Orion Abort Test Booster
Encyclopedia
The Orion Abort Test Booster (ATB) is a small solid rocket launcher which will be developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation
under contract by U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center
, Space Development and Test Wing
(SDTW).
Its goal will be to demonstrate and qualify the Orion
Launch Abort System
(LAS) that will allow the astronaut crew to safely escape in the event of an emergency during launch pad operations and through the ascent of the Orion vehicle.
The three planned flight tests are scheduled from 2009 to 2011 at White Sands Missile Range
; with a fourth and final flight test performed using Ares I-Y
.
The ATB can be considered as the successor to Little Joe II
.
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Orbital Sciences Corporation
Orbital Sciences Corporation is an American company which specializes in the manufacturing and launch of satellites. Its Launch Systems Group is heavily involved with missile defense launch systems...
under contract by U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center
Space and Missile Systems Center
The Space and Missile Systems Center is a part of Air Force Space Command of the United States Air Force. SMC is the Air Force’s product center for the development and acquisition of space and missile systems...
, Space Development and Test Wing
Space Development and Test Wing
The Space Development and Test Wing is a unit of the Space Command of the United States Air Force. The wing is located at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico.-Mission:...
(SDTW).
Its goal will be to demonstrate and qualify the Orion
Orion (spacecraft)
Orion is a spacecraft designed by Lockheed Martin for NASA, the space agency of the United States. Orion development began in 2005 as part of the Constellation program, where Orion would fulfill the function of a Crew Exploration Vehicle....
Launch Abort System
Launch escape system
A Launch Escape System is a top-mounted rocket connected to the crew module of a crewed spacecraft and used to quickly separate the crew module from the rest of the rocket in case of emergency. Since the escape rockets are above the crew module, an LES typically uses separate nozzles which are...
(LAS) that will allow the astronaut crew to safely escape in the event of an emergency during launch pad operations and through the ascent of the Orion vehicle.
The three planned flight tests are scheduled from 2009 to 2011 at White Sands Missile Range
White Sands Missile Range
White Sands Missile Range is a rocket range of almost in parts of five counties in southern New Mexico. The largest military installation in the United States, WSMR includes the and the WSMR Otera Mesa bombing range...
; with a fourth and final flight test performed using Ares I-Y
Ares I-Y
Ares I-Y was to be a structural test flight in the Ares I spacecraft development program. The test flight vehicle would have been similar to the Ares I-X mission, launched on October 28, 2009...
.
The ATB can be considered as the successor to Little Joe II
Little Joe II
Little Joe II was an American space launch vehicle used for five unmanned tests of the launch escape system and to verify the performance of the command module parachutes for the Apollo spacecraft from 1963–66...
.
Scheduled missions
| Launch Date | Mission | Test or Launch Site | Objectives |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 15, 2009 | ATK’s facility in Elkton, Md | Preliminary motor test (PA-1) | |
| Early 2010 | AA-1 | White Sands LC-32 | |
| NET February 2012 | AA-2 | White Sands | |
| NET August 2012 | AA-3 | White Sands |
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