At today's congressional hearings on the President's new space initiative, NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe revealed that the name of the new "Crew Exploration Vehicle" program at NASA will be "Project Constellation".
NASA announces an agency realignment in concert with Bush's new space initiative. NASA has created a new Code T office which will be responsible for the new Crew Exploration Vehicle and other technology development.
The office will be headed by retired U.S. Navy Admiral Craig E. Steidle, who formerly oversaw the Joint Strike Fighter program.
"The Office of Exploration Systems is established to set priorities and direct the identification, development, and validation of exploration systems and related technologies. Users and technologists will work together to enable a balancing of factors between requirements, program schedules and costs."
President Bush announced a new vision for the Nation's space exploration program. The President committed the United States to a long-term human and robotic program to explore the solar system, starting with a return to the Moon that will ultimately enable future exploration of Mars and other destinations.
"Our second goal is to develop and test a new spacecraft, the Crew Exploration Vehicle, by 2011, and to conduct the first manned mission no later than 2017. The Crew Exploration Vehicle will be capable of ferrying astronauts and scientists to the Space Station after the shuttle is retired. But the main purpose of this spacecraft will be to carry astronauts beyond our orbit to other worlds. This will be the first spacecraft of its kind since the Apollo Command Module. "
+ Announcement Summary (White House)
+ Renewed Spirit of Discovery (Policy Directive) (White House)
+ Transcript of Bush's Speech (White House)
+ NASA's Future: Exploration and Discovery (NASA)