NASA Undertakes Orion Drop Tests
NASA has repeatedly sent scale-sized versions of its planned Orion spaceship plummeting back to Earth in a series tests to pinpoint the best way to return future astronauts safely back to terra firma.
The drop tests, performed at NASA’s Virginia-based Langley Research Center, are just one of several technical milestones the Orion spacecraft and Ares rocket programs hit in recent weeks as the agency pushes ahead with plans for its space shuttle successor. Read more
