial landers (Blue Origin, SpaceX)
2027↗ - planned
Artemis IV — first crewed lunar landing of the program, moved from Artemis III in the February 2026 restructure
2028↗