{"id":40047,"date":"2012-08-12T20:32:35","date_gmt":"2012-08-12T12:32:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/nasas-eft-1-orion-into-17-months-of-outfitting-at-ksc\/"},"modified":"2012-08-12T20:32:35","modified_gmt":"2012-08-12T12:32:35","slug":"nasas-eft-1-orion-into-17-months-of-outfitting-at-ksc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/nasas-eft-1-orion-into-17-months-of-outfitting-at-ksc\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA\u2019s EFT-1 Orion into 17 months of outfitting at KSC"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Exploration Flight Test Orion (EFT-1) is into its first month of outfitting operations, aimed at turning what is a shell of a structure into a real spaceship. The outfitting operations at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) will take 17 months, using the bulk of the processing flow timeline ahead of its scheduled launch atop of a Delta IV Heavy in 2014.<\/p>\n

Orion EFT-1:<\/p>\n

It is almost one year since the first welds were conducted on the vehicle at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans. By the end of June, the bare bones of the Orion were inside the Operations & Checkout (O&C) building at the Florida spaceport.<\/p>\n

\"\"There it will remain until just prior to its integration operations with the Delta IV-H that will loft it on a several hour flight to an altitude of more than 3,600 miles, prior to returning home at a speed almost 5,000 miles per hour faster than that endured by the Space Shuttle orbiters.<\/p>\n

This test is vital to Orion\u2019s development \u2013 most notably its Critical Design Review (CDR), which is currently set for April, 2015 \u2013 ahead of its debut mission with the Space Launch System (SLS) in 2017.<\/p>\n

As many as 400 members of the Orion team will work on final assembly and integration operations prior to the EFT-1 uncrewed launch in 2014, outfitting the vehicle\u2019s structure to that of the Orion depicted in NASA pictures and videos.<\/p>\n

\"\"One of the first tasks is to install the windows on the crew module \u2013 as much as there won\u2019t be a crew onboard to take in the view.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Exploration Flight Test (EFT-1) Crew Module pressurized structure was relocated into its processing station within the High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) clean area at KSC\u2019s Operations & Checkout building in preparation for installation of the secondary structures,\u201d noted Orion status.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe crew impact attenuation system (CIAS) bracket drilling operations and installations have been completed and the team has started work on installing the windows on the vehicle as well as the development flight instrumentation sensors. Over the next 17 months, it will undergo outfitting with subsystem components and testing in support of the EFT-1 flight test in 2014.\u201d<\/p>\n

Work is also taking place at Lockheed Martin\u2019s Denver facilities, where the Orion Ground Test Article (GTA) successfully completed a series of rigorous acoustic, modal and vibration tests that simulated launch and spaceflight environments this year.<\/p>\n

\"\"Lockheed Martin \u2013 who are the main contractor for Orion \u2013 are now concentrating on the production of the heat shield for the EFT-1 Orion.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Orion team in Denver is in the process of fabricating the EFT-1 heat shield. The composite skin layup, initial and post cure and non-destructive evaluations were completed on schedule,\u201d added the notes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe heat shield skeleton assembly tool arrived in July and the team began placing the first heat shield ribs into the tool. Once the metallic ribs are bolted together, the skin will be mated to the structure. The heat shield will provide protection for the crew module as it re-enters the Earth\u2019s atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n

See Also<\/h4>\n