The test version of NASA's Orion spacecraft safely landed on September 12 with three parachutes. This ended the final test, preparing the capsule to travel to the moon and back.
The dative analysis will take weeks, but already now there are early signs that the test can be considered successful. Early in the morning, Orion safely opened all three parachutes in the correct sequence after dropping the C-17 from a height of 8.5 km from the aircraft. Then the capsule landed on the Yuma (Arizona) test site in front of the audience and NASA official representatives.
Orion is an important program, because it is pinned on the hopes of long-distance space crew transportation. The spacecraft must withstand great heat when returning to Earth, as it will fall at high speed. Expect that already in the 2019-2020-ies. the capsule will be used for moon missions.
Orion has four sets of parachutes, which, when working together, will land a spacecraft from flights to the moon or deep space. The first set is three parachutes with a front compartment cover, which protects the device during a flaming landing at a speed of 32 times faster than the speed of sound.
Then the capsule deploys two rear parachutes to stabilize the ship and slow down the fall. After that, three pilot parachutes and three main parachutes are released, and Orion smoothly lands on the ground. This is the last test after decades of mission development. Now the ship is destined to become the basis of plans for the exploration of outer space by NASA.
