LM CRS-2

Lockheed Martin has unveiled a new spacecraft design to deliver supplies to the International Space Station (ISS).

The spacecraft design is part of Lockheed Martin’s proposal to serve Nasa’s Commercial Resupply Services 2 (CRS-2) programme.

Lockheed Martin’s technologies include Jupiter, a reusable space servicing vehicle, a cargo container called the Exoliner and a robotic arm.

The company said its spaceship will support future deep space exploration missions.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems’ civil space business line vice-president Wanda Sigur said: "Our approach is designed to deliver a large volume of critical supplies and cargo with each flight, and do so on schedule.

"Lockheed Martin’s technologies include Jupiter, a reusable space servicing vehicle, a cargo container called the Exoliner and a robotic arm."

"That’s why we’re bringing together flight-proven technologies that are reliable, safe and cost-effective."

The Jupiter spacecraft is built on the design of MAVEN and OSIRIS-Rex, Exoliner container is based upon Thales Alenia Space automated transfer vehicle’s cargo carrier.

Built by MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates, the robotic arm incorporates technology used on the ISS and the Space Shuttle.

Orbital ATK and Space Exploration Technologies currently resupply the space station as part of a combined $3.5bn CRS-1 contract with Nasa.

In 2014, the space agency received proposals for the CRS-2 missions from Orbital ATK, Space X, Boeing and Sierra Nevada.

Nasa asked Boeing and SpaceX to work on crew transport vehicles as part of efforts to reduce its reliance on Russian spacecraft for crew flights.

Image: An illustration showing Lockheed Martin’s solution for Nasa’s Commercial Resupply 2 programme. Photo: courtesy of Lockheed Martin Corporation.