NASA Constellation mission overview

Constellation mission overview by NASA NASA's Constellation program was an ambitious initiative aimed at developing the next generation of spacecraft and systems for human space exploration. The program included several components:

1. **Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV)**: Orion was designed to be a versatile spacecraft capable of carrying astronauts to destinations like the Moon, Mars, and beyond. It was intended to replace the Space Shuttle for human spaceflight.

2. **Ares I and Ares V Launch Vehicles**: The Ares I rocket was meant to launch the Orion spacecraft with a crew. The Ares V was a heavy-lift launch vehicle designed to carry large payloads and lunar landers.

3. **Altair Lunar Lander**: Altair was designed to transport astronauts from the Orion spacecraft to the lunar surface and back. It was planned to support extended stays on the Moon.

4. **Project Constellation Lunar Missions**: NASA aimed to return humans to the Moon with the Constellation program. The plan included sending crews to establish a lunar outpost and conduct scientific research.

5. **Deep Space Habitat**: This module was envisioned to serve as a living and working space for astronauts during long-duration missions to destinations like Mars.

However, due to budget constraints and changing priorities, the Constellation program faced challenges and was eventually cancelled in 2010. Elements of the program were repurposed for other initiatives, such as the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft, which continue to be developed for future deep space exploration missions.