News Archive / Tagged: Exploration Flight Test 1

• NASA’s Orion loses weight, gains new windows

  David DarlingMay 5th, 2015

  NASA’s Orion spacecraft should offer crews that fly on the capsule excellent visibility and extra protection, too, as they journey to missions beyond low Earth orbit, to cislunar space, and elsewhere, as well as to the International Space Station if required. Traditionally, the windows of crewed spacecraft, such as the Apollo capsule and the Space Shuttle, have […]

• Bolden hints at commercial participation on human deep space efforts

  Jason RhianJanuary 7th, 2015

  KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla — NASA held an impromptu photo opportunity with the Orion spacecraft that carried out the Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1 ) mission, which was flown on Dec. 5, 2014. During the Jan. 6 event NASA Administrator Charles Bolden expressed the ongoing support that the agency has for commercial space flight efforts – as well as […]

• Insider Interview: Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Human Space Program Director talks Orion

  Jason RhianDecember 13th, 2014

  KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla — It took a number of organizations working as one to get NASA’s Orion spacecraft off of the ground and into the skies on December 5, 2014. While Lockheed Martin was the prime contractor on the spacecraft, United Launch Alliance (ULA ) provided the Delta IV Heavy booster, ATK produced the Launch […]

• Tested, tempered, triumphant – Orion begins the long journey home

  Jason RhianDecember 12th, 2014

  NASA’s Orion spacecraft, fresh off the heels of its successful first flight on Dec. 5 – is on its way back to the space agency’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. Engineers have already started to look at the capsule-shaped craft’s heat shield – and the precious information within its data recorders. Exploration Flight Test […]

• Photo Feature: EFT-1 – The band gets back together

  Jason RhianDecember 8th, 2014

  KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla — It was likely the most important launch of the year and it marked the culmination of what the SpaceFlight Insider (SFI) team had been planning – since forming a year earlier. We realized even then – that we might be biting off more than we could chew – and that when […]

• Perfect: EFT-1 – from liftoff to splashdown

  Rae Botsford EndDecember 5th, 2014

  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla — After a disappointing first-day scrub, the long-awaited test flight of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1), lifted off at the very opening of a two hour and thirty-nine minute launch window at 7:05 a.m. EST (1305 GMT) on Friday, Dec. 5. The launch marked the start of a perfectly-executed […]

• EFT-1 launch scrubbed due to valve issue

  Rae Botsford EndDecember 4th, 2014

  The long-anticipated Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1 ) for the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, which was slated to launch at 7:05 a.m. EST (1205 GMT) on Dec. 4, was scrubbed near the end of the launch window after several aborted attempts.

• NASA heads provide preview of EFT-1 mission

  Scott JohnsonDecember 3rd, 2014

  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, […]

• NASA hopes to have Orion back at KSC before Christmas

  Jason RhianDecember 2nd, 2014

  KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla — Officials working on NASA’s new crew rated spacecraft are hoping that, if everything goes according to plan come launch day, that the Orion spacecraft carrying out Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1) – will be back “home” in time for Christmas. The space agency provided this date during a press conference held on […]

• Where are the best places to watch ULA’s Delta IV power Orion to orbit?

  Jason RhianDecember 2nd, 2014

  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla — It takes a lot of planning and coordination to get the test article of a spacecraft into orbit. Even finding the right place to watch a launch from can be time-consuming and confusing. With available hotel rooms in the region sold out, the areas that make for the best viewing locations […]

• Orion test flight a critical step on NASA’s journey to Mars

  Tomasz NowakowskiDecember 1st, 2014

  America embarks on what could be a long-lasting trip to Mars this Thursday, Dec. 4. Orion’s maiden flight, Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1), is slated to test the spacecraft’s crucial systems in a critical first step on the journey to destinations beyond Earth never before visited by humans. “Everyone is very excited about this mission,” Stephanie Schierholz, NASA spokesperson […]

• Orion, EFT-1 and the future of U.S. human spaceflight

  Jason RhianDecember 1st, 2014

  KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla – In 2011, NASA retired its fleet of space shuttle orbiters. The spacecraft that had ferried crews into the black for three decades – were now relegated to monuments in museums and tourist destinations. The space agency then focused its crewed space exploration efforts on its new vessel – Orion. Why […]

• U.S.S. Anchorage poised to collect NASA’s Orion spacecraft after historic mission

  SpaceFlight InsiderNovember 25th, 2014

  On Dec. 4 NASA will take the next step toward putting humans on the face of Mars with the launch of the space agency’s Orion spacecraft on what is known as Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1). While many outlets are talking about the spacecraft’s flight atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA ) Delta IV Heavy booster – what […]

• Rollout for EFT-1 Orion spacecraft slips 24 hours

  SpaceFlight InsiderNovember 10th, 2014

  KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla — NASA and Lockheed Martin have decided to push back the rollout of the Orion spacecraft that will carry out the Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1) mission by 24 hours. Torrential rain and high winds in and around Florida’s Space Coast caused the delay. Rollout is now slated to take place […]

• Insider Exclusive: ULA’s Tony Taliancich talks NASA’s EFT-1 and the Delta IV Heavy

  Jason RhianSeptember 18th, 2014

  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla — The biggest NASA mission of the year is about three months away from lifting off. SpaceFlight Insider conducted an exclusive interview with the company which is at the forefront of making it happen. Colorado-based United Launch Alliance’s (ULA ) Director of East Coast Launch Operations, Tony Taliancich, sat down with SpaceFlight Insider for […]