NASA's Orion MPCV Completes second splash test - video

After six months of testing, an 18,000 pound (8,165 kg) Orion mockup took its final splash into NASA Langley Research Center's Hydro Impact Basin on Jan. 6.

Orion, the next deep space exploration vehicle, will carry astronauts into space, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel, and ensure safe re-entry and landing.

The testing, which began in July 2011, simulated different water landing scenarios and took into account different velocities, parachute deployments, entry angles, sea states and wind conditions that Orion could face when landing in the Pacific Ocean.

The January 6 test represented worst case landing for an abort scenario in rough seas.

The test impact conditions simulated all parachutes being deployed with a high impact pitch of 43 degrees.

The capsule traveled approximately 47 mph (75.6 kph) before splashing into the basin and rolling over into the Stable 2 position.

This type of landing scenario isn't likely to occur during actual vehicle operation, but is essential for the validation of analytical models.

As was the case with Apollo, the Orion flight design will feature an onboard up-righting system.

NASA Langley: Preparing for Orion Drop Test

Getting prepared for the last Orion splash test at NASA Langley

NASA's Orion MPCV faces a second splash test - video

Engineers conducted the first test as part of Phase 1 of the Orion MPCV boilerplate test article at NASA's Langley Research Center, on Oct. 18.

The 18,000-pound (8,165 kg) test article, representative of the Orion Crew Module, was drop tested at a 43-degree relative pitch angle and a 30-degree roll angle and travelled at 27 mph (43 kph) horizontal velocity before splashing down in the Hydro Impact Basin.

Bloomframe Drop Down Window Balcony

Click on the picture to watch the video of the window that becomes a trendy balcony.