NASA tests Orion launch abort system
Posted: Fri, May 7, 2010, 7:56 AM ET (1156 GMT)
NASA successfully demonstrated on Thursday a launch abort system originally developed for the Orion spacecraft, but whose future use is now uncertain. The Pad Abort 1 flight test took place at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico at 9 am EDT (1300 GMT) Thursday, when the launch abort system lifted a full-sized Orion spacecraft off a pad and to an altitude of about two kilometers before parachuting back to a soft landing just over a minute and a half later. The system was developed to permit the speedy escape of a crewed Orion spacecraft in the event of problems with its Ares 1 launcher. However, with NASA's proposal to cancel Ares 1 and turn Orion into a a crew return vehicle for the ISS that is launched without a crew, its future appears uncertain. NASA said that the test will "help refine design and analysis for future launch abort systems".
NASA successfully demonstrated on Thursday a launch abort system originally developed for the Orion spacecraft, but whose future use is now uncertain. The Pad Abort 1 flight test took place at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico at 9 am EDT (1300 GMT) Thursday, when the launch abort system lifted a full-sized Orion spacecraft off a pad and to an altitude of about two kilometers before parachuting back to a soft landing just over a minute and a half later. The system was developed to permit the speedy escape of a crewed Orion spacecraft in the event of problems with its Ares 1 launcher. However, with NASA's proposal to cancel Ares 1 and turn Orion into a a crew return vehicle for the ISS that is launched without a crew, its future appears uncertain. NASA said that the test will "help refine design and analysis for future launch abort systems".
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Tuesday, January 20
Gilmour Space’s mega-raising turns rocket maker into unicorn
Australian Financial Review — 5:41 am ET (1041 GMT) Adam’s last rocket blew up. Taxpayers are betting $75m the next one will go better
The Age — 5:39 am ET (1039 GMT) Rocket fuel: Gilmour Space hits unicorn status after $217 million Series E
Startup Daily — 5:38 am ET (1038 GMT) Gilmour Space secures $217M investment to scale Australian space manufacturing capability
Australian Manufacturing — 5:38 am ET (1038 GMT) Gilmour Space secures major Australian investment to scale sovereign space capability
Gilmour Space — 5:37 am ET (1037 GMT) |
