posted 11-08-2011 12:42 PM               

NASA Proposes Orion Spacecraft Test Flight In 2014

Agency Moves to Implement Deep Space Exploration Plan

NASA plans to add an unmanned flight test of the Orion spacecraft in early 2014 to its contract with Lockheed Martin Space Systems for the multi-purpose crew vehicle's (MPCV) design, development, test and evaluation. This test supports the new Space Launch System (SLS) that will take astronauts farther into space than ever before, create U.S. jobs, and provide the cornerstone for America's future human spaceflight efforts.

"President Obama and Congress have laid out an ambitious space exploration plan, and NASA is moving out quickly to implement it," NASA Associate Administrator for Communications David Weaver said. "This flight test will provide invaluable data to support the deep space exploration missions this nation is embarking upon."

This Exploration Flight Test, or EFT-1, will fly two orbits to a high apogee, with a high energy re-entry through Earth's atmosphere. Orion will make a water landing and be recovered using operations planned for future human exploration missions. The test mission will be launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., to acquire critical re-entry flight performance data and demonstrate early integration capabilities that benefit the Orion, SLS, and 21st Century Ground Systems programs. The agency has posted a synopsis explaining its intention on NASA's procurement website.

"The entry part of the test will produce data needed to develop a spacecraft capable of surviving speeds greater than 20,000 mph and safely return astronauts from beyond Earth orbit," NASA Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) William Gerstenmaier said. "This test is very important to the detailed design process in terms of the data we expect to receive."

NASA also intends to release several competitive solicitations to industry in the near future. One solicitation will request proposals for the design, development, test and evaluation of a new advanced liquid or solid booster capability for the SLS. Another future contract NASA intends to compete will be for the development of spacecraft, and payload adaptors and fairings for crew and cargo missions. The competition and award dates for these will be determined as missions are identified.

NASA is developing the Orion spacecraft to launch astronauts to asteroids, the moon, Mars and other destinations atop SLS, the agency's new heavy launch vehicle. An early orbital flight test such as EFT-1 will provide data needed to influence design decisions and serve as a pathfinder to validate innovative new approaches to space systems development. The goal is to reduce the cost and schedule risks of exploration missions.

posted 02-29-2012 10:03 AM               

ATK to Prepare Orion Abort Motor for 2014 Test Flight of NASA's Orion Capsule

ATK today (Feb. 28) began conversion of the main abort motor for NASA's first Exploration Flight Test of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle slated for 2014 from Kennedy Space Center.

The inert system was recently returned to ATK's facility in Salt Lake City, Utah from Lockheed Martin's Waterton facility in Denver where the system successfully completed a series of rigorous acoustic and modal tests.

The abort motor is part of Orion's Launch Abort System, which is designed to safely lift the Orion crew module away from the launch vehicle in the event of an emergency on the launch pad or during initial ascent phase of NASA's Space Launch System.

Standing more than 17 feet tall and measuring three feet in diameter, the abort motor was manufactured in 2008. The motor is an early prototype that was used to better understand the design and to aid in the build-up and acoustic testing of the Orion capsule.

"In new developmental programs, we reduce risk by building an inert prototype to better understand the design and manufacturing processes," said Charlie Precourt, ATK General Manager and Vice President of Space Launch Systems. "In the case of the abort motor, it will now be reconfigured to support the first orbital test flight of the Orion crew vehicle."

A few modifications will be incorporated into the abort motor, including replacing the manifold with a flight design, performing structural tests, adding case brackets for raceway and attachment points for Orion's shroud, and adding flight instrumentation to collect environmental and flight data during the test launch.

"This test flight is an extremely important milestone as we move forward with America's new human exploration spacecraft and heavy lift launch system, enabling our human space flight program to conduct missions beyond Earth's orbit," said Precourt.

The Orion, with its abort system, will fly aboard NASA's Space Launch System, the rocket currently being developed to expand America's capability in space exploration. The launch system will be powerful enough to take crew and cargo into an orbit that enables missions to the Moon, asteroids and eventually to Mars.

In addition to the main abort motor, ATK also makes the Attitude Control Motor for the abort system at its Elkton, Md. facility. The control motor provides steering for the launch abort vehicle during an abort sequence. The control motor to be used on EFT-1 is an inert motor also delivered in 2008, but requires no modifications for the flight test.

The launch abort system sits at atop the Orion spacecraft and was successfully tested during Orion's Pad Abort-1 flight test in 2010. The abort motor operational design utilizes a composite case and titanium manifold exhaust turn-flow technology, resulting in weight savings and improved performance. The control motor design includes eight proportional-valve thrusters with a redundant control system, which provide unparalleled control and safety.

posted 03-15-2012 01:32 PM               

Orion Exploration Flight Test 1 - 2014

This animation depicts the proposed test flight of the Orion spacecraft in 2014.

During the test, which is called Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1), Orion will launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, perform two orbits, reaching an altitude higher than any achieved by a spacecraft intended for human use since 1973, and then will re-enter and land in the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of the United States.

Narration by Jay Estes, Deputy for flight test integration in the Orion program.

posted 07-02-2012 02:08 PM               

First space-bound Orion crew capsule arrives at NASA's launch site

Without its heat shield or wiring installed and only welded metal panels to see, NASA's new spacecraft designed to take astronauts out beyond the Earth and into the solar system doesn't look like much, yet.

But according to NASA, industry and congressional leaders, who on Monday (July 2) marked the arrival of the first space-bound Orion crew module at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the capsule's olive-green aluminum-lithium pressure shell is an exciting sight to behold.

posted 12-21-2012 03:48 PM               

NASA Progressing Toward First Launch of Orion Spacecraft

Recent engineering advances by NASA and its industry partners across the country show important progress toward Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1), the next step to launching humans to deep space. The uncrewed EFT-1 mission, launching from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in 2014, will test the re-entry performance of the agency's Orion capsule, the most advanced spacecraft ever designed, which will carry astronauts farther into space than ever before.

"These recent milestones are laying the foundation for our first flight test of Orion in 2014," said Dan Dumbacher, deputy associate administrator for exploration systems development at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "The work being done to prepare for the flight test is really a nationwide effort and we have a dedicated team committed to our goal of expanding the frontier of space."

A tool that will allow the titanium skeleton of the Orion heat shield to be bolted to its carbon fiber skin is at the Denver facility of the spacecraft's prime contractor Lockheed Martin. This will enable workers to begin assembling the two pieces of the heat shield. Almost 3,000 bolts are needed to hold the skeleton to the skin. A special stand was built to align the skin on the skeleton as holes for the bolts are drilled. Work to bolt the skeleton to the skin will be completed in January. The heat shield then will be shipped to Textron Defense Systems near Boston where the final layer, an ablative material very similar to that used on the Apollo spacecraft, will be added. The completed heat shield is scheduled to be ready for installation onto the Orion crew module at Kennedy next summer.

To test the heat shield during EFT-1's re-entry, Orion will travel more than 3,600 miles above Earth's surface, 15 times farther than the International Space Station's orbital position. This is farther than any spacecraft designed to carry humans has gone in more than 40 years. Orion will return home at a speed almost 5,000 mph faster than any current human spacecraft.

Recently, engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., received materials to begin manufacturing the adapter that will connect the Orion capsule to a United Launch Alliance Delta IV heavy-lift rocket for EFT-1. Two forward and two aft rings will be welded to barrel panels to form two adapters. This adapter design will be tested during EFT-1 for use during the first launch of NASA's next heavy-lift rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), in 2017. SLS will launch NASA's Orion spacecraft and other payloads beyond low Earth orbit, providing an entirely new capability for human exploration.

Data from the adapter on the flight test will provide Marshall engineers with invaluable experience developing hardware early in the design process. Designing the adapter once for multiple flights also provides a cost savings.

Of the two adapters welded at Marshall, one will attach Orion to the Delta IV heavy-lift rocket used for EFT-1. The other adapter will be a structural test article to gain knowledge on the design.

NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) Program also has passed a major agency review that lays the groundwork at Kennedy to support future Orion and SLS launches. The GSDO Program completed a combined system requirements review and system definition review, in which an independent board of technical experts from across NASA evaluated the program's infrastructure specifications, budget and schedule. The board confirmed GSDO is ready to move from concept development to preliminary design. The combination of the two assessments represents a fundamentally different way of conducting NASA program reviews. The team is streamlining processes to provide the nation with a safe, affordable and sustainable launch facility.

The GSDO program earlier this month also led the third Stationary Recovery Test Working Group session in Norfolk, Va. The team presented to the U.S. Navy detachment that will recover the capsule during EFT-1 a complete list of tasks required to accomplish stationary recovery test objectives. The working group outlined the plan for roles and responsibilities to accomplish required test procedures. Included in these presentations were the commanding officer of the USS Mesa Verde and the fleet forces command director of operations, who both expressed complete support for the test.

posted 02-22-2013 05:27 AM               

ATK Delivers Inert Launch Abort Motor for Orion Spacecraft Exploration Flight Test 1

ATK successfully delivered a launch abort motor to Kennedy Space Center, Fla., for Exploration Flight Test (EFT-1) of NASA's Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, scheduled to fly next year. The test flight abort motor is configured with inert propellant, since the EFT-1 mission will have no crew on board, but otherwise replicates the launch abort system that will ensure astronaut safety on future crewed Orion exploration missions using the new Space Launch System (SLS).

ATK's abort motor is part of Orion's Launch Abort System (LAS), which is designed to safely pull the Orion crew module away from the launch vehicle in the event of an emergency on the launch pad or during the initial ascent of NASA's SLS. Although an abort event is not necessary for the un-crewed mission, having an inert abort motor in the LAS stack for EFT-1 helps NASA achieve its goals simulating the same weight, structure and aerodynamics of the live motor configuration.

"Our launch abort motor is critical to ensuring safety, allowing for a greater reduction in risks for crewed flights," said Charlie Precourt, ATK vice president and general manager of the Space Launch Division. "ATK is proud to be a part of the Orion EFT-1 team. This is an important milestone for America's new human exploration program, which includes Orion and the Space Launch System, with a heavy-lift capability to take crew and cargo on missions to the moon, asteroids and eventually Mars."

Successfully ground-tested in 2008 and flight-tested during Orion's Pad Abort test in 2010, the launch abort motor is more than 17 feet tall, measures three feet in diameter, and includes a revolutionary turn-flow rocket manifold technology. Two additional flight tests are scheduled for SLS, prior to the manned flight planned for 2020.

The launch abort motor was manufactured in 2008 as an inert pathfinder and has been modified at ATK's Bacchus, Promontory, and Clearfield, Utah, facilities to meet the needs of EFT-1. It was also instrumented to collect environmental and flight data during the test launch.

ATK also makes the Attitude Control Motor for the abort system at its Elkton, Md., facility. The control motor provides steering for the launch abort vehicle during an abort sequence.

The primary objective of EFT-1 is to test the Orion crew module, which will have the LAS attached during ascent. Orion will travel more than 3,600 miles above Earth's surface--more than 15 times farther away than the International Space Station's orbital position. This is farther than any spacecraft designed to carry humans has gone in more than 40 years. Orion will return to Earth at a speed over 20,000 mph, faster than any current human spacecraft.

ATK is on contract to Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), who is the prime contractor for building the Orion spacecraft. The industry team includes major subcontractors, such as ATK, and a nationwide network of minor subcontractors, small businesses and suppliers across the United States.

posted 06-06-2013 10:32 AM               

NASA's Orion spacecraft proves sound under pressure

After a month of being poked, prodded and pressurized in ways that mimicked the stresses of spaceflight, NASA's Orion crew module successfully passed its static loads tests on Wednesday.

When Orion launches on Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1), which is targeted for September 2014, it will travel farther from Earth than any spacecraft built for humans in more than 40 years. The spacecraft will fly about 3,600 miles above Earth's surface and return at speeds of approximately 25,000 mph. During the test, Orion will experience an array of stresses, or loads, including launch and reentry, the vacuum of space, and several dynamic events that will jettison hardware away from the spacecraft and deploy parachutes.

To ensure Orion will be ready for its flight test next year, engineers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida built a 20-foot-tall static loads test fixture for the crew module with hydraulic cylinders that slowly push or pull on the vehicle, depending on the type of load being simulated. The fixture produced 110 percent of the load caused by eight different types of stress Orion will experience during EFT-1. More than 1,600 strain gauges recorded how the vehicle responded. The loads ranged from as little as 14,000 pounds to as much as 240,000 pounds.

"The static loads campaign is our best method of testing to verify what works on paper will work in space," said Charlie Lundquist, NASA's Orion crew and service module manager at the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "This is how we validate our design."

In addition to the various loads it sustained, the Orion crew module also was pressurized to simulate the effect of the vacuum in space. This simulation allowed engineers to confirm it would hold its pressurization in a vacuum and verify repairs made to superficial cracks in the vehicle's rear bulkhead caused by previous pressure testing in November.

The November test revealed insufficient margin in an area of the bulkhead that was unable to withstand the stress of pressurization. Armed with data from that test, engineers were able to reinforce the design to ensure structural integrity and validate the fix during this week's test.

To repair the cracks, engineers designed brackets that spread the stress of being pressurized to other areas of the module that are structurally stronger. During these tests Orion was successfully pressurized to 110 percent of what it would experience in space, demonstrating it is capable of performing as necessary during EFT-1.

posted 10-28-2013 11:21 AM               

NASA's Orion Spacecraft Comes to Life

NASA's first deep space craft, Orion, has been powered on for the first time, marking a major milestone in the final year of preparations for flight.

Orion's avionics system was installed on the crew module and powered up for a series of systems tests at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida last week. Preliminary data indicate Orion's vehicle management computer, as well as its innovative power and data distribution system — which use state-of-the-art networking capabilities — performed as expected.

All of Orion's avionics systems will be put to the test during its first mission, Exploration Flight Test-1(EFT-1), targeted to launch in the fall of 2014.

"Orion will take humans farther than we've ever been before, and in just about a year we're going to send the Orion test vehicle into space," said Dan Dumbacher, NASA's deputy associate administrator for exploration systems development in Washington. "The work we're doing now, the momentum we're building, is going to carry us on our first trip to an asteroid and eventually to Mars. No other vehicle currently being built can do that, but Orion will, and EFT-1 is the first step."

Orion provides the United States an entirely new human space exploration capability -- a flexible system that can to launch crew and cargo missions, extend human presence beyond low-Earth orbit, and enable new missions of exploration throughout our solar system.

EFT-1 is a two-orbit, four-hour mission that will send Orion, uncrewed, more than 3,600 miles above the Earth's surface --15 times farther than the International Space Station. During the test, Orion will return to Earth, enduring temperatures of 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit while traveling 20,000 miles per hour, faster than any current spacecraft capable of carrying humans. The data gathered during the flight will inform design decisions, validate existing computer models and guide new approaches to space systems development. The information gathered from this test also will aid in reducing the risks and costs of subsequent Orion flights.

"It’s been an exciting ride so far, but we're really getting to the good part now," said Mark Geyer, Orion program manager. "This is where we start to see the finish line. Our team across the country has been working hard to build the hardware that goes into Orion, and now the vehicle and all our plans are coming to life."

Throughout the past year, custom-designed components have been arriving at Kennedy for installation on the spacecraft -- more than 66,000 parts so far. The crew module portion already has undergone testing to ensure it will withstand the extremes of the space environment. Preparation also continues on the service module and launch abort system that will be integrated next year with the Orion crew module for the flight test.

The completed Orion spacecraft will be installed on a Delta IV heavy rocket for EFT-1. NASA is also developing a new rocket, the Space Launch System, which will power subsequent missions into deep space, beginning with Exploration Mission-1 in 2017.

posted 11-08-2013 09:22 AM               

Lockheed Martin Team Tests Orion's Protective Panels

Team Progressing Toward Exploration Flight Test-1

Testing at the Lockheed Martin Sunnyvale facility in California using a series of precisely-timed, explosive charges and mechanisms, proved the Orion spacecraft can successfully jettison its protective fairing panels.

The Orion spacecraft has three fairings that protect the service module radiators and solar arrays from heat, wind and acoustics during ascent. This test was the second in a series of fairing separation tests — this time adding a thermal element. Engineers used strip heaters to heat one of the fairings to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, simulating the temperature the spacecraft will experience during its climb to orbit.

The testing revealed there was a successful separation of all three fairings while under flight-like thermal and structural conditions. The separation velocity and trajectory of each panel were within the Lockheed Martin predicted tolerances. The test data provides a high level of confidence that the panels will jettison as expected during the launch vehicle ascent.

"This successful test provides the Orion team with the needed data to certify this new fairing design for Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) next year. The test also provides significant risk reduction for the fairing separation on future Orion manned missions," said Lance Lininger, engineering lead for Lockheed Martin's Orion mechanism systems.

Unique to Orion, the spacecraft's fairings support half the weight of the crew module and the launch abort system during launch and ascent. This is a new design that improves performance, saves mass, and maximizes the size and capability of the spacecraft.

posted 12-05-2013 08:18 AM               

Heat Shield for NASA's Orion Spacecraft Arrives at Kennedy Space Center

NASA's Orion spacecraft is just about ready to turn up the heat. The spacecraft's heat shield arrived at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida Wednesday night aboard the agency's Super Guppy aircraft.

The heat shield, the largest of its kind ever built, is to be unloaded Thursday and is scheduled for installation on the Orion crew module in March, in preparation for Orion's first flight test in September 2014.

"The heat shield completion and delivery to Kennedy, where Orion is being prepared, is a major step toward Exploration Flight Test-1 next year," said Dan Dumbacher, NASA's deputy associate administrator for exploration systems development in Washington. "Sending Orion into space for the first time is going to give us crucial data to improve our design decisions and develop Orion to send humans on future missions to an asteroid and Mars."

The heat shield began its journey in January 2012 in Colorado, at Orion prime contractor Lockheed Martin's Waterton Facility near Denver. That was the manufacturing site for a titanium skeleton and carbon fiber skin that give the heat shield its shape and provide structural support during landing. They were shipped in March to Textron Defense Systems near Boston, where they were used in construction of the heat shield itself.

Textron installed a fiberglass-phenolic honeycomb structure on the skin, filled each of the honeycomb's 320,000 cells with the ablative material Avcoat, then X-rayed and sanded each cell to match Orion's design specifications. The Avcoat-treated shell will shield Orion from the extreme heat it will experience as it returns to Earth. The ablative material will wear away as it heats up during Orion's re-entry into the atmosphere, preventing heat from being transferred to the rest of the capsule.

"Many people across the country have poured a tremendous amount of hard work into building this heat shield," said Orion Program Manager Mark Geyer. "Their efforts are a critical part of helping us understand what it takes to bring a human-rated spacecraft back safely from deep space."

Before and during its manufacture, the heat shield material was subjected to arc-jet testing NASA's Ames Research Center in California and NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Arc jets heat and expand gasses to very high temperatures and supersonic and hypersonic speeds, thus simulating the heating conditions that a returning spacecraft will experience.

The heat shield delivered to Kennedy will be used during Exploration Flight Test-1, a two-orbit flight that will take an uncrewed Orion capsule to an altitude of 3,600 miles. The returning capsule is expected to encounter temperatures of almost 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit as it travels through Earth's atmosphere at up to 20,000 mph, faster than any spacecraft in the last 40 years.

Data gathered during the flight will influence decisions about design improvements on the heat shield and other Orion systems, authenticate existing computer models, and innovative new approaches to space systems and development. It also will reduce overall mission risks and costs for future Orion missions, which include exploring an asteroid and Mars.

posted 02-21-2014 11:46 AM               

Boosters for Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 staged for shipping to the Cape

Two United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy boosters that will launch NASA's first Orion spacecraft on the Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) in September were being loaded onto a Mariner cargo barge in Decatur, Alabama Friday (Feb. 21), in preparation for their shipping to Florida in April.

The third booster is still in fabrication at ULA's Decatur facility.

posted 03-15-2014 06:15 PM               

NASA slips first test flight of Orion capsule to December

The countdown to the maiden launch of Orion, a NASA space capsule designed to take astronauts out into the solar system, is now three months longer than previously planned.

The space agency on Friday (March 14) announced that it was retargeting the first flight of its Orion spacecraft from autumn to just before winter this year.

"The Orion team continues to work toward completing the spacecraft to be ready for a launch in [the] September [to] October [period]," NASA stated on its website. "However, the initial timeframe for the launch of the Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) has shifted... to early December to support allowing more opportunities for launches this year."

posted 04-07-2014 10:22 AM               

Orion Avionics System Ready for First Test Flight

Testing of the Orion spacecraft's avionics system has concluded at the Lockheed Martin Operations & Checkout facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After powering on and sending commands to more than 20 different critical systems installed on the spacecraft's crew module, NASA and Lockheed Martin engineers have verified the avionics for Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) are ready to support a successful flight and re-entry of the spacecraft.

Following the initial power on of the Vehicle Main Computer in October, engineers have since methodically installed additional harnessing, wiring and electronics onto the crew module—completing the avionics system that serves as the eyes, ears and brains of the spacecraft. During these tests, engineers one-by-one activated and sent commands to the pyrotechnics, batteries, thermal control, cameras, guidance and navigation, propulsion, and environmental control life support systems, all while evaluating signal quality, on-board system responses, and data production.

"Each and every one of these systems is critical to mission success and they must perform flawlessly to ensure the safety of future crews," said Cleon Lacefield, Lockheed Martin Orion program manager. "Now that we've finished functional testing, the team will conduct performance testing and turn on all the systems at once, simulating the spacecraft's operations during EFT-1."

During Orion's test flight, the uncrewed spacecraft will launch on the Delta IV Heavy and will travel 3,600 miles beyond low Earth orbit. That same day, Orion will return to Earth at a speed of approximately 20,000 mph for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. EFT-1 will provide engineers with critical data about Orion's heat shield, flight systems, and capabilities to validate designs of the spacecraft before it begins carrying humans to new destinations in deep space.

posted 04-11-2014 04:04 PM               

NASA's Orion spacecraft powers through first integrated system testing

NASA's Orion spacecraft has proven its mettle in a test designed to determine the spacecraft's readiness for its first flight test — Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) — later this year. EFT-1 will send the spacecraft more than 3,600 miles from Earth and return it safely.

The spacecraft ran for 26 uninterrupted hours during the final phase of a major test series completed April 8 at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The test verified the crew module can route power and send commands that enable the spacecraft to manage its computer system, software and data loads, propulsion valves, temperature sensors and other instrumentation.

"This has been the most significant integrated testing of the Orion spacecraft yet," said William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for NASA's human exploration and operations at the agency's Headquarters in Washington. "The work done to test the avionics with the crew module isn't just preparing us for Orion's first trip to space in a few months. It's also getting us ready to send crews far into the solar system."

In October 2013, NASA and Lockheed Martin engineers powered on Orion's main computer for the first time. Since then, they have installed harnessing, wiring and electronics. This was the first time engineers ran the crew module through its paces to verify all system actuators respond correctly to commands and all sensors report back as planned. More than 20 miles of wire are required to connect the different systems being powered.

"Getting all the wiring right, integrating every element of the avionics together, and then testing it continuously for this many hours is a big step toward getting to deep space destinations," said Mark Geyer, Orion program manager.

Engineers now are preparing the crew module for vibration testing, scheduled for the week of April 14. In May, the heat shield will be installed and, shortly thereafter, the crew module will be attached with the service module.

posted 04-29-2014 07:30 PM               

Orion Undergoes Simulation of Intense Launch Vibrations

Lockheed Martin and NASA engineers have verified that the Orion spacecraft successfully passed an important environmental test called Multi-Point Random Vibration Testing. This test shakes the spacecraft's crew module to simulate the vibration it will experience during launch and ascent. Monitoring the spacecraft's performance through environmental testing helps to ensure that Orion will safely carry humans on future missions to deep space.

Engineers had two primary objectives during this test. The first was to correlate test results with model predictions, ensuring the spacecraft can withstand the anticipated levels of vibration during its first test flight later this year, Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1). The second consisted of monitoring more than 20 avionics and propulsion components to verify their performance while subjected to the vibration environment.

Orion's next environmental test will occur when the crew module and service module are stacked together. During this test, engineers will illuminate the spacecraft with different radio frequency signals it will experience during EFT-1. Engineers will verify Orion can withstand all the radio frequency sources it will be exposed to during launch, on-orbit, ascent and landing, ensuring there are no disruptions to critical systems on the vehicle.

posted 05-21-2014 10:37 AM               

Orion In Final Assembly At Kennedy Space Center

Lockheed Martin and NASA engineers have started the process of installing the largest heat shield ever built onto the Orion spacecraft's crew module. The heat shield installation marks one of the final steps in the spacecraft's assembly leading up to its first flight, Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1), later this year.

EFT-1 will provide engineers data about the heat shield's ability to protect the crew module from the extreme 4000-degree heat of reentry and an ocean splashdown following Orion's 20,000 mph reentry from space.

In addition, key systems such as avionics, separation events, attitude control and guidance, parachute deployment, and ground operations will be evaluated. Comprehensive data from the test flight will influence design decisions most critical to crew safety to lower risks and safely carry humans on future missions to deep space.

The team remains on schedule to complete the following milestones for the Dec. 4, 2014 launch date:

• The crew module and service module will mate together and will undergo functional testing
  
• The backshell tiles and forward bay cover will be installed onto the crew module
  
• The crew module and service module will mate to the Delta IV Heavy second stage adapter
  
• The spacecraft will be fueled and serviced at the Kennedy Space Center Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility
  
• The launch abort system will be stacked on top of the spacecraft
  
• The spacecraft will be prepped and transported to Launch Pad 37 where Lockheed Martin and United Launch Alliance will perform pad integration and launch operations

"This team has done a great job keeping us on track for Orion's first test flight," said Cleon Lacefield, Lockheed Martin vice president and Orion program manager. "That's no easy task when you're designing and building a unique vehicle for human exploration of deep space."

posted 06-01-2014 01:47 PM               

Orion heat shield attached

The world's largest heat shield, measuring 16.5 feet in diameter, has been successfully attached to the Orion spacecraft. The heat shield is made from a single seamless piece of Avcoat ablator.

It will be tested on Orion's first flight in December 2014 as it protects the spacecraft from temperatures reaching 4000 degrees Fahrenheit.

posted 06-10-2014 04:06 PM               

NASA's Orion Spacecraft Stacks Up for First Flight

With just six months until its first trip to space, NASA’s Orion spacecraft continues taking shape at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Engineers began stacking the crew module on top of the completed service module Monday, the first step in moving the three primary Orion elements –crew module, service module and launch abort system – into the correct configuration for launch.

Above: The Orion crew module for Exploration Flight Test-1 is shown in the Final Assembly and System Testing (FAST) Cell, positioned over the service module just prior to mating the two sections together. Credit: NASA/Rad Sinyak

"Now that we're getting so close to launch, the spacecraft completion work is visible every day," said Mark Geyer, NASA's Orion Program manager. "Orion's flight test will provide us with important data that will help us test out systems and further refine the design so we can safely send humans far into the solar system to uncover new scientific discoveries on future missions."

With the crew module now in place, the engineers will secure it and make the necessary power connections between to the service module over the course of the week. Once the bolts and fluid connector between the modules are in place, the stacked spacecraft will undergo electrical, avionic and radio frequency tests.

The modules are being put together in the Final Assembly and System Testing (FAST) Cell in the Operations and Checkout Facility at Kennedy. Here, the integrated modules will be put through their final system tests prior to rolling out of the facility for integration with the United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket that will send it on its mission.

posted 08-20-2014 06:49 PM               

Engineers and Technicians Install Protective Shell on NASA's Orion Spacecraft

The heat shield on NASA's Orion spacecraft gets all the glory when it comes to protecting the spacecraft from the intense temperature of reentry. Although the blunt, ablative shield will see the highest temperatures – up to 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit on its first flight this December – the rest of the spacecraft is hardly left in the cold.

Engineers and technicians at NASA's Kennedy Space Center have finished installing the cone-shaped back shell of Orion's crew module – the protective cover on the sides that make up Orion's upside down cone shape. It's made up of 970 black tiles that should look very familiar – the same tiles protected the belly of the space shuttles as they returned from space.

Above: Inside the Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians dressed in clean-room suits install a back shell tile panel onto the Orion crew module. (NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis)

But the space shuttles traveled at 17,000 miles per hour, while Orion will be coming in at 20,000 miles per hour on this first flight test. The faster a spacecraft travels through Earth's atmosphere, the more heat it generates. So even though the hottest the space shuttle tiles got was about 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit, the Orion back shell could get up to 3,150 degrees, despite being in a cooler area of the vehicle.

And heat isn't the only concern. While in space, Orion will be vulnerable to the regular onslaught of micrometeoroid orbital debris. Although micrometeoroid orbital debris is too tiny to track, and therefore avoid, it can do immense damage to a spacecraft – for instance, it could punch through a back shell tile. Below the tiles, the vehicle's structure doesn't often get hotter than about 300 degrees Fahrenheit, but if debris breeched the tile, the heat surrounding the vehicle during reentry could creep into the hole it created, possibly damaging the vehicle.

Debris damage can be repaired in space with techniques pioneered after the space shuttle Columbia accident. A good deal of information was gathered then on what amount of damage warranted a repair. But the heating environment Orion will experience is different than the shuttle's was, and the old models don't apply.

Above: Two one-inch-wide holes have been drilled into tiles on Orion's back shell to simulate micrometeoroid orbital debris damage . Sensors on the vehicle will record how high temperatures climb inside the hole during Orion's return through Earth's atmosphere following its first flight in December. (NASA)

Engineers will begin verifying new models when Orion returns from its first flight test this December. Before installing the back shell, engineers purposely drilled long, skinny holes into two tiles to mimic damage from a micrometeoroid hit. Each 1 inch wide, one of the holes is 1.4 inches deep and the other is 1 inch deep. The two tiles with these mock micrometeoroid hits are 1.47 inches thick and are located on the opposite side of the back shell from Orion's windows and reaction control system jets.

"We want to know how much of the hot gas gets into the bottom of those cavities," said Joseph Olejniczak, manager of Orion aerosciences. "We have models that estimate how hot it will get to make sure it's safe to fly, but with the data we'll gather from these tiles actually coming back through Earth's atmosphere, we'll make new models with higher accuracy."

A better understanding of the heating environment for damage on Orion's heat shield will inform future decisions about what kind of damage may require a repair in space.

posted 09-08-2014 10:35 AM               

Orion's First Crew Module Complete

NASA's first completed Orion crew module sits atop its service module at the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The crew and service module will be transferred together on Thursday (Sept. 11) to another facility for fueling, before moving again for the installation of the launch abort system. At that point, the spacecraft will be complete and ready to stack on top of the Delta IV Heavy rocket that will carry it into space on its first flight in December.

posted 09-11-2014 05:29 PM               

NASA's Orion Spacecraft Nears Completion, Ready for Fueling

NASA is making steady progress on its Orion spacecraft, completing several milestones this week at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in preparation for the capsule's first trip to space in December.

Engineers finished building the Orion crew module, attached it and the already-completed service module to the adapter that will join Orion to its rocket and transported the spacecraft to a new facility for fueling.

"Nothing about building the first of a brand new space transportation system is easy," said Mark Geyer, Orion Program manager. "But the crew module is undoubtedly the most complex component that will fly in December. The pressure vessel, the heat shield, parachute system, avionics — piecing all of that together into a working spacecraft is an accomplishment. Seeing it fly in three months is going to be amazing."

Finishing the Orion crew module marks the completion of all major components of the spacecraft. The other two major elements — the inert service module and the launch abort system — were completed in January and December, respectively. The crew module was attached to the service module in June to allow for testing before the finishing touches were put on the crew module.

The adapter that will connect Orion to the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy rocket was built by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. It is being tested for use on the agency's Space Launch System rocket for future deep space missions.

NASA, Orion's prime contractor Lockheed Martin, and ULA managers oversaw the move of the spacecraft Thursday from the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building to the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at Kennedy, where it will be fueled with ammonia and hyper-propellants for its flight test. Once fueling is complete, the launch abort system will be attached. At that point, the spacecraft will be complete and ready to stack on the Delta IV Heavy.

Orion is being built to send humans farther than ever before, including to an asteroid and Mars. Although the spacecraft will be uncrewed during its December flight test, the crew module will be used to transport astronauts safely to and from space on future missions. Orion will provide living quarters for up to 21 days, while longer missions will incorporate an additional habitat to provide extra space. Many of Orion's critical safety systems will be evaluated during December's mission, designated Exploration Flight Test-1, when the spacecraft travels about 3,600 miles into space.

posted 09-29-2014 10:34 AM               

Orion Spacecraft Transfers To Launch Abort System Facility

Orion in Final Integration Steps Before Exploration Flight Test-1

NASA and Lockheed Martin have finished fueling the Orion spacecraft with ammonia, hydrazine and high pressure helium at Kennedy Space Center's Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility. Orion has now been moved to the Launch Abort System Facility for integration with the launch abort system (LAS).

Above: On Sunday, September 27, 2014 the Orion spacecraft was transported from the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility to the Launch Abort System Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

"Once the launch abort system is integrated and functional testing concludes, the spacecraft is considered done," said Michael Hawes Lockheed Martin Orion program manager. "Then in November we'll integrate to the rocket, which is rolling out to the launch pad today."

Orion's LAS is a critical launch safety technology designed to immediately pull the capsule and crew out of harm's way in the event of an emergency. The LAS is the highest thrust and acceleration escape system ever created, significantly improving crew safety from pad operations through ascent. It consists of three solid rocket motors: an attitude control motor, which steers the crew away from the launch vehicle, a jettison motor, which pulls the LAS away from the crew module, and an abort motor, which propels the crew module away from the launch pad.

During Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) all nominal functions, including separation, will be tested on the LAS, however the abort functions are inactive. The LAS abort functions were previously tested in New Mexico at White Sands Missile Range during Pad Abort Test 1.

posted 10-01-2014 07:04 PM               

United Launch Alliance Moves Delta IV Heavy Rocket to Launch Pad for Orion's Exploration Flight Test

Last night (Sept. 30), United Launch Alliance (ULA) rolled the Delta IV Heavy rocket from its processing facility to Space Launch Complex 37 in advance of the Dec. 4 Exploration Flight Test (EFT-1) for NASA's Orion spacecraft.

"This is a tremendous milestone and gets us one step closer to our launch later this year," said Tony Taliancich, ULA's director of East Coast Launch Operations. "The team has worked extremely hard to ensure this vehicle is processed with the utmost attention to detail and focus on mission success."

Today (Oct. 1), the rocket was raised from a horizontal position and placed on the launch pad for final processing, testing and checkout. In addition, the team will conduct a high fidelity rehearsal to include fully powering up the booster and loading the tanks with fuel and oxidizer. In November the Orion spacecraft, built by prime contractor Lockheed Martin, will be moved to the pad and placed on top of the Delta IV rocket.

Orion will be launched aboard a Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle which features a center common booster core along with two strap-on common booster cores. Each common booster core is powered by an RS-68A liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engine producing more than 700,000 pounds of thrust. A single RL10 liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engine powers the second stage. ULA constructed the Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle in Decatur, Alabama.

"The Delta IV Heavy is the world's most powerful launch vehicle flying today, and we are excited to be supporting our customer for this critical flight test to collect data and reduce overall mission risks and costs for the program," said Taliancich.

posted 10-31-2014 08:14 AM               

Orion Spacecraft Complete

Spacecraft is Ready for Integration with Delta IV Heavy Rocket

NASA and Lockheed Martin have completed final assembly and testing of the Orion spacecraft. The spacecraft will remain inside NASA's Launch Abort System Facility at Kennedy Space Center until it rolls to launch pad 37 in November.

"An empty shell of a spacecraft arrived to Kennedy Space Center two years ago, and now we have a fully assembled Orion standing 72 feet tall," said Michael Hawes Lockheed Martin Orion program manager. "We're ready to launch it into space and test every inch."

The final assembly stages of the spacecraft included installing Orion's Ogive panels, which protect the crew module from harsh acoustic and vibration environments during launch and ascent. Engineers also installed fasteners to secure the panels in place and covered them with a thermal protection coating. Orion was then lifted by crane, rotated into the proper orientation for mating with the Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle, and placed onto the transport pallet.

The team then performed a fairing purge test, which verifies how much dry gas needs to be pumped into the space between the Ogive panels and the spacecraft. The dry gas ensures that when Orion is transported to the launch pad, it does not accumulate moisture, which could cause corrosion and contamination.

When Orion arrives to launch pad 37 it will immediately be lifted 170 feet up and mated to the Delta IV Heavy. Over the next few weeks, the rocket and spacecraft will be integrated, powered up, and interfaces between the two will be verified in preparation for Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) on December 4.

posted 11-12-2014 04:01 AM               

Orion on the pad: NASA rolls out next-gen space capsule for first test flight

NASA's first space-bound Orion capsule has arrived at the launch pad, where it will lift off in early December on an uncrewed test flight in support of NASA's plans for future astronaut missions beyond Earth orbit.

The gumdrop-shaped spacecraft, encased within a white aerodynamic shell and topped by a launch escape tower, rolled up to the base of Space Launch Complex (SLC) 37B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 3:07 a.m. EST (0807 GMT) on Wednesday (Nov. 12).

The capsule, which is set to embark on Dec. 4 on NASA's Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1), rode out to the pad atop a multi-wheeled transporter. A banner hung on the front of the vehicle read, "Neil Armstrong Operations & Checkout Building 'I'm On Board,'" referencing the building where the spacecraft was assembled.

"I gotta tell you, this is special," Bob Cabana, the director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center and a former astronaut, told reporters during a press conference on Monday. "This is our first step on the journey to Mars."

posted 11-20-2014 08:48 PM               

Orion Batteries Installed, Live Sky Test Complete

The teams working to ready Orion for its first flight test on Dec. 4 are making progress preparing the spacecraft for its first trip to space.

At Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, engineers installed Orion's batteries on Thursday (Nov. 30), completing a critical step in the final preparations process. Because the spacecraft's batteries have a limited lifespan, they are installed as close to launch as possible.

On Wednesday, engineers completed testing the communications links between the Orion spacecraft and the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) system in an evaluation known as a live sky test. NASA's TDRS network will be used to send commands to Orion during the flight test and receive data from the spacecraft.

posted 11-21-2014 01:56 PM               

FRR Gives "Go" For Flight Test While Teams Prep for Recovery

NASA and Lockheed Martin completed the Flight Readiness Review (FRR) for Orion's upcoming flight test Dec. 4, giving a "go" Thursday afternoon (Nov. 20) to proceed. The FRR is a rigorous assessment of the spacecraft, its systems, mission operations and support functions needed to successfully complete Orion's first voyage to space.

Meanwhile, farther west, the NASA, U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin team that will recover Orion when it splashes down in the Pacific Ocean about 600 miles southwest of San Diego continues preparing the necessary equipment. At Naval Base San Diego, two Navy ships, the USS Anchorage and the USNS Salvor, have been outfitted with the necessary tools and equipment needed to return Orion to land after the flight test.

posted 12-04-2014 12:41 AM               

Orion's Delta 4 Heavy revealed for launch

The mobile service tower at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 37 in Florida has been rolled back from the launch stand where the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta 4 Heavy and Orion spacecraft stand poised for launch on Thursday morning (Dec. 4).

Liftoff of the Exploration Flight Test-1 is scheduled for 7:05 a.m. EST (1205 GMT) at the opening of a two hour, 39 minute launch window.

posted 12-04-2014 09:56 AM               

Delayed debut: Faulty rocket valves scrub NASA's first Orion launch

NASA's first Orion spacecraft experienced its first launch scrub on Thursday (Dec. 4) due to an issue with closing valves inside the prototype capsule's massive ride to orbit.

United Launch Alliance flight controllers, who oversaw the countdown to NASA's and Lockheed Martin's Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1), the first test flight of an Orion atop a Delta 4 Heavy rocket, called for at least a 24-hour delay to troubleshoot the propellant fill-and-drain valves inside two of the launch vehicle's three "common core" boosters.

"The team worked really hard and made a great attempt to get off today," Mark Geyer, the manager of NASA's Orion program, said in a press conference. "In the end, we made the right choice, given the data we had, to not fly today."

posted 12-05-2014 02:27 AM               

EFT-1 team given 'go' for second launch attempt

With fueling of the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta 4 Heavy now underway, NASA's and Lockheed Martin's Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) has the "go" today for a second launch attempt, with a liftoff set for 7:05 a.m. EST (1205 GMT) from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

As during the first attempt on Thursday, the launch window extends two hours and 39 minutes to 9:44 a.m. EST (1444 GMT).

The official weather forecast calls a 40 percent chance of acceptable conditions at liftoff. The primary concerns for launch are flight through precipitation, cumulus clouds, and liftoff wind.

posted 12-05-2014 07:00 AM               

NASA's Orion spacecraft rides 'fountain of fire' on first test flight

NASA's "first step to deep space" has launched into Earth orbit.

The space agency's first prototype Orion capsule lifted off Friday morning (Dec. 5) on a four and a half hour flight test aimed at proving the effectiveness of the new spacecraft's heat shield and other systems needed to send astronauts beyond the Earth, to an asteroid and ultimately Mars. The uncrewed mission, called Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1), is the first time since the Apollo program that a NASA space capsule designed for a crew has flown.

"[This flight] is building upon the legacy of Apollo," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden told collectSPACE.com in a press conference held at the launch pad Wednesday. "For the first time in more than 40 years, this nation is going to launch a spacecraft intended to carry humans beyond low-Earth orbit. That's a big deal."

posted 12-05-2014 08:02 PM               

Splashdown! NASA's Orion space capsule completes 'flawless' test flight

In a scene reminiscent of the early Apollo program, three red and white-striped parachutes lowered a NASA space capsule to a splashdown on Friday (Dec. 5), bringing to an end an uncrewed test flight that reached an altitude last achieved by the moon missions.

NASA's new Orion capsule completed its first spaceflight, called Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1), four hours and 24 minutes after launching on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta 4 Heavy rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Orion spacecraft splashed down at 11:29 a.m. EST (1629 GMT) at 23.6 degrees north latitude by 116.46 degrees west longitude, about 275 miles (445 kilometers) west of Baja, California in the Pacific Ocean.

"Today's flight test of Orion is a huge step for NASA and a really critical part of our work to pioneer deep space on our journey to Mars. The teams did a tremendous job putting the Orion through its paces in the real environment it will endure as we push the boundary of human exploration in the coming years," Charles Bolden, NASA's Administrator, said in a statement.

posted 12-08-2014 05:37 PM               

NASA's 'picture perfect' Orion capsule test flight in photographs

Two days after and 42 years before NASA's first Orion flew 3,604 miles out into space, the agency's last mission to the moon, Apollo 17, soared past the same distance. A first, small step for the new space capsule, NASA's Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 lasted just 4 hours and 24 minutes, but offered a glimpse at things to come.

Here, in 24 photographs, is a look back at EFT-1, from the launch to orbit to ocean splashdown.

posted 12-10-2014 09:42 AM               

Orion Spacecraft Heading Home After Successful At-Sea Recovery by U.S. Navy and NASA

Engineering Teams Analyzing Heat Shield, Data Recorders from Flight Test

Engineers are getting their first look at the Lockheed Martin-built Orion spacecraft following its successful flight test and recovery on Dec. 5. With the spacecraft recovered from the Pacific and brought to port in San Diego, technical teams are examining flight data recorders and samples of the heat shield to learn as much as possible about the performance of key systems during the test.

Credit: Francis French (Reprinted with permission.)

"The 1,200 on-board sensors will provide us an ocean of information about everything from the effects of space radiation on our avionics to the environment inside the crew cabin," said Mike Hawes, Lockheed Martin vice president and Orion program manager. "What we learn from this flight will improve Orion's designs and technology, and help us make future vehicles the best they can be."

In San Diego engineers have removed samples of the heat shield to examine its performance and ablation rates during re-entry. The samples, along with select data recorders, will be brought to nearby Lockheed Martin facilities for processing. This analysis will help the technical team get a head start in determining how to optimize the development of future heat shields.

Orion will be loaded on a special truck for an estimated two-week trip across the country to Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where NASA and Lockheed Martin engineers will disassemble it and thoroughly examine its structure, computers and instrumentation. In March, as part of the Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) contract, Lockheed Martin will provide a complete data analysis report to NASA which includes information about the vehicle's performance and recommendations based on the results.

Credit: Francis French (Reprinted with permission.)

The EFT-1 crew module will next be used for Ascent Abort Test 2, which is a test of the launch abort system. Orion's launch abort system is equipped with three powerful motors capable of pulling the capsule and crew a mile up and a mile away from an emergency on the launch pad.

In addition, the Orion team has already begun procuring parts and manufacturing primary structures for the next spacecraft, which will be flown on the upcoming Exploration Mission-1 atop the powerful Space Launch System.

Credit: Francis French (Reprinted with permission.)

posted 12-18-2014 07:09 PM               

NASA's Orion Arrives Back at Kennedy

After traveling more than 3,600 miles above Earth and 600 miles over sea, NASA's Orion spacecraft completed the final leg of its journey by land Thursday (Dec. 18), arriving home at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The spacecraft's cross-country return, a 2,700 mile road trip from Naval Base San Diego to Kennedy, sets the stage for in-depth analysis of data obtained during Orion's trip to space and will provide engineers detailed information on how the spacecraft fared during its two-orbit, 4.5-hour flight test, completed on Dec. 5.

"Orion's flight test was a critical step on our journey to send astronauts to explore deep space destinations," said Bill Hill, deputy associate administrator for exploration systems development at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "We stressed Orion to help us evaluate its performance and validate our computer models and ground-based evaluations, and the information we gathered will help us improve Orion's design going forward."

Data was gathered in real time during the flight test, and more was removed from the vehicle when it arrived on land in San Diego before it was crated for the drive to Florida.

"The flight itself was such a great success, but that's only the beginning of the story," said Orion Program Manager Mark Geyer. "Now we get to dig in and really find out if our design performed like we thought it would. This is why we flew the flight. We demonstrated on Dec. 5 that Orion is a very capable vehicle. Now we're going to keep testing and improving as we begin building the next Orion."

An initial inspection of the crew module turned up nothing unexpected. There were indications of some micrometeoroid orbital debris strikes on the sides of Orion, which was anticipated.

With the spacecraft back at Kennedy, where it was assembled and prepared for launch, engineers will be able to remove the back shell of the spacecraft and perform inspections of its cabling, fluid lines, propulsion system and avionics boxes. Heat shield samples already have been removed and sent to a laboratory where their thickness, strength and charring will be examined.

The information will be used to make improvements to Orion's design before its next flight, Exploration Mission-1, when it will launch uncrewed on top of NASA's new Space Launch System for the first time into a large orbit around the moon.

While the information is being gathered from the flight test, testing also will continue on Earth. On Dec. 18, engineers dropped a test version of the Orion capsule from a C-17 aircraft 25,000 feet above U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. The latest in a series of tests designed to certify Orion's parachute system, the test simulated a failure of one of Orion's three main parachutes for a first-time demonstration of several modifications made to the parachute system to improve its performance.

Panels for the pressure vessel that will form the inner structure for the next Orion crew module are in production and set to be welded together at the end of summer 2015. Meanwhile, the European Space Agency is building the test article of the Orion service module they will be supplying for Exploration Mission-1, and assembly of the launch abort system for that flight will begin in April.

NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program managed Orion's cross-country trip from Naval Base San Diego to Kennedy. The crew module will be refurbished for use in Ascent Abort-2 in 2018, a test of Orion's launch abort system.

posted 02-26-2015 02:03 AM               

NASA's Orion Flight Test Yields Critical Data as Engineers Improve Spacecraft for Next Mission

NASA's Orion spacecraft continues on the agency's journey to Mars as engineers analyze data from the spacecraft's December flight test and make progress developing and building the spacecraft for its first mission atop NASA Space Launch System (SLS) heavy-lift rocket. On future missions, Orion will send astronauts to an asteroid and onward toward the Red Planet.

At machine houses across the country, elements of the primary structure for the next Orion to fly in space are coming together. Avionics components are being built and simulators for the ESA (European Space Agency)-built service module that will house the spacecraft's propulsion and solar arrays are being delivered. By the end of the year, engineers hope to have the primary structure for Orion's next mission to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for processing. Meanwhile, every piece of data and each element of the spacecraft flown in the December test is being analyzed and compared to pre-flight models to improve Orion's design.

"Orion's flight test was a big success and what we learned is informing how we design, develop and build future Orions that will help us pioneer deep space destinations," said Mark Geyer, NASA's Orion Program manager. "Taking a look at all the flight test data is a huge part of the development process and a key part off in why we flew a test flight. We have critical work happening this year, both on the data analysis and development side, to keep us moving toward our first mission with SLS."

Engineers and technicians at Kennedy, where Orion was assembled and returned after its flight test, recently took off the back shell and heat shield that protected Orion during its reentry to Earth's atmosphere, to unload unused propellants and allow for a close-up analysis of the spacecraft's systems.

One of the main objectives of Orion's flight, which sent the vehicle 3,600 miles into space during a two-orbit, 4.5-hour test, was to test how the spacecraft would fare returning to Earth at high speeds and temperatures.

"The heat shield looks in great shape," said Michael Hawes, Orion Program manager for Lockheed Martin, NASA's prime contractor for the spacecraft. "The char on the shield is consistent. If you look at it now, you'd see a few big holes because we've taken core samples. We've also done a total laser scan of the surface of the heat shield. That'll give us a very detailed engineering base of knowledge of what the heat shield did."

In March, the heat shield will be shipped to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where the ablative material on the heat shield will be taken off. From there, the heat shield structure will be shipped to the agency's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, where it will be reused on a test capsule for water impact testing. NASA and Lockheed Martin also are taking a look at potential modifications to the heat shield's design to make it even stronger.

Evaluating how the thermal protection system fared during Orion's reentry wasn't the only critical objective of the flight. The test also provided important insight into key separation events, including whether the Launch Abort System and protective fairings came off at the right times, how the parachutes assisting Orion during its descent fared and how the operations to recovery Orion from the Pacific Ocean progressed.

According to Hawes, all of the spacecraft separation events happened within fractions of a second of when predictive models said they would occur; Orion's 11 parachutes worked to allow the spacecraft to touchdown in the Ocean relatively gently; and the recovery team of NASA, U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin personnel recovered it within about six hours.

The flight also examined the performance of a 3-D printed vent. It performed well, so teams will be looking at other hardware that could be made using the additive manufacturing process.

Engineers are taking a closer look at the crew module uprighting system airbags on top of the crew module, which help keep Orion stable in the water after splashdown. Only two of five of the bags properly inflated during the December flight test. Initial analysis of the gas and plumbing system for the bags came up clean, and engineers suspect a possible issue with the bags themselves.

"We're in the midst of troubleshooting that now," Hawes said.

Orion's flight test yielded millions of elements of data, every piece of which is providing unique insight into how to improve the spacecraft's design so that it can safely send astronauts on their way to Mars and return them home.