By 
December 19th, 2014
NASA’s Orion spacecraft is lowered gently to the Pacific Ocean under its three massive main parachutes at 11:29 am EST on Dec. 5, 2014. Orion launched on its first test flight at 7:05 am and over the course of two orbits and 4.5 hours, traveled 3,600 miles above Earth to test systems critical to human deep space exploration.
Photo credit: NASA/James Blair
A new video backed by ethereal music shows NASA’s Orion capsule returning from space, through Earth’s atmosphere, and provides viewers a taste of what the vehicle experienced during its Dec. 5 flight test.
The video begins 10 minutes before Orion’s 11:29 a.m. EST splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
Peak heating from the friction caused by the atmosphere rubbing against Orion’s heat shield can be seen, and the video goes on to show the deployment of Orion’s parachutes and the craft’s splashdown.
Be onboard Orion at:
Posted in Space News
