#SpaceSaturday: A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy #rocket #launched #NASA’s #Orion #spacecraft on Exploration Flight Test 1, or #EFT1.
The Delta IV Heavy was chosen as the post powerful and compatible rocket for the Orion test capsule, since its upper stage, the Delta Cryogenic Second Stage, serves as the basis for the Interim Cryogenic Upper Stage on the #SLS #rocket.
The #Delta4 could lift the capsule into a trajectory that would cause it to re-enter the atmosphere at similar velocities as a lunar return, proving the heat shield, parachutes, and landing systems.
It also verified the #LaunchAbortSystem disposal and fairing jettison.
#Delta4, #Delta4Heavy, #ExplorationFlightTest1, #RocketLaunch, #DeltaCryogenicSecondStage, #DCSS, #InterimCryogenicUpperStage, #ICUS, #UnitedLaunchAlliance, #ULA
https://heronfox.pixels.com/featured/delta-iv-with-orion-climbs-heron-and-fox.html

If you want to relive the mission coverage ( and have about 8 hours to invest ), here is the link for the 5 December 2014, Exploration Flight Test-1 Mission: The first launch of NASA's Orion
Spacecraft. 8 years later, #Orion has set out for and today is coming home from the Moon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv3CNviDWJE #NASA #ORION #EFT1

8 years ago, today December 5 2014 I was at the Kennedy Space Center to witness Orion's first launch: Exploration Flight Test -1. #Artemis (AKA "#Constellation's Step-Child") wasn't even born yet. so It was not technically part of the Artemis Program but the short 4.5 hour mission proved the Orion Spacecraft's basic functionality. Here's a Video from United Launch Alliance with Mission Highlights #NASA #ULA #EFT1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO89KowRfiY