Human Landing System Proposal Sent to NASA by Dynetics
A proposal for Option A of the Human Landing System (HLS) for NASA's Artemis Program has been delivered to NASA by Dynetics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Leidos. The Dynetics team has also completed the HLS Continuation Review, a critical milestone during the 10-month base period, which NASA will use to assess progress on HLS hardware development and program plans.
"Our team is making great progress on our system design and analysis, hardware development, and testing. The incredible volume of technical data and outstanding products delivered to date speak to the power of the swift, yet rigorous, engineering approach with which the team has executed."
Kim Doering, vice president of space systems at Dynetics.
At the Continuation Review, Dynetics provided details to NASA on its early human landing system design efforts, mission plans, and its hardware and software build as well as test activities that demonstrate tangible, robust advancement towards NASA's mission objectives.
Dynetics is currently performing tests of its main engines simultaneously at its propulsion test site and at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), both in Huntsville, AL. This collaboration uses Dynetics' and NASA's expertise in oxygen/methane propulsion at their facilities. These tests provide data on the performance and stability of the engines to improve final designs before qualification.
Dynetics has conducted tests of its smaller reaction control system (RCS) engines at its own facilities, gradually progressing through more challenging and flight-like test conditions.
Dynetics continues to utilize a low-fidelity hardware test article and has recently added a low-fidelity software test article (or "simulator"), provided by Draper Laboratory. The new simulator component enables early human-in-the-loop (HITL) testing of the Dynetics HLS guidance, navigation, and control software.
"Our team is making great progress on our system design and analysis, hardware development, and testing. The incredible volume of technical data and outstanding products delivered to date speak to the power of the swift, yet rigorous, engineering approach with which the team has executed," said Kim Doering, vice president of space systems at Dynetics. "We believe this body of work lays a solid foundation for our crew-centric, sustainable solution to become NASA's choice for safe human transportation to and from the lunar surface."
(Source: Dynetics news release. Image provided by Dynetics)