Orion Engineering Model Hardware as of March 2001

Faculty Contact: Jonathan How (Email)

Motivation for Orion and Status of the hardware development (900K PDF file)
Orion MIT Home Page with further information here
Orion EM hardware (as of March 2001) and (as of Jan 2001)
Orion Design Team

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 These pictures show the business side of the propulsion system.
There are:
  • One propulsion tank, but there are a total of three - with
    enough gas can be stored for multiple experiments.
  • Propulsion electronics green board - top left
  • Note that this has changed after the phase 0/1 safety review
  • Two (2) regulators (running across the top) and 2 pressure
    relief valves after the regulators (with red trim). This configuration is the result of a design modification, due to concerns raised at the Phase 0/1 safety review.
  • LP plumbing across the bottom.
  • One of the thruster clusters at the bottom
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  • Other hardware views showing the electronics, more propulsion tanks and the aluminum battery box
  • Dimensions: 17.5" cube Weight: ~77 lbs
  • Composed of:
    • 5052 Aluminum Honeycomb Panels
    • CRES 303 Inserts, 7075T73 and 6061T6 L brackets,
      10-32 A286 fasteners
    • 120 Hz natural frequency verified by sine sweep and finite
      element model
    • Designed to withstand structural testing at 13.75 G's
      simultaneously in all axes, within an operating temperature
      range between -20C and 30C
  • Complete Pro-E model for reference and stress analysis.
  • Flight materials are in-hand and ready to be cut upon approval of construction procedures.
  • TOP: communication boards to the left
  • MIDDLE: Tank and propulsion electronics
  • BOTTOM: Tank and Spacequest computer with receiver top right.
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  • External view with the face panels attached.
  • The communication antennas are visible on the top face.
  • Fill port visible (top, left of center). The external tank is attached.
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  • View of test area. Spacecraft to the left and extra computer top middle. The other electronics performs the role of the "interface board", the design of which is nearly completed.
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  • Current configuration of the Orion GPS receiver (more details)
  • The 2 receiver boards (three will be used for the flight model)
    are stacked on top of the lower board that is used for the communication.
  • This board has been extensively tested on the ground and with a signal generator.
  • The receiver is tightly integrated with the science computer
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  • One of the GPS antenna options that is under consideration

November 25, 2002