Fired Up! Final Test of Orion Motor Critical to Astronaut Safety a Spectacular Success

On Tuesday, engineers at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Elkton, Maryland successfully conducted the third and final test of the attitude control motor (ACM) that provides steering for the Launch Abort System (LAS) on NASA’s Orion spacecraft, qualifying the motor for Artemis II, Orion’s first mission with astronauts. The LAS, consisting of three solid rocket motors, is designed to carry crew to safety in the event of an emergency during launch or ascent atop the agency’s Space Launch System rocket. During the 30-second test, eight high pressure valves directed more than 7,000 pounds of thrust in multiple directions while firing at freezing conditions. All three motors on the LAS will be qualified for crewed flights ahead of Artemis II, another step that brings NASA closer to sending the first woman and next man to the Moon by 2024.

[Exobiologic]

Thank you for not ruining this by covering up the sound with music!

[hamsadwitch]

Thank you for the video NASA, we all appreciate being kept up to date with anything related to space travel

[gwenratcliffe]

I have been anticipating and awaiting this for years. Not disappointed by the results of that long anticipated wait as provided here by NASA Johnson. Incredible! Remarkable. These are technological marvels. Very impressive the exhaustive testing performed to ensure the safety of the astronaut crew as well as all involved. Really super video clips. Very meticulously detailed information presentations.

[huszaratraktor]

This Project Orion is cool, but I prefer the original. I'd like to see that test fire!

[unhommequicourt]

well done, you just built a flamethrower

[AtlasReburdened]

Beautiful, especially considering that tech probably started in the shelved US hypersonic missile program.

[jessicaklinkenberg]

did y'all notice the snowman in the upper left corner?

[d]

I like fire. I like rockets. Guess how this makes me feel 😏

[djviperx]

Please someone mod this into KSP! That was f*king awesome!!!!

[aerospacenews]

Discount July 4th. I could see various angles of this set to music in a montage. :)