NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Artist concept of a lunar lander on the lunar surface. Image Credit: NASA
Altair is the lunar lander spacecraft component of NASA's Constellation fleet which includes the Orion crew capsule, the Ares I and Ares V rockets, and the Altair lunar lander. Altair will launch aboard an Ares V rocket into low Earth orbit, where it will rendezvous with the Orion crew vehicle. As currently envisioned by NASA, the Altair lunar lander will deliver up to four astronauts to the lunar surface, providing life support and a base for week-long initial surface exploration missions and then returning the crew to the Orion spacecraft that will bring them home to Earth. Similar in design, but much larger than the Apollo Lunar Module, the Altair lunar lander will consist of two stages: a descent stage, which will house the majority of the fuel, power supplies, and breathing oxygen for the crew; and an ascent stage, which will house the astronauts, life-support equipment, and fuel for the ascent stage engine and steering control.

Marshall Space Flight Center plays an important role in the development of Altair. The Altair project consists of an in-house design team using agency-wide resources and capabilities, with Marshall playing a significant role in the initial Altair development team. Johnson Space Center manages the Lunar Lander Project Office, and a deputy project manager is located at Marshall for close coordination of work. Marshall is the current lead for the lunar lander's propulsion and avionics subsystem work and provides subsystem support for thermal, life support, and structures. Marshall’s Altair team also supports overall project integration. As the program evolves, Marshall will lead the lunar lander descent stage propulsion work.

The Altair lunar lander will enable astronauts to learn to live and work on the moon for extended periods of time, providing the experience needed to expand human exploration farther into the solar system.