NASA Orders Three More Orion Spacecraft From Lockheed Martin

Now that Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has a contract to provide NASA with three Orion spacecraft for its Artemis VI–VIII missions, the agency can continue to get exploration vehicles to help with the Artemis programme by sending astronauts into deep space and around the Moon.

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It is a privilege for Lockheed Martin to work with NASA to provide Orion spacecraft for the Artemis missions. This contract, which extends into the 2030s, includes spacecraft, mission planning, and support, according to Lisa Callahan, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s Commercial Civil Space division. “This contract demonstrates NASA is making long-term planning toward living and working on the Moon, while still having a forward emphasis on getting humans to Mars,” the statement reads. “We’re on the eve of a historic launch starting off the Artemis era.

As a result of OPOC, Lockheed Martin and NASA were able to build Orion vehicles for Artemis III through Artemis V at a 50% lower cost per unit than those constructed during the design and development stage. An additional 30% of the cost will be cut from the vehicles made for Artemis VI, VII, and VIII.

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Additionally, the company will reduce the cost of these production vehicles through bulk supplier purchases of materials and components as well as a quicker mission cadence.

Two additional Orion spacecraft, Artemis II and III, are being assembled at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida beside Artemis I, which is now perched on the Space Launch System rocket. Work on the Artemis IV craft is well under way, with the pressure vessel being joined at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Site close to New Orleans and the heat shield at a Lockheed Martin facility close to Denver. Work on the Artemis V vehicle has also already started.