Orion flight test ready to take human spaceflight beyond low Earth orbit

2014-12-03T20:42:19-05:00

Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) is scheduled to get underway at 7:05 a.m. EST Dec. 4 from Launch Complex 37B at Cape Canaveral AFS.
**UPDATE** New Launch time: 7:05 am Dec 5th.

This quote from a recent NASA press conference really says it all with respect to how big of a test flight this is.

“This uncrewed mission will see Orion travel farther into space than any human spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years,” NASA Administrator Charles Bolden told the annual Von Braun Symposium. “That’s a big deal. Let me stop. That’s a big deal. As the vice president was saying—I’m not going to say it—that’s a BFD. If you don’t understand that, you should not be sitting in this forum.”

Live tracking of this liftoff can be caught on the link below. Enjoy!

Live coverage: Orion lands in Pacific | Spaceflight Now

Live coverage of the countdown and flight of a Delta 4-Heavy rocket carrying NASA’s Orion space capsule on its first test flight in Earth orbit. Text updates will appear automatically below; there is no need to reload the page. Follow us on Twitter.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Dec 3 at 2014 8:52 PM

2014-12-03T20:52:29-05:00

When Air Force members post about all these advanced tests of planet orbits and supersonic what-have-you, it hurts my Army brain. ;-)

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Dec 3 at 2014 9:21 PM

2014-12-03T21:21:31-05:00

I watched "Muppets from Space." That is the limit of my knowledge.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 3 at 2014 9:22 PM

2014-12-03T21:22:11-05:00

One of the more aggressive concepts is using Nano-Technology kind of like virtual elevators and thereby reducing and eventually the need for fossil fuels to get space craft through the atmospheres.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 3 at 2014 10:34 PM

2014-12-03T22:34:15-05:00

the testing is almost upon us!

Response by Cpl Dennis F. made Dec 3 at 2014 10:44 PM

2014-12-03T22:44:51-05:00

I just loved all this stuff growing up.....but they were too slow for me. Should have been on Mars by now. I may drag my scopes out and see if I can hook up a view in the AM. That's a pretty big firecracker. Merritt Island is only about 90 miles away.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 3 at 2014 10:46 PM

2014-12-03T22:46:51-05:00

That seems pretty high risk.. I've got a couple of people I'd like to voluntell to be guinea pigs for that...

Response by Capt Brandon Charters made Dec 4 at 2014 9:11 AM

2014-12-04T09:11:46-05:00

Update: Looks like weather and a value issue have pushed the launch time out. There is still 35 min left in the today's launch window. 0944 ET

Response by Maj Walter Kilar made Dec 4 at 2014 9:47 AM

2014-12-04T09:47:25-05:00

To infinity and beyond (or 3,600 km or so.... Close enough in today's budget environment).

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Dec 4 at 2014 1:18 PM

2014-12-04T13:18:47-05:00

On July 20, 1969 Astronauts set foot on the moon. A mere 45 years later we are launching a system that bears striking similarity to the Apollo Saturn 5 launch system to conduct an un-manned test to possibly at some point in the future send Astronauts further.....Yay?

This is hilarious.... you should read it all.
http://xkcd.com/1133/

xkcd: Up Goer Five

Warning: this comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors).

Response by Cpl Brett Wagner made Dec 4 at 2014 5:07 PM

2014-12-04T17:07:22-05:00

Capt Richard Porter. CPT Aaron Kletzing SFC Mark Merino So we have gone from splash downs to landing a reusable space craft landing on a runway back to landing in the ocean? WTF over? This means our grandfathers (fathers in my case) were more advanced than we are today?

Response by Cpl Brett Wagner made Dec 4 at 2014 5:12 PM

2014-12-04T17:12:46-05:00

Today's NASA scientists.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 5 at 2014 1:12 AM

2014-12-05T01:12:16-05:00

This is going to be an amazing shot! I can wait till we start putting Americans in space from American Soil again.

Response by SFC Melker Johansson made Dec 5 at 2014 6:26 PM

2014-12-05T18:26:17-05:00

*geekgasm*

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 6 at 2014 6:49 PM

2014-12-06T18:49:46-05:00

Who wants a one way trip to Mars!