Preparations for Orion’s flight test are progressing smoothly ahead of a scheduled 7:05 a.m. EST liftoff today. United Launch Alliance has begun fueling the Delta IV Heavy rocket with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The NASA flight control team overseeing Orion’s flight from Mission Control at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston will take over shortly for the pre-launch flight control team that has been making preparations for launch. During a two orbit, 4.5 hour flight, Orion will travel to a peak altitude of 3,600 miles. Upon its return to Earth, it will endure speeds near 20,000 mph and temperatures of about 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit before the spacecraft splashes down in the Pacific Ocean. The uncrewed flight will test many of the riskiest events Orion will see when it carries astronauts; the test will provide critical data to improve the spacecraft’s design and reduce risks to its future crews. NASA Television will begin live coverage of the flight test at 4:30 a.m. at: nasa.gov/ntv. To join the online conversation about Orion and its flight test, follow the hashtag #Orion.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 10:27:37 +0000
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