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  • Published
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    NASA Tests Its Orion Capsule

    NASA engineers conducted a test Thursday morning of the Orion crew capsule -- the only element the space agency plans to save from the cancelled space shuttle replacement program.

  • Testing Orion's Abort Features
    In the test, conducted at the White Sands Missile Range in the barren southern New Mexico desert, the Orion capsule was catapulted about a mile into the air and landed about 1 mile north of the launch site. The unmanned capsule left a stream of white smoke as it arched toward the north. Several hundred people watched the test early Thursday morning.
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    NASA TV
  • Orion_on_Launch_Pad
    Orion is only one small element of the now-cancelled plans to replace the aged space shuttle program, a program called Constellation. NASA would have replaced the shuttle with a heavy lift rocket, called Ares, and the Orion capsule to transport crew members. 
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    NASA TV
  • Orion_Launch
    The test Thursday morning were aimed at Orion's launch-abort system, which will whisk astronauts and the capsule to safety in case of a problem on the launch pad, such as a fire, or during the climb to orbit.
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    NASA TV
  • Orion_Launch_2
    It will be one hour after Thursday's launch before NASA can determine if the test was a success.
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    NASA TV
  • Orion Launch
    Here, the capsule separates from the supposedly malfunctioning rocket carrying it into space and begins abort procedures.
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    NASA TV
  • Orion_Abort_Test_2
    A close-up shot of the capsule, intended to carry crew members into space, separating from the rocket transporting it.
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    NASA TV
  • Orion_Abort_Test_3
    The rocket separates successfully from the rocket.
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    NASA TV
  • Orion Abort Test
    NASA TV
  • Orion Chutes Deployed
    The first of three parachutes deploys, which will eventually bring the capsule safely back to the desert floor.
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    NASA TV
  • Orion Chutes Deployed
    The capsule descends, depending from three parachutes that safely lowered it to the desert sands below. 
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    NASA TV
  • Published
    10 Images

    NASA Tests Its Orion Capsule

    NASA engineers conducted a test Thursday morning of the Orion crew capsule -- the only element the space agency plans to save from the cancelled space shuttle replacement program.

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  • NASA Tests Its Orion Capsule
  • Testing Orion's Abort Features
  • Orion_on_Launch_Pad
  • Orion_Launch
  • Orion_Launch_2
  • Orion Launch
  • Orion_Abort_Test_2
  • Orion_Abort_Test_3
  • Orion Abort Test
  • Orion Chutes Deployed
  • Orion Chutes Deployed