NASA heads provide preview of EFT-1 mission

Photo Credit: Mike Howard / SpaceFlight Insider

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – “Its a big day!” Those were NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden’s words this morning as he stood in front of the agency’s new beyond low-Earth-orbit (LEO) capsule perched atop a Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle at Space Launch Complex (SLC) 37. Orion is scheduled for launch at 7:05 a.m. EST, tomorrow, Dec. 4, on its first mission, Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1).

EFT-1 will be a key test of some of Orion’s most critical systems, including avionics and an initial design of its heat shield.

Johnson Space Center’s (JSC) Director, Ellen Ochoa, was on hand and explained that: “we’re taking some of the highest risks” on this flight in an attempt to “clear” those systems early in the development process.

NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden Speaks at SLC 37, while Bob Cabana, Ellen Ochoa and others look on. Photo Credit: Scott Johnson / SpaceFlight Insider

Bolden explained that: “Orion is an evolving vehicle.” Data gained from EFT-1 will be used to prepare the capsule to take astronauts to the vicinity of the moon, to an asteroid, and, eventually, to Mars.

Kennedy Space Center’s (KSC) Director, Bob Cabana, was also on hand and echoed Bolden’s sentiments: “I’ve got to tell you, this is special.”

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Tagged: Exploration Flight Test 1 Human Space Flight NASA United Launch Alliance

Scott Johnson

Scott earned both a Bachelor's Degree in public administration, and a law degree, from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. He currently practices law in the Birmingham suburb of Homewood. Scott first remembers visiting Marshall Space Flight Center in 1978 to get an up-close look at the first orbiter, Enterprise, which had been transported to Huntsville for dynamic testing. More recently, in 2006, he participated in an effort at the United States Space and Rocket Center (USSRC) to restore the long-neglected Skylab 1-G Trainer. This led to a volunteer position, with the USSRC curator, where he worked for several years maintaining exhibits and archival material, including flown space hardware. Scott attended the STS - 110, 116 and 135 shuttle launches, along with Ares I-X, Atlas V MSL and Delta IV NROL-15 launches. More recently, he covered the Atlas V SBIRS GEO-2 and MAVEN launches, along with the Antares ORB-1, SpaceX CRS-3, and Orion EFT-1 launches.