Stage Set for Orion Recovery Test

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Fit Check Sets Stage for Orion Recovery Test

Engineers and technicians at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Langley Research Center in Virginia and Lockheed Martin Space Operations in Denver, Colo., prepared unique hardware that was used in a fit check June 25-28 of equipment that will be used to recover Orion upon splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The recovery operations are led by the Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy.

After traveling 3,600 miles above the Earth for its Exploration Flight Test-1 mission in September 2014, Orion will splash down for a landing in the Pacific Ocean, where it will be recovered with the help of the United States Navy. A test of the recovery equipment and procedures will take place in August at the Naval Station Norfolk port facility in Norfolk, Va. To be ready for that test, a fit check of the hardware was conducted at the “Trim Pad” near Langley.

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Edited February 28, 2014 by Waspie_Dwarf
corrected tags.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Orion Fit Check Timelapse

Engineers and technicians from NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia, Kennedy Space Center in Florida and Lockheed Martin in Colorado conduct a fit check at NASA Langley in preparation for the Orion stationary recovery test taking place in August at the Naval Station Norfolk port facility in Norfolk, Va.

The fit check verified that the Orion spacecraft test article would fit on the USS Mesa Verde after being recovered from the water.

Testing will simulate the recovery of the Orion crew module in the Pacific Ocean during the Exploration Flight Test-1 mission in September 2014.

Orion's first unmanned mission will fly the spacecraft approximately 3,600 miles above the Earth's surface. After the test flight, Orion will return to Earth at a speed of approximately 20,000 mph (about 32,200 kph). Orion will then land in the water and be recovered.

Credit: NASA/David C. Bowman

Source: NASA Langley - YouTube Channel