Category Archives: Orion

Tuesday / 10 March 2015

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New NASA Moon Rocket Advancing

ATKslsTest0315

ATK Is Set To Conduct First Full-Scale Qualification Static Motor Test For NASA Heavy-Lift Space Launch System Wednesday 11 March In Promontory UT; 2-Minute Test Will Burn 628,225kg Of Solid Propellant In The Two 54-Meter-Long Engines, Producing 1.6 Million Kg Of Force; Rocket – Along With Orion Crew Capsule – Will Be Critical For New Era Of USA Human Lunar / Solar System Exploration; First 2 Test Flights (2018 & 2021) Likely To Include Circumlunar Voyage

Image Credit: NASA, ATK

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon 12-15 September 2014

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Orion Spacecraft Taking First Steps To Lunar / Solar System Exploration

OrionTest0914

Test Version Of New NASA Flagship Crew Vehicle Moved To Fueling Depot In Preparation For 4 Dec Exploration Test Flight-1; 4.5-Hour, US$375M Mission Will Mimic Return From Moon As Delta 4 Rocket Will Launch Orion ~5,800km Above Earth, Craft Will Return At 32,000 Km/hr; Orion Will Launch Aboard New SLS For 2nd Test Flight In 2018; First Crewed Flight Expected In 2021, Taking 4 Astronauts On Circumlunar Cruise; NASA Expects To Spend US$15B On Orion Through 1st Crewed Flight; Increase In NASA Budget, Prioritization Of Human Lunar / Solar System Exploration Could Hasten Orion Flight Pace

Image Credit: NASA