[Launch News] Orion EFT-1 Update thread

[Unstung]

The Apollo lunar missions were not orbiting the Earth when they reentered. Orion's eccentricity will be higher to simulate an entry from beyond Earth orbit, but not quite as intense. Technically, the Apollo capsule was in a heliocentric orbit that intersected with Earth once it left lunar orbit.

[ED_4]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unstung

 The Apollo lunar missions were not orbiting the Earth when they reentered. Orion's eccentricity will be higher to simulate an entry from beyond Earth orbit, but not quite as intense. Technically, the Apollo capsule was in a heliocentric orbit that intersected with Earth once it left lunar orbit.

I'm talking of their test launches prior to their going to the moon. Even those are part of Apollo.

[NovaSilisko]

Apollo 4 did, I believe.

[Yoda]

Who cares guys, it's JUST a patch; the first of (hopefully ) many to come.

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NASASpaceflight: JSC conducting EFT-1 sim runs as Orion prepares for journey to KSC

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SPACE.com: Historic NASA Facility Ready for Deep Space Capsule Prototype

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NASA:
Michoud Team Recognized as Orion Welds Are Completed

June 20, 2012

The NASA team at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans has been putting the finishing touches on the first space-bound Orion capsule.

NASA’s Orion Program took the opportunity to recognize the outstanding work done by the Orion team in meeting this major milestone for NASA’s Human Exploration Program. The program hosted an employee recognition event for the MAF team members where Orion Program Manager Mark Geyer was on hand to give the awards and offer his personal thanks for the dedication and commitment of the team working to build the next generation of American spacecraft.

Image above: The team at the Michoud Assembly Facility poses after a ceremony where they were recognized for their successful progress on the first Orion capsule bound for space.	Image above: A pathfinder weld, which is basically a practice weld, is completed on the first space-bound Orion at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana. The final weld is scheduled to be completed June 20.

In addition to the awards, Geyer gave an overview of Orion progress and the work underway to prepare for NASA’s Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1), scheduled for 2014. Space Launch System (SLS) Program Manager Todd May, also gave an update on the SLS, NASA’s next generation heavy lift rocket that will launch Orion to deep space destinations. Cleon Lacefield, Orion Program Manager for Lockheed Martin was also on hand to thank employees for their accomplishments. The MAF team completed the Orion pathfinder weld, which is essentially a practice operation, in preparation for the final Orion weld, scheduled to take place June 20. Once this is completed, the team will do final inspections before carefully preparing the capsule for its move to the Kennedy Space Center Operations and Checkout Facility at the end of June for final assembly and checkout.

The EFT-1 flight will take Orion to an altitude of more than 3,600 miles, more than 15 times farther away from Earth than the International Space Station. Orion will return home at a speed of 25,000 miles, almost 5,000 miles per hour faster than any human spacecraft. It will mimic the return conditions that astronauts experience as they come home from voyages beyond low Earth orbit. As Orion reenters the atmosphere, it will endure temperatures up to 4,000 degrees F., higher than any human spacecraft since astronauts returned from the Moon.

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NASA News Release:
MEDIA ADVISORY : M12-118
NASA Invites Media To Orion Crew Module Arrival At Kennedy

June 22, 2012

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Media representatives are invited to attend an event marking the arrival of NASA's first space-bound Orion spacecraft at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The event will take place at 10 a.m. EDT, Monday, July 2, at Kennedy's Operations and Checkout Building and be carried live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

The Orion spacecraft will carry astronauts farther into the solar system than ever before. It will provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during the space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space.

Speakers include:

• Sen. Bill Nelson
• NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver
• NASA Orion Program Manager Mark Geyer
• NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development Dan Dumbacher
• NASA Space Launch System Spacecraft and Payload Integration Manager David Beaman
• NASA Ground Systems Development and Operations Program Manager Pepper Phillips

NASA participants will discuss progress made to-date on final assembly and integration of the spacecraft, which will launch on Exploration Flight Test-1, an uncrewed mission planned for 2014. This test will see Orion travel farther into space than any human spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. In advance of its launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., the Orion production team will apply heat shielding thermal protection systems, avionics and other subsystems to the spacecraft.

Additionally, NASA will host an interactive session from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with agency leaders and Orion Program managers to answer questions from followers of NASA's social media accounts. Followers on Twitter can ask a question during the event using the hashtag #askNASA. On NASA Facebook and Google+, a comment thread will open for questions the morning of the event.

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Spaceflight Now: Space-bound Orion capsule to arrive in Florida next week

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NASA:
First Space-Bound Orion on Its Way to Kennedy

June 27, 2012

A major milestone has been achieved for NASA’s Orion program with the first Orion destined for space being shipped to the Kennedy Space Center. Construction on the spacecraft was finished at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana this week, and final outfitting and heat shield installation will take place at KSC.

This spacecraft will fly on Exploration Flight Test-1, an unmanned test that is scheduled two years from now. The EFT-1 flight will take Orion to an altitude of more than 3,600 miles, more than 15 times farther away from Earth than the International Space Station. Orion will return home at a speed of 25,000 miles per hour, almost 5,000 miles per hour faster than any human spacecraft. It will mimic the return conditions that astronauts experience as they come home from voyages beyond low Earth orbit. As Orion reenters the atmosphere, it will endure temperatures up to 4,000 degrees F., higher than any human spacecraft since astronauts returned from the moon.

Click on images for details
At NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana, the first space-bound Orion capsule is packed up for shipment to the Kennedy Space Center for final processing and outfitting. This spacecraft will fly on Exploration Flight Test-1 in 2014. Photo credit: NASA	At NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana, the first space-bound Orion capsule is packed up for shipment to the Kennedy Space Center for final processing and outfitting. This spacecraft will fly on Exploration Flight Test-1 in 2014. Photo credit: NASA

This first Orion will fly atop a Delta IV Heavy, a rocket operated by United Launch Alliance. While this launch vehicle will provide sufficient lift for the EFT-1 flight plan, NASA’s SLS rocket will be needed for the vast distances of future exploration missions.

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Orion crew module arrives at the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida:

Click on images to enlarge

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NASA: Orion's First Test Flight Offers Space Launch System a First Look at Hardware Operation, Integration

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Some more photos of the EFT-1 Orion crew module from Operations and Checkout Building high bay:

Click on images to enlarge

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NASA: RELEASE : 12-225 - NASA'S Orion Arrives At Kennedy, Work Underway For First Launch:

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- More than 450 guests at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida welcomed the arrival of the agency's first space-bound Orion spacecraft Monday, marking a major milestone in the construction of the vehicle that will carry astronauts farther into space than ever before.

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Florida Today: NASA unveils Orion spacecraft

Parabolic Arc: First Space-Bound Orion Arrives at Kennedy

Space News: Orion Flight Test Capsule Arrives at Kennedy

CBS News Space: NASA shows off first Orion capsule with KSC ceremony

collectSPACE: First space-bound Orion crew capsule arrives at NASA's launch site

SPACE.com: NASA Unveils Orion Space Capsule for 2014 Test Launch

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Florida Today: Production work begins on Orion spacecraft at KSC:

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CAPE CANAVERAL -- Production work on NASA's first space-bound Orion spacecraft is beginning at Kennedy Space Center and manufacturer Lockheed Martin is on track for a first flight test in 2014, a company official said today.

James Kemp, Lockheed Martin's senior Orion production manager at KSC, told a crowd of about 200 people, that about four months of production work is beginning at the Operations and Checkout Building at KSC.

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NASASpaceflight: Orion program deep into production, processing and testing for EFT-1