Testing the Orion crew vehicle

NASA conducted a test of the Orion crew vehicle’s entry, descent and landing parachutes high above the Arizona desert in preparation for the vehicle’s orbital flight test, Exploration Flight Test-1, on April 17, 2012.

The primary objectives were to determine how the entire system would respond if one of the three main parachutes inflated too quickly and to validate the drogue parachute design by testing at a high dynamic pressure that closely mimicked the environments expected for Exploration Flight Test-1.

Image Credit: NASA

- See also:

• Solar eclipse view from orbit
• Saturn's Rings from the Other Side
• Goodbye Discovery
• Endeavour Rising
• ESA eXperimental vehicle for 2013
• Shuttle Plume shadow points to the Moon
• Eastern Coast of the USA from ISS
• Watch Live Curiosity Rover's landing

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