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Feb. 24, 2014 Vol. 54, No. 4 Spaceport News John F. Kennedy Space Center - America’s gateway to the universe Orion recovery tests done off Cali coast By Linda Herridge which to practice recovering the Hill, assistant deputy associate a dive to simulate Orion’s Spaceport News Orion crew module, one para- administrator for exploration descent through the atmosphere chute and a forward bay cover, systems development at NASA and splashdown, as Johnson bout a hundred miles off which keeps Orion’s parachutes Headquarters in Washington. confirmed tracking and cleared the coast of San Diego, in A safe until being jettisoned, “The Orion testing work we do the airspace. Helicopters were the Pacific Ocean, a U.S. Navy just before the parachutes are is helping us work toward send- stationed in the air to observe ship’s well deck filled with needed. ing humans to deep space.” the “Orion capsule” during water as underway recovery operations began Feb. 18 on a During the testing, the tether Several of the objectives were descent, as they would be during test version of NASA’s Orion lines were unable to support accomplished before the remain- an actual retrieval mission. crew module, tethered inside, the tension caused by crew ing tests were called off. Mike Generale, the Orion to prepare for its first mission, module motion that was driven NASA and the U.S. Navy recovery operations manager Exploration Flight Test-1, in by wave turbulence in the well were able to successfully re- and test director at Kennedy September. deck of the ship. NASA and the cover the forward bay cover and Space Center, said the underway Building on the knowledge U.S. Navy called off the week’s parachute, and demonstrations recovery test allows GSDO gained from previous Orion re- remaining testing to allow engi- of the coordination required be- to verify recovery operations covery tests performed in calm neers to evaluate the next steps. tween the team onboard the ship and procedures, demonstrates waters near NASA’s Langley “Even though the testing and mission control in Houston capabilities and incorporates Research Center in Virginia, didn’t go as we had planned, were accomplished. partnership efforts with the U.S. the agency’s Ground Systems we’re learning lessons that will Controllers at Johnson Space Navy and Lockheed Martin. Development and Operations help us be better prepared to re- Center in Houston simulated “The next steps will be to (GSDO) Program began the trieve Orion after it travels more the launch and splash down incorporate lessons learned and next phase, seeking turbulent than 3,600 miles into space of the Orion capsule. An F-18 modify Orion recovery hard- water off the west coast in and comes home,” said Bill jet flew from 13,000 feet into ware,” Generale said. NASA The Orion crew module is positioned on the deck of the USS San Diego in San Diego, Calif., for an underway recovery test in the Pacific Ocean on Feb. 18. For more information about Orion and how it will serve as NASA’s future exploration vehicle, click on the photo. Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS Feb. 24, 2014 Photos by NASA/Kim Shiflett Lockheed Martin Space Systems Deputy Program Manager for Orion, Larry Price, said Orion is on track for its landmark test flight later this year during his address at the February National Space Club Florida Committee meeting Feb. 11. Lockheed Martin preps Orion for EFT-1 By Linda Herridge been in space, more than 600 people have Orion spacecraft for safe return from long- Spaceport News gone into space, but only 27 have gone duration, deep-space missions. beyond low-Earth orbit. “Our challenge is to do what is eco- n Orion spacecraft in development “We’re going to go explore. It’s like nomically possible so we can get to these to fly into space on a landmark flight A Lewis and Clark. It’s like the Louisiana missions as totally as possible. Congress test later this year is on track to make the Purchase,” Price said. has been extremely supportive of us. The historic mission, said Larry Price, Lockheed Recent accomplishments of the Orion SLS budget has been level for five years Martin Space Systems deputy program program include the Launch Abort Sys- with all of the turbulence that’s going on,” manager for Orion. tem test at White Sands Test Facility in Price said. “There’s an accumulation of a lot of work New Mexico; parachute tests in Yuma, “We’re building a machine to do what- that’s been coming together over the last five years,” Price said during a presentation Ariz.; Orion water impact tests at NASA’s ever the scientists determine we need to to the National Space Club Florida Commit- Langley Research Center in Virginia; Orion do,” Price said. “We’re going to go to 3,600 tee on Feb. 11. “Our spacecraft is coming recovery tests near Langley; heat shield miles high. Humans have not done this together in the Operations and Checkout work at NASA’s Ames Research Center in since Apollo.” Building at Kennedy Space Center. Orion Moffett Field, Calif.; fairing separation tests But for now, the first step to deep space includes suppliers from 45 states.” in Sunnyvale, Calif., and forward bay cover is EFT-1. Price said the team is focused on build- jettison tests in Denver, Colo. NASA has contracted with United Space ing an advanced spacecraft that can safely “We’ve been running software end- Alliance to launch EFT-1 aboard a Delta IV return a crew from long-duration missions to-end in the Orion integrated test lab in Heavy vehicle from Launch Complex 37 in deep space. Near term, Exploration Denver and at Kennedy for about a year, targeted for September of this year. During Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) in September will test and adding on more and more components Exploration Flight Test-1, an uncrewed designs and systems most critical to crew to the system so all of the software and spacecraft will travel 15 times farther than safety. Some of the top risks are heat shield hardware are operating in the loop like the International Space Station before re- performance, guidance and navigation, elec- flight,” Price said. turning to Earth at speeds as fast as 20,000 tronics and protection from space radiation. Meanwhile, according to Price, Congress mph and temperatures above 4,000 degrees Price explained the scale of deep-space is strongly defending NASA and the work Fahrenheit to evaluate the spacecraft’s heat exploration. “In the 50 years that we’ve developing the Space Launch System and shield and other systems. Photos by NASA/Kim Shiflett Members of the National Space Club Florida Committee and guests gathered for a luncheon Feb. 11 at the Radisson Resort at the Port in Cape Canaveral. Feb. 24, 2014 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 NASA On Feb. 12, the Kennedy Space Center Emergency Response Team presented Center Director Bob Cabana the trophy it won during the 2013 International SWAT Round-Up. Emergency Response Team earns top 5 in contest By Linda Herridge ‘it can never happen here.’ ” Spaceport News ERT members play a vital role in all of the day-to-day security opera- ennedy Space Center Direc- Ktor Bob Cabana is committed tions at Kennedy. They can handle to and makes safety at the center a anything from a traffic stop, to an top priority. As part of that com- active shooter to a terrorist threat, mitment, a well-trained Emergency and also assist with certain high- Response Team (ERT) protects the level VIP visits to the center. center’s workforce and assets 24 “We have an extensive training hours a day, seven days a week. regimen,” said an ERT member. Recently, the ERT placed in the “We train daily between operations. top five overall at the 2013 Interna- We train weekly at the end of our tional SWAT Roundup in Orlando, shifts. And we also cap it off with Fla. The competition featured more a yearly training exercise that lasts than 50 teams from Florida, the two weeks.” U.S. and other countries around the The ERT members recently world. completed intensive annual training During the competition, at the NASA Protective Services Kennedy’s eight-member team of security officers employed by Training Academy and other facili- Chenega Security Support and ties around the center to keep their Solutions, had the opportunity to competencies and skills current. A train with other teams, shared wide variety of assets were used information about past events during the training, including land and discussed best practices that vehicles, helicopters, abandoned could help other ERTs cope with facilities, special equipment and emergencies and provide more other resources. effective training environments. “ERT team members are chosen “This is the third year in a row based on their leadership abilities, that the ERT Team has finished in their ability to deal with stress, and the top five at the Swat Roundup,” their ability to overcome physical said Mark Borsi, the chief of secu- obstacles they may see day to day,” rity. “Their unprecedented success said an ERT training supervisor. in this tough and prestigious com- Another ERT team member said: petition demonstrates the teams’ consistent dedication to duty and “The professionalism of the ERT Team is paramount. We have people the rigors of staying prepared to NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis resolve security emergencies safely from various backgrounds ranging NASA Emergency Response Team (ERT) members toss a flash-bang and quickly. Tragedies at Fort from law enforcement to military. diversionary device during specialized training simulations at the Protective They’re all born leaders and they’re Services Training Academy at Kennedy Space Center as a helicopter hovers Hood, the Washington Navy Yard, above.

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