JSC2010-E-009860 (January 2010) --- An artist's rendering shows the Orion launch abort vehicle poised for liftoff in the Pad Abort 1 flight test at the U.S. Army's White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The launch abort system being tested will be capable of pulling the crew module away from the crew launch vehicle within milliseconds in the event of an emergency on the pad or during the initial ascent phase. It is a key element in NASA's continuing efforts to improve safety as the agency develops the next generation of spacecraft