Wednesday, November 12, 2014

EFT-1 Update: The VAB Gets A Visit By Its Future Tenant...

During its 6-hour journey to Launch Complex 37 at nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Orion EFT-1 capsule passes by the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida...on November 11, 2014.
NASA / Kim Shiflett

Orion Spacecraft Rolls Past the Vehicle Assembly Building (Press Release)

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the agency's Orion spacecraft passes the spaceport's iconic Vehicle Assembly Building as it is transported to Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014. After arrival at the launch pad, United Launch Alliance engineers and technicians will lift Orion and mount it atop its Delta IV Heavy rocket. Orion began its journey to the launch pad at the Launch Abort System Facility, where a 52-foot-tall protective fairing and the launch abort system were attached to the 10-foot, 11-inch-tall crew module. Resting atop a specialized Kamag transporter, Orion was moved to Space Launch Complex 37B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The move began at 8:54 p.m. EST and concluded at 3:07 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 12.

Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. Orion is scheduled to launch Dec. 4, 2014 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket in its first unpiloted flight test, and in 2018 on NASA’s Space Launch System rocket.

Source: NASA.Gov

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An artist's concept of the Orion spacecraft orbiting Mars.
Lockheed Martin / NASA

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