An escape system designed to boost astronauts safely away from an exploding rocket is set today for a test that will send rolling thunder across a New Mexico desert.A computer command will ignite escape system motors at 9 a.m. EDT, propelling a mock-up of NASA's Orion spacecraft away from a launch complex at the Army's White Sands Missile Range near Las Cruces.
Talk about a sporty start: zero to 600 mph within two seconds.
You can watch live NASA TV coverage of the test right here in The Flame Trench beginning at 8:30 a.m. Click the NASA TV box on the right side of the page to launch our NASA TV viewer and live coverage. Be sure to refresh this page, too, for periodic updates.
The window for the test will extend through noon and there will be a live news conference after the test.
Check out the full story in this advance that published Wednesday in the newspaper editions of Florida Today: Pad Abort Test.
9 comments:
I understand that manned space-flight is expensive. But $220 million for testing an escape system with a dummy capsule?
It is great ashame that this test and final Space Shuttle flights are symbols of the U.S. exiting manned space flight. 25,000 workers will be unemployed.
If Obama supported manned space flight, he would have extended the Space Shuttle program. NASA was the only government that gave the U.S. great pride. Thank you NASA for your great work on Project Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and the Space Shuttle.
Now, Obama is killing NASA manned space flight. Wish someone could save the Space Shuttle program.
I thought the Constellation program was dead. Or is the plan to use Orion as an emergency capsule on the Space Station, as the Pres suggested? So, does this ground test mean there will be a manned launch system that uses Orion? Why not just use Soyuz capsules for emergencies? Anyways, our space program is on a parallel path to the depths along with our economy........
Where did you get 220 mil from?
Langley LAS Program Manager Keith Rivers
The hardware for the test only cost $25 million. But the total cost of design, development and the test is $220 million.
I'm sorry, that's Kevin Rivers.....
I love the spin. In February it was 8-9000 jobs. In March it was 12-15000. Now its up to 25,0000.
I can't wait to see the numbers thrown around when this budget finally goes in front of Congress!
Too bad the rocket to send the capsule into space was cancelled, but hey "been there done that"!, BO
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