Tag: Orion
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Orion conducts final full system parachute test ahead of EFT-1
As the launch date for Exploration Flight Test -1 (EFT-1) closes in, the Orion team conducted the final major parachute testing ahead of gaining data from an actual return from space. The latest parachute drop test was the “sportiest” of the series so far – pushing the system through several failure modes to see if…
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NASA confirms EUS for SLS Block IB design and EM-2 flight
Following internal conversations regarding the upper stage design for the forthcoming second flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) – named Exploration Mission -2 (EM-2) – NASA has confirmed a move to change not just the upper stage of SLS for EM-2, but also to change the iteration of SLS that will fly the mission.…
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EFT-1 Orion’s heat shield installed ahead of key flight test
The huge heat shield that will protect the first Orion’s return from space has been installed on to the spacecraft. Exploration Flight Test -1 (EFT-) – set to launch at the end of this year – will provide an array of data on how the vehicle and heat shield perform during the speedy entry, which…
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Evolving plans: No human rating for ICPS for SLS EM-1 mission
With SLS on track to make its debut launch in December 2017 from Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, NASA continues its efforts to refine the vehicle’s test flight necessities ahead of EM-1 – particularly, the removal of the requirement to human rate the rocket’s Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. SLS Block 1 and…
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EFT-1 Orion’s brain becomes active ahead of flight
The Orion for the Exploration Flight Test -1 (EFT-1) mission has completed its avionics system testing inside Kennedy Space Center’s Operations & Checkout (O&C) Building. The testing follows the activation of its flight computer, with the avionics system serving as the eyes, ears and brains of the spacecraft. EFT-1 is scheduled to launch at the end…
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VAB preparing for key role during SLS processing flow
The iconic Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the world famous Kennedy Space Center (KSC) may have fallen silent over recent years, but behind the scenes teams are working on a “roadmap of operations” for the giant building, ahead of its primary role with the integration of the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft. VAB:…
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Creating capability foundations for NASA’s exploration roadmap
NASA managers have created new mandates for future exploration systems, as the Agency continues to refine a capability-driven approach to its exploration aspirations. Working in tandem with NASA’s latest conceptual Design Reference Missions (DRMs), the requirements detail the capabilities required of the Orion crew vehicle, Space Launch System (SLS) and Ground Systems Development and Operations…
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EFT-1 Orion slips to December – Allows military satellite to launch first
Orion’s first trip into space has been delayed by nearly three months, following a manifest decision that prioritized the launch of a military satellite for the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness (GEO SSA) system. Due to manifest pressure and spacing requirements between Delta IV launches, a USAF manifest board moved to ensure to the military satellite was given…
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Lawmakers discuss potential Mars flyby mission in 2021
Experts and lawmakers reviewed an alternative plan for Orion’s first crewed mission into deep space on Thursday, claiming a Mars flyby mission in 2021 could be viable. The Science, Space and Technology hearing was held without an official NASA presence and admitted a large amount of evaluations will be required to address numerous challenges associated…
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ASAP claim NASA is employing indecision to allow for roadmap flexibility
Concerns have again been raised about NASA’s shaky exploration roadmap, with the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) claiming the Agency has elected to go down the “indecision-is-the-key-to-flexibility” path. Although only two missions have been manifested, the panel cited concerns about launching a crew into deep space on what would be the debut of Orion’s life support system.…