First Orion test flight slips to December
Posted: Sat, Mar 15, 2014, 9:45 AM ET (1345 GMT)
The first launch of NASA's Orion spacecraft has been delayed from September to December because of issues with the launch manifest, NASA announced late Friday. The Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1) mission will launch an uncrewed Orion atop a Delta 4 Heavy rocket into an elliptical orbit to test spacecraft systems, including a high-speed reentry. NASA announced late Friday that while the spacecraft will be ready to support a launch in September or October, they are now targeting a launch in early December so that United Launch Alliance (ULA), which constructs Atlas and Delta rockets, can "support allowing more opportunities for launches this year." Reports speculate that the delay will make room for ULA to launch a pair of previously-classified space surveillance satellites prior to the Orion test.
The first launch of NASA's Orion spacecraft has been delayed from September to December because of issues with the launch manifest, NASA announced late Friday. The Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1) mission will launch an uncrewed Orion atop a Delta 4 Heavy rocket into an elliptical orbit to test spacecraft systems, including a high-speed reentry. NASA announced late Friday that while the spacecraft will be ready to support a launch in September or October, they are now targeting a launch in early December so that United Launch Alliance (ULA), which constructs Atlas and Delta rockets, can "support allowing more opportunities for launches this year." Reports speculate that the delay will make room for ULA to launch a pair of previously-classified space surveillance satellites prior to the Orion test.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, January 15
Latest Moon Mission Is Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue
Eos — 5:04 am ET (1004 GMT) SSC Supports Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission to the Moon
SSC — 5:04 am ET (1004 GMT) Public input sought for Elon Musk’s SpaceX plans to splash down in Hawaii waters
HawaiiNewsNow — 5:00 am ET (1000 GMT) Texas and Hawaii residents are outraged over SpaceX's new Starship ambitions
Houston Chronicle — 4:59 am ET (0959 GMT) Qantas flight delays due to re-entry of SpaceX rockets
NEWS.com.au — 4:59 am ET (0959 GMT) |
