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Orion Flight Test 1 Press National Aeronautics and Space Administration Orion Flight Test Exploration Flight Test-1 PRESS KIT/December 2014 www.nasa.gov NP-2014-11-020-JSC Orion Flight Test Contents Section Page Flight Overview ......................................................................................................... 1 Timeline Overview .................................................................................................... 2 Flight Profile .............................................................................................................. 8 Recovery Operations .............................................................................................. 11 Vehicle Components ................................................................................................14 Delta IV Heavy Rocket ............................................................................................ 19 Flight Objectives ..................................................................................................... 21 Flight Personnel ...................................................................................................... 22 Next Steps for NASA ............................................................................................... 25 Public Affairs Contacts ........................................................................................... 28 December 2014 i Orion Flight Test ii December 2014 Orion Flight Test Flight Overview Orion is NASA’s new spacecraft built to carry returning from lunar orbit – will provide the humans, designed to allow us to journey to most challenging test currently possible. destinations never before visited by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. On this The flight test will also validate systems uncrewed test flight, Exploration Flight such as Orion’s parachutes, avionics and Test-1, Orion will test systems critical to attitude control, and demonstrate major crew safety as it travels farther into space separation events such as the launch abort than any spacecraft built for humans has system jettison and the service module fairing traveled in more than 40 years. separation. All of these systems must perform flawlessly to guarantee safe, successful During the 4.5-hour flight, Orion will orbit missions in the future. Although they have Earth twice, covering more than 60,000 miles been tested extensively on the ground, the (96,600 kilometers) and reaching an altitude space environment cannot be replicated of 3,600 miles (5,800 kilometers) on the completely on Earth, and Exploration Flight second orbit. (The International Space Test-1 will provide critical data that will enable Station orbits Earth at an altitude of engineers to improve Orion’s design and approximately 260 miles, or 420 kilometers.) reduce risk for the astronauts it will carry That altitude will allow the spacecraft to return as NASA continues to move forward on its through the atmosphere at a speed human journey to Mars. of 20,000 mph (32,000 kph), which will generate temperatures near 4,000 degrees Although Orion is a NASA program, Fahrenheit (2,200 degrees Celsius) on Orion’s Exploration Flight Test-1 is managed heat shield. Those temperatures – about 80 and led by Orion prime contractor percent as hot as Orion would experience Lockheed Martin and launch on a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket. December 2014 Flight Overview 1 Orion Flight Test Timeline Overview Preflight: L-3 hours 30 minutes – Flight Control Team on Console in Mission L-8 hours 15 minutes – Control, Houston Mobile Service Tower First Motion - The NASA flight control team overseeing - The gantry used to access the vehicle as Orion’s flight from Houston takes over from it was being readied for launch begins to the pre-launch flight control team that has move away from the rocket. been making preparations for launch. L-4 hours 35 minutes – L-2 hours 35 minutes – Fueling Readiness Polls NASA TV Coverage Begins - United Launch Alliance launch team will L-1 hour 55 minutes – poll its members to decide whether to begin Landing Weather Briefing fueling the rocket with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Flight Meteorology L-4 hours 30 minutes – Group in Mission Control, Houston, briefs Delta IV Heavy Fueling Begins the Flight Control Team on weather - The Delta IV Heavy boosters begin to be conditions at the splashdown point filled with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. in the Pacific Ocean. 2 Timeline Overview December 2014 Orion Flight Test L-0 hours 30 minutes – L-0 hours 8 minutes – Launch Weather Briefing Orion on Internal Power - The 45th Space Wing Operations Group - Orion begins using power from its own Weather Squadron at Cape Canaveral Air batteries rather than external power. Force Station briefs the United Launch L-0 hours 8 minutes – Alliance’s Delta Launch Team on weather Delta Go or No-go Poll for Launch conditions at the launch site. - The United Launch Alliance launch L-0 hours 19 minutes – conductor polls the Delta Launch Team for Terminal Countdown Hold a final go or no-go for launch of the Delta IV - The Orion launch countdown enters a Heavy that will carry Orion into space. 15-minute hold at the T-4 minute mark, L-0 hours 4 minutes – during which time the final go or no-go Terminal Countdown Begins polls are conducted. - The final built-in hold ends, and the clock L-0 hours 16 minutes – begins counting down the final minutes Orion Go or No-go Poll for Launch before launch. - The Lockheed Martin mission manager polls L-0 hours 0 minutes – the Mission Management Team for a final go Liftoff! or no-go for Orion’s launch. - Orion launches into space on its first flight test! December 2014 Timeline Overview 3 Orion Flight Test Flight: L+5 minutes 33 seconds – Stage 1 Separation L+1 minute 23 seconds – Max Q - The first stage of the Delta IV Heavy separates from the rest of the vehicle, while - Orion and the Delta IV Heavy experience the the second stage continues on with Orion. maximum dynamic pressure during ascent. L+5 minutes 49 seconds – L+1 minute 25 seconds – Second Stage Ignition #1 Mach 1 - The second stage of the Delta IV Heavy - Orion and the Delta IV Heavy reach the begins an 11-minute, 50-second engine speed of sound. burn to continue Orion’s ascent. L+3 minutes 56 seconds – L+6 minutes 15 seconds – Port and Starboard Common Booster Service Module Fairing Separation Cores Jettisoned - The three 13x14-ft. fairing panels that have - The boosters on either side of the rocket provided structural support and protected are released after their engines cut off at the service module through the first minutes the 3 minute, 56 second mark. of flight are pushed away from the vehicle L+5 minutes 30 seconds – to reduce Orion’s weight. Core Common Booster Core MECO - The main engines cut off on the remaining booster core. 4 Timeline Overview December 2014 Orion Flight Test L+6 minutes 20 seconds – L+2 hours 0 minutes 09 seconds – Launch Abort System Jettison SECO #2 - The system that would be used to pull future - The Delta IV Heavy second stage completes Orion crews away from their rocket during its engine burn, sending Orion on its way an emergency is jettisoned once Orion is to its peak altitude of 3,600 miles (5,800 safely through the most dynamic portion kilometers). of its launch. L+2 hours 05 minutes – L+17 minutes 39 seconds – Entering First High Radiation Period Secondary Engine Cutoff (SECO) #1 - Orion enters the first of two periods of - The Delta IV Heavy second stage engine intense radiation in the lower Van Allen Belt. shuts down as Orion arrives at its initial Its cameras are turned off during this period orbit, 115 x 552 miles (185 by 888 to protect them from damage. kilometers) above Earth. L+2 hours 20 minutes – L+1 hour 55 minutes 26 seconds – Leaving High Radiation Period Second Stage Ignition #2 - Orion rises above the most intense area of - The second stage of the Delta IV Heavy radiation it will travel through. Its cameras begins a 4-minute, 45-second engine burn are turned back on. to push Orion farther into orbit. December 2014 Timeline Overview 5 Orion Flight Test L+2 hours 40 minutes – L+3 hours 30 minutes – Reaction Control System Activation Entering Second High Radiation Period - The engines that will steer Orion once it has - Orion re-enters the area of intense radiation separated from the Delta IV Heavy second in the lower Van Allen Belt, this time going stage are activated. down instead of up. Its cameras will again L+3 hours 05 minutes – be turned off for protection. Peak Altitude L+3 hours 57 minutes 11 seconds – - Orion reaches its highest altitude of the Crew Module Translation Burn flight, 3,600 miles (5,800 kilometers) above - Orion’s reaction control system engines fire Earth and farther than any vehicle built for for 10 seconds to initiate its return to Earth. humans has been in more than 40 years. L+4 hours 05 minutes – L+3 hours 09 minutes – Leaving High Radiation Period Maneuver to Crew Module/Service Module - Orion falls below the most intense area Separation Attitude of radiation it will travel through. Its cameras - Orion moves into position for the separation are turned back on. of its service module and the Delta IV Heavy L+4 hours 13 minutes 35 seconds – second stage. Entry Interface L+3 hours 23 minutes 41 seconds – - Orion reaches the upper limits of Earth Crew Module/Service Module Separation atmosphere, which generates heat as - The Orion crew module separates from its Orion passes through it at
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