NASA Prepares to Test Orion Capsule. The Imaginarium

NASA Prepares to Test Orion Capsule

Delta IV Heavy Rocket sits on the pad at Launch Complex 37.

The day is finally arriving when NASA is ready to make the first test flight for the SLS system. If all goes well, the Orion capsule test unit will be lifted into space by a Delta IV heavy rocket from Pad 37 at the Cape Canaveral complex. United Launch Alliance will handle the launch, designed to test the Orion capsule through launch, insertion into space, and then a high-G return through the atmosphere. Sensors packed throughout the capsule will monitor all phases of the flight, indicating to engineers how the project is going so far.

NASA Orion launch InfoCard. CLick on the picture to get info on how you can watch the flight.

The launch is scheduled for 5:05 a.m. Mountain time on Thursday. However, weather could interfere with the launch. There is a chance for rain and winds tomorrow, so NASA weather scientists are closely watching the situation.

By Mark Daymont
Farpoint Educator

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Earth's Star Trek Force Field. Are You a Wanderer? The Imaginarium.

Earth's Newly Discovered Invisible 'Star Trek' Force Field Protects us from Killer Electrons

The Earth is surrounded by "killer electrons," and it turns out one of the only things protecting us from them is an invisible force field of the type usually seen in sci-fi flicks.

These electrons, part of the two Van Allen radiation belts that surround the planet, can knock satellites out of commission and threaten astronauts. But in a new study in the journal Nature, scientists say they've discovered that these electrons suddenly stop at about 7,200 miles above the surface of the Earth.

“It’s almost like theses electrons are running into a glass wall in space,” professor Daniel Baker, director of CU-Boulder’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physicsand lead author of the study, said in a news release. “Somewhat like the shields created by force fields on 'Star Trek' that were used to repel alien weapons, we are seeing an invisible shield blocking these electrons. It’s an extremely puzzling phenomenon.”

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NASA's 1st Deep-Space Capsule in 40 Years Ready for Launch Debut

A spaceship built to carry humans is about to venture into deep space for the first time in more than four decades.

NASA's Orion space capsule is scheduled to blast off on its first test flight Thursday (Dec. 4). The unmanned mission, called Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1), will send Orion zooming about 3,600 miles (5,800 kilometers) from Earth, before rocketing back to the planet at high speeds to test out the capsule's heat shield, avionics and a variety of other systems.  Read More at Space.Com

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