NASA's Advanced Space Center Marks Another Progress Toward Mars Expedition
The European Space Agency (ESA) is playing a significant role in NASA's upcoming mission, providing the service module for Orion's first flight on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. This mission, set to embark on a journey to Mars and other deep-space destinations, is expected to launch in 2018.
NASA is busy modernising the ground systems at Kennedy Space Center to safely integrate Orion with SLS, move the vehicle to the pad, and launch it into space. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program (GSDO) completed its critical design review (CDR) of the facilities and ground support systems plans in December 2015.
The agency has also undergone a comprehensive review of plans for facilities and ground support systems at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. This review, aimed at processing the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, has been successfully completed.
Meanwhile, engineers have conducted a successful solar array wing deployment test on Feb. 29 at NASA's Plum Brook Station. Preparations are underway for a variety of tests to confirm the service module can withstand the harsh conditions of launch. A structural representation of the service module is being tested at NASA's Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio.
Results from ESA's service module design review will be assessed and incorporated into Orion development and integration plans later this summer. The Orion spacecraft will be fueled with propellants in the Multi-Payload Processing Facility at Kennedy prior to stacking atop the rocket.
The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, once stacked in the Vehicle Assembly Building on a mobile launcher, will roll out to Launch Pad 39B atop a modified crawler transporter. Over the next 18 months, thousands of Orion components will arrive and be installed.
The launch team will use the new command and control system in the firing room as the clock counts down to liftoff of SLS's first flight. The launch, when it occurs, will mark a significant milestone in NASA's journey beyond low-Earth orbit.
NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will be the most powerful ever built and will launch the agency's Orion spacecraft into a new era of exploration. The Orion spacecraft completed its own Critical Design Review (CDR) at the program level in October 2015.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has approved the completion of an important construction phase for the spaceport of the future, from which the next generation of astronauts will launch to Mars and other deep space destinations. Systems unique to the first crewed flight will be addressed at a review in the fall of 2017.
The transformation of Kennedy's launch infrastructure is a testament to the dedication and hard work of NASA and its partners, as they strive to push the boundaries of human exploration and reach for the stars.
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