New Orion model from NASA.GOV

**Mechanic** · #1 11-01-2014, 11:10 AM

If someone has previously posted this, my apologies. . .

Nasa.gov has posted an updated Orion paper with a little bit better details, mainly the rectangular solar panels and a more accurately painted capsule. This one reflects the actual vehicle the best I think. (Strangely, it's still white as opposed to the test vehicle's upper black tiles. It makes wonder if they are only black for the test vehicle?)

I ran across this when I was surfing on my phone so I'm not sure what the link was that brought me to it; trying to find the model through NASA's site I could only find the older Orion. But, I did leave the page open on my phone so I wouldn't forget about it: http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/fi...Desk_Model.pdf

It is tab and slot construction, so I was wondering if anyone might be interested in using this as a base to make a more tradition styled construction, or perhaps a more detailed model?

**SCEtoAUX** · #2 11-01-2014, 11:32 AM

Here is the page on the NASA site.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/orion/2014/10...n-of-your-own/

Nice looking model. Thanks for heads up on the update.

**richkat** · #3 11-01-2014, 02:18 PM

Cool thank you for posting......Rich

**markcable** · #4 11-01-2014, 04:20 PM

Does anybody know what scale this is?

-M

**SCEtoAUX** · #5 11-01-2014, 04:41 PM

Roughly measuring the diameter of the model at around 3.5 inches and the spacecraft being around 5 meters in diameter gives a scale of 1/56-ish.

**Konstantine00** · #6 11-01-2014, 06:42 PM

Oh ya I saw that too the other day. I was wondering what all of you guys would actually think about it.

**dhanners** · #7 11-01-2014, 08:21 PM

Not sure what to think about it. I guess it is simplified so kids can build it, which is good. But I think most experienced cardmodelers would want to add detail.

I'd love to see Ton Noteboom update his fine Orion model. I love the look of the new capsule's thermal protection, although I've seen some artists' renderings showing it as black and others showing it as white.

**Mechanic** · #8 11-01-2014, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCEtoAUX

Here is the page on the NASA site.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/orion/2014/10...n-of-your-own/

Nice looking model. Thanks for heads up on the update.

Definitely not the site I found the link from, but I think it's interesting that the illustration shows the black heat shield tiles. As pictured would make an interesting model, too.

One note of curiosity, the final stage shows some weird supports on the engine bell. I have never seen a rocket nozzle supported in such a manner; makes me wonder if some illustrator thought it looked better with those supports, like if they thought it looked 'flimsy', or if this is actually indicative of the actual motor?

**dhanners** · #9 11-02-2014, 03:33 AM

Some rocket motors, such as the RL-10 on the Centaur Upper Stage, have a nozzle extension that deploys in flight by sliding down rail thingies. That may be what is depicted in the drawing.

**Dyna-Soar** · #10 11-02-2014, 06:12 AM

In engineering terms, the nozzle extension is used to increase the ratio of the area of the nozzle throat to the area of the nozzle exit. This in turn increases efficiency of the engine when in vacuum.