This paper presents the results of a preliminary structural sizing and alternate material trade study for NASA s Crew Exploration Vehicle ( CEV ) Crew Module ( CM ) . This critical CEV component will house the astronauts during ascent , docking with the International Space Station , reentry , and landing . The alternate material design study considers three materials beyond the standard metallic ( aluminum alloy ) design that resulted from an earlier NASA Smart Buyer Team analysis . These materials are graphite / epoxy composite laminates , discontinuously reinforced SiC / Al ( DRA ) composites , and a novel integrated panel material / concept known as WebCore . Using the HyperSizer ( Collier Research and Development Corporation ) structural sizing software and NASTRAN finite element analysis code , a comparison is made among these materials for the three composite CM concepts considered by the 2006 NASA Engineering and Safety Center Composite Crew Module project .