Exploration Flight Test 1
Exploration Flight Test 1 or EFT-1 (previously known as Orion Flight Test 1 or OFT-1) is the first planned test flight of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle. Set to launch in 2014 atop a Delta IV Heavy from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the mission will be a multi-hour, two-orbit test of the Orion Command Module featuring a high apogee on the second orbit and a high-energy reentry at around 20,000 mph.[1] The spacecraft will remain attached to the Delta IV's Upper Stage until reentry begins and will rely on internal batteries for power rather than photovoltaic arrays, which will not be installed.[2] The flight is intended to test various Orion systems, including avionics, heat shielding and parachutes prior to its debut launch aboard the Space Launch System, currently scheduled for late 2017.[3]
Gallery
| EFT-1 Orion Under Assembly |
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References
External links