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Avionics placed in Orion at Kennedy.
Lockheed Martin photo |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- NASA's deep space craft, Orion, has been powered on for the first time in a major milestone in the final year of preparations for flight. Orion's avionics system was installed on the crew module and powered up for a series of systems tests last week. Preliminary data indicate Orion's vehicle management computer, as well as its innovative power and data distribution system -- which use state-of-the-art networking capabilities -- performed as expected. All of Orion's avionics systems will be put to the test during its first mission, Exploration Flight Test-1(EFT-1), targeted to launch in the fall of 2014. (Source:
NASA,
Lockheed Martin, 10/28/13)
Note: Orion is built in part at Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans. Engines for the rocket that will eventually be used to lift Orion will be tested at tennis Space Center, Miss.
