LAUNCHING ORION

into Space

Learn about the tremendous effort 

put forth by thousands of people across 

the globe to launch Orion into orbit, and 

the challenges that will be faced as Orion 

is prepared for flight.

DEFINITION OF SPACE

(62 MILES)

AN ENGINEER’S MAGNUM OPUS RIGOROUS TESTING PRIOR TO FLIGHT OVERCOMING EARTH’S GRAVITY

LAUNCHING ORION 

INTO SPACE

Orion has been designed 

with the minimal mass and 

maximum capability needed 

to safely transport everything 

needed for four crew 

members to live and work in 

space for up to 21 days. 

There are thousands of 

steps that must be carried 

out sequentially – or even 

simultaneously – and function 

in perfect harmony for a 

seamless launch.

Separation events that are 

critical during Orion’s first few 

minutes of spaceflight are very 

dynamic, requiring the close 

attention of the entire 

flight team.

Flight tests are difficult and 

complex but are necessary for 

engineers to gain confidence 

that the systems critical to 

crew safety will work during 

space flight. 

LAUNCHING ORION

17,500 MPH

O MPH

27,000 MPH

DESIGNING ORION PUTTING ORION 

TO THE TEST

SENDING ORION THROUGH 

THE ATMOSPHERE

Speed to propel 

to Deep Space

Orion separating 

from the launch 

vehicle

Orion on the launch pad 

at NASA’s multi-purpose 

spaceport in Florida

Orion accelerating through 

Earth’s atmosphere

THE JOURNEY TO THE LAUNCH PAD

ACHIEVING SUCCESS

PUSHING ORION 

INTO DEEP SPACE

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

www.nasa.gov
Putting Orion to the Test

The Orion spacecraft is comprised of the crew module, 

where astronauts will live and work during the mission; 

the launch abort system, which propels the crew 

module to safety in the event of an emergency; and the 

service module, which provides energy and life support 

to the crew module, as well as in-space propulsion. All 

of these components are put through rigorous testing 

prior to flight to support the overall development of the 

spacecraft. 

The launch abort system was successfully tested in 

May 2010 on a test flight called Pad Abort-1. The test 

demonstrated the three motor, solid rocket system can 

propel the crew module to a safe distance in the case 

of a ground-initiated abort on the launch pad. It was 

also tested in July 2019 on Ascent Abort-2, a flight test 

that demonstrated the launch abort system can propel 

the crew module to a safe distance if an emergency 

were to occur during ascent atop the SLS rocket.

Flight tests are difficult and complex, but necessary for 

engineers to gain confidence that the systems critical to 

crew safety will work during spaceflight. Without flight 

tests, the data analysts use to refine designs and 

computer models would be incomplete. 

LAUNCHING ORION: A carefully choreographed 

dance into space

During any rocket launch, there are thousands of steps 

that must be carried out sequentially – or even 

simultaneously – and function in perfect harmony for a 

seamless performance. 

Shake, Rattle, and Roll Through the Atmosphere

To leave Earth, Orion must defy Earth’s gravity and 

battle Earth’s atmosphere as it climbs to orbit.

During the ascent into space, the onboard software 

takes command to fly the vehicle. This complex 

software system guides the vehicle through the 

acceleration of launch as it battles the atmosphere and 

structural loads. The computers running the software 

on Orion have the ability to handle 480 million 

instructions per second – more than the average math 

teacher will issue in a lifetime! 

Spaceflight Stage Fright

On Orion’s way to orbit, there are a series of events 

that must occur to separate the spacecraft from the 

excess weight of equipment necessary for launch. 

Three massive panels, called fairings, protect the 

service module and give structural support to the crew 

module and launch abort system on the ride into 

space. But neither the protection nor the support is 

needed for long, and rather than let the weight slow it 

down for the rest of the mission, the panels are 

released six minutes into flight. Similarly, the launch 

abort system would only be used on the launch pad or 

during the early stages of ascent. Seconds after the 

service module fairings go, the launch abort tower 

follows them, allowing the exposed crew and service 

modules to continue on their journey.

The launch abort system is a key reason that Orion is 

intended to become the safest spacecraft ever built. In 

an emergency it could activate to pull the crew module 

and the astronauts it will carry away from the launch 

pad and the rocket in milliseconds. Though it’s 

hopefully never needed, the launch abort system will 

be tested again on Artemis I, the first uncrewed test 

flight of SLS and Orion, to ensure it works precisely for 

future missions with crew.

But even when a launch goes perfectly, the 

904-pound launch abort system jettison motor has to

perform flawlessly. If it doesn’t get rid of the launch

abort system 6 minutes and 20 seconds into the

mission, there will be no landing – the launch abort

system protects the crew module during ascent, but to

do so, it blocks the parachutes that allow Orion to

safely splashdown.

The launch abort system separation is just the first of 

17 separations or jettisons that have to happen exactly 

as planned for the mission to be successful.

Challenges of Spaceflight: 

Launching Orion into Space

Orion is America’s next-generation spacecraft. It will 

carry astronauts to deep-space destinations, never 

before explored by humans. The first step of getting 

Orion from Earth’s surface and into space is no small 

task, however. 

Launching a crewed spacecraft on a path for deepspace exploration will require NASA’s Space Launch 

System – a rocket that stands taller than the Statue of 

Liberty and fires more than 8.4 million pounds of 

thrust, equal to 135 powerful Boeing 747 jet engines. 

In addition, before Orion lifts off of the ground 

there are many tests and preparations that must be 

completed to prepare and certify Orion for flight. 

Launching Orion on an exploration mission takes a 

tremendous effort put forth by thousands of people 

across the country.

THE JOURNEY TO THE LAUNCH PAD

Designing Orion: An Engineer’s Magnum Opus 

Building a versatile spacecraft like Orion for human 

missions beyond low-Earth orbit requires a vehicle 

that is lightweight yet robust, and innovative enough 

to handle the harsh environments of space. Orion has 

been designed with the minimal mass and maximum 

capability needed to safely transport everything 

needed for four crew members to live and work 

in space for up to 21 days. Mass is a key driver in 

spacecraft design, because more mass requires more 

energy to launch. Higher energy requirements for 

launches mean your spacecraft needs more robust 

launch vehicles and more robust safety systems. With 

more than 20 miles of wires and harnesses, 

sophisticated avionics and life-saving safety systems, 

Orion’s intricate network of cabling, harnesses and 

tubing, balanced with mass requirements, is an 

engineering work of art. 

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