Date: November 15th 2007

Nov 14, 2007

Melissa Mathews/Beth Dickey Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1272/2087 melissa mathews-1@nasa gov, beth dickey-1@nasa gov

Kelly Humphries/Lynnette Madison Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-244-5111 kelly o humphries@nasa gov, lynnette b madison@nasa gov

Leslie Williams Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif 661-276-3893 leslie a williams@nasa gov

RELEASE: 07-252

GROUNDBREAKING SIGNALS START OF NASA'S CONSTELLATION FLIGHT TESTS

LAS CRUCES, N M - With less than a year until flight tests of NASA's Constellation Program, work is under way on a launch pad that will host the first of those tests Workers broke ground on a pad where the agency will test a launch abort system for the new Orion spacecraft at the U S Army's White Sands Missile Range near Las Cruces, N M

Orion's launch abort system will carry astronauts to safety in the event of a problem on the launch pad or during the spacecraft's climb to orbit The first of five tests of the system, known as Pad Abort 1 or PA-1, is scheduled for fall 2008 Data from the series will help engineers refine the design of the launch abort system

"Flight tests are where the rubber meets the road These tests will help validate our designs or correct any flaws," said Skip Hatfield, Orion Project Manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston "The goal here is simple: to provide our astronauts a route to safety should anything go wrong at a launch "

The first launch abort test will include a mock-up of the Orion capsule on the pad An abort motor will fire for two seconds, sending the boilerplate crew module to an altitude of one mile Three 116-foot diameter parachutes will deploy to slow the mock crew capsule for landing

Constellation is developing the Orion spacecraft to send astronauts to the International Space Station and to the moon Orion will be launched atop an Ares I rocket The program is also developing a heavy-lift rocket, Ares V, to enable cargo missions to the moon NASA plans to set up a lunar outpost by 2020, where astronauts will prepare for possible future missions to Mars and other destinations in the solar system

Video of the groundbreaking ceremony will be available Thursday on NASA Television Video File For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit:

http://www nasa gov/ntv

To learn more about NASA's space exploration plans, visit:

www nasa gov/exploration

-end-

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