Orion passes design milestone

HOUSTON - NASA has taken another step toward building the next crew exploration vehicle by completing the Orion Project's preliminary design review. Orion is being designed to carry astronauts to the International Space Station and other destinations as part of the Constellation Program. The preliminary design review is one of a series of checkpoints that occurs in the design life cycle before hardware manufacturing can begin. (Source: NASA, 09/01/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are both involved in the Constellation Program.