Orion Pad Abort-1 (PA-1)

Launch & landing data: Launch date - time  06 May 2010 - 13:03 UTC Launch site   White Sands Missile Range, LC-32E Launch vehicle  Orion Launch Abort System (LAS) Payload  Mock crew cabine Mass (kg)   Mission  Orion Abort Test Booster Operator  NASA Sub-orbital flight: Flight Duration  1m 35sec

Orion Ascent Abort 1 path

Description:

• Pad Abort 1 (PA-1) was a flight test of the Orion Launch Abort System (LAS). Orion was a component of Constellation, a human spaceflight project within NASA, the space agency of the United States. PA-1 was the first test in a sequence of atmospheric flight tests known as Orion Abort Flight Test (AFT).
• PA-1 tested the basic functionality of the launch abort concept from the pad in its preliminary Orion design configuration. It used the former conformal shape of the LAS adapter. The Flight Test Article (FTA) vehicle will differ from production Orion vehicles in a number of ways. For example, the FTA will not have a crew on board, and the avionics will be a prototype of what is planned for production Orions.
• The PA-1 test took place on 6 May 2010 at the U.S. Army's White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. It was also the final flight done under the auspice of the Constellation program before it was cancelled.

Technicians work on stacking the launch abort system for the Pad Abort-1 (PA-1) flight test. Taken on 3 April 2010. Credit: NASA

PA-1 launch

PA-1 descending on parachute. Credit: NASA

PA-1 landing

External links:

• Wikipedia: PA1 Information