I hint about the only person around it doesn't have TV coverage of the things
that man got the black up now you're gonna be getting a TV picture now
they'll yes we are getting a TV picture
one all
badly
yeah
Orion is getting ready to launch
yeah
my name is kellie smith and i work on navigation and guidance for Orion Orion
is NASA's next generation spacecraft built with versatility in mind it can
take astronauts deeper into space than we never gone before to an asteroid or
even want to Mars for these missions a ride has to be one tough spacecraft
withstanding high speeds searing temperatures and extreme radiation
before we can send astronauts into space on Orion we have to test all of its
systems and there's only one way to know if we got it right
quiet space for Orion's first flight no astronauts will be a board the
spacecraft is loaded with sensors record and measure all aspects of the flight in
every detail
it all begins with launched aboard a delta for heavy rocket
as it punches into Earth orbit Orion will jettison its launch abort system
the important system is a safety feature designed to pull a ryan and its crew on
a major there were a problem with the rocket during asset Orion's journey is
just beginning
as the spacecraft and the upper stage begin their first lap around Earth
Mission Control in Houston is monitoring the progress of the flood-affected
became Orion's over a hundred miles on going about 17,000 miles per hour
just as it passes over the Indian Ocean wheel is communication
this is expected the communications link we have through satellites 2a Ryan is
momentarily lost but I Ryan continues to receive and process data its computers
can handle 480 million instructions per second
imagine you are traveling with Orion as the flight test continues one orbit
completed time to go
the upper stage of the rocket fires again like the setup for a rollercoaster
ride this is the big climb we've been waiting for
we are headed 3,600 miles above Earth 15 times higher from the planet than the
International Space Station
as we get further away from earth will pass through the Van Allen belts an area
of dangerous radiation radiation like this can harm the guidance systems
onboard computers or other electronics on a ryan naturally we have to pass
through this danger zone twice once up and once back
but a ryan has protection shielding will be put to the test as the vehicle cuts
through the waves of radiation sensors aboard will record the radiation levels
for scientists to study we must solve these challenges before we send people
through this region of space for this flight
it's time to head home the upper stage of the rocket triggers separation
Orion's Jets fire to turn it into the proper position to re-enter Earth's
atmosphere
no matter what happens now we're coming in 75 miles above Earth the spacecraft
enters the atmosphere things happen quickly
we're now traveling more than 20,000 miles per hour air particles pushed out
of the way heat up the envelope of hot plasma surrounds the vehicle as a
plummets towards our plasma reaches temperatures of 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit
twice as hot as molten lava this may be the most dangerous part of the flight
mission control is monitoring all the data from the spacecraft and then we
lose communication again
no data can penetrate the plasma Orion is on its own
Ryan is inside of fireball onboard systems ignite jets to keep the ship
pointed directly so especially constructed heat shield takes the full
brunt of the inferno
this is the largest heat shield of its kind ever made
Orion's computers beyond the spacecraft to bank like an airplane even a precise
path the landing site even though explode from 20,000 miles per hour
about 300 miles per hour we're still traveling amazingly fast you must slow
down safely land in the ocean
luckily we have parachutes especially designed for Orion the parachutes help
us hit the brakes but not too quickly
one day people will be aboard the deceleration must happen in stages to
keep things comfortable for the group
for this first flight we won't have asked
have some very precious cargo the flight data from this mission is stored inside
the Orion spacecraft while our flight might be over there is still a lot of
work onboard sensors recorded every detail from launch to flying in space
re-entry to landing
flight tests are difficult and complex but they give us confidence that the
systems we have designed work under real flight conditions it's great to be a
part of this first spaceflight for Orion and we're looking forward to beginning a
new chapter in human space exploration
yeah
history about the only person around it doesn't have TV coverage of the face and
it meant they got the black up now you're gonna be getting a TV picture now
they'll yes we are getting a
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