Collins Aerospace to supply critical subsystems for NASA's Orion spacecraft

Valued at $320 million, the systems being provided by Collins Aerospace will play an important role in enabling NASA's goal of boots on the Moon by 2024, as well as establishing a sustained presence on and around the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars.

The key subsystems for Orion to be provided by Collins Aerospace include:

+ Environmental control and life support systems that maintain a healthy and comfortable environment for the crew both in the spacecraft cabin and while isolated in launch and re-entry suits

+ Active thermal control systems, which provide liquid circulation throughout the spacecraft picking up waste heat from the crew and vehicle electronics

+ Power management and distribution hardware, providing power connectivity from external power sources and conditioned power to the crew and service modules

+ Waste management systems to promote crewmember comfort and vehicle cleanliness

"We've been providing life-sustaining solutions for space for 50 years, and we're proud to be working with Lockheed Martin and NASA to enable decades of future exploration to the Moon, Mars and beyond," said Kevin Raftery, vice president and general manager, ISR and Space Solutions for Collins Aerospace.