The Final Orion Flight Test

The final test for the Orion spacecraft has given NASA the confidence for future space missions.

“We’re feeling great about today and we took a long time to make this happen,” said Chip McCann, a system engineer for the Capsule Parachute Assembly System known as CPAS for NASA.

“This is the end of our test program and now we have all the data we need for human space flight.”

With 11 parachutes, the Orion capsule drops 35,000 feet from the atmosphere to show what changes can be made for astronauts when they return home from space.

Mark Kiersich with the Orion Program said they’ve been testing the Orion capsules for a decade at the Yuma Proving Ground. The reason why NASA tests their Orion capsules at YPG is the amount of space and clear weather conditions for parachutes to open smoothly.

“We learned a lot of things and the engineers that develop our parachutes incorporate those lessons learned. In design, manufacturing and in the way we lay out the parachute system in the spacecraft itself. We’re excited and this should really be a celebration for us for the last ten years.”

With over 40 parachute tests in ten years, NASA Astronaut Randy Bresnik said the Orion spacecraft is ready for the Moon then Mars.

“If we could test out our habitats, spacesuits, and mobility vehicles on the moon, then we’ll have a lot more confidence when we go to Mars because they’ve worked on the moon.”

Bresnik also mentions it’s a great opportunity to buy down the ‘risk’ and make the right decisions on all equipment used to accomplish future missions. “When we go to Mars, it will only be the distance and being away from home because the so when we go to Mars it will only be the distance and being away from home that long that becomes the risk because the hardware has proven it works.”