In article ,
says...

Jeff Findley wrote:

In article ,
says...

It would (at the least) require a special payload adapter. They
'cleverly' made Orion 0.02 meters bigger than the largest payload
adapter for a Delta IV. This is what I was referring to when I said
they deliberately designed it to NOT fit on existing launchers.

True, but they somehow made it fit on a Delta IV Heavy for its first
(unmanned) test flight. It's not a lightweight.


Except that wasn't a real system. Fake service module hard bolted to
the booster with a partial payload adaptor and separation system
custom built. Incomplete testing of the capsule, since it didn't
separate from the dummy service module (and the booster) until just
before reentry and never deployed its power system.

Yes, it wasn't a full-up capsule. But isn't it still amazing that both
SpaceX and Boeing have been able to design crewed capsules for ISS that
somehow manage to fit on launch vehicles far smaller than Delta IV
Heavy?

For "deep space" missions, Orion needs a HAB anyway, so mission duration
isn't really something that needs to be all that long. I'm sure they'll
*make* it do more, but it really ought to be just a "taxi" to get to
whatever set of hardware is needed for the actual "deep space" mission.

Jeff
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