Voyager Space to Develop New Airlock Concept for Mars Transit
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) May 15, 2024
Voyager Space (Voyager) announced it has received a Collaborative Announcement Notice (CAN) from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to develop an airlock for the Mars Transit Vehicle, also known as Deep Space Transport. This cooperative agreement aims to enhance technology development at MSFC while advancing Voyager's technology and infrastructure.

This 12-month study, starting this month, will involve resources from Voyager and MSFC's Habitation team to evaluate the Bishop Airlock design's suitability for the Mars Transit Vehicle. The new airlock, called "Red Knight," will build on the flight-proven Bishop Airlock to meet deep space challenges, support the Mars Transit crew, and provide unique science opportunities.

"The Voyager Exploration team continues to accomplish great things with the Bishop Airlock and we look forward to exploring how our technology and experience will translate to similar successes with Red Knight," said Marshall Smith, Chief Technology Officer of Voyager Space. "Through this partnership with NASA, we believe that the possibilities for deep space exploration activities on Mars are endless and we are excited to be a part of history."

The Bishop Airlock, owned by Voyager, is the first permanent commercial addition to the International Space Station, offering five times the payload volume of previous airlocks. It has recently completed activities like the installation of GITAI's S2 robotic arm and the relocation of the Gambit payload.

Future airlocks, including Red Knight, will be crucial for moving equipment, conducting research, deploying satellites and trash, and performing maintenance on space stations and spacecraft, supporting various missions and technology demonstrations.

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