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By European Space Agency
In a world first, ESA and Telesat have successfully connected a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite to the ground using 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) technology in the Ka-band frequency range, marking a crucial step towards making space-based connections as simple as using a mobile phone.
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By European Space Agency
Image: With the festive season approaching, even Earth-observing satellites are getting into the spirit, capturing a stunning compilation of European cities that resemble stars. View the full article
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By NASA
5 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
The Orion Environmental Test Article photographed inside the Thermal Vacuum Chamber on April 11, 2024, in the Space Environments Complex at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio. Credit: NASA/Quentin Schwinn Making the voyage 1.4 million miles around the Moon and back — the farthest a spacecraft built for humans has ever gone — the Orion spacecraft has faced a battery of tests over the years. Though Orion successfully proved its capabilities in the harsh environment of space during the Artemis I mission, Orion’s evaluation did not end at splashdown.
The crew module, now known as the Orion Environmental Test Article (ETA), returned to NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio, in January 2024 and completed an 11-month test campaign necessary for the safety and success of Artemis II, the first crewed mission under NASA’s Artemis campaign.
Engineers and technicians from NASA and Lockheed Martin subjected the test article to the extreme conditions Orion may experience in a launch abort scenario. In the event of an emergency, Orion — and astronauts inside — will jettison away from the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket for a safe landing in the ocean.
Experts at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio, conducted a lightning test, which simulates the electromagnetic effects of a lightning strike to the vehicle on the launch pad awaiting liftoff. The Feb. 20, 2024 test proved the grounding path of the vehicle is operating as designed and protecting the vehicle from damage to any of its equipment or systems. Credit: NASA/Quentin Schwinn Experts installed NASA’s Launch Abort System, designed to carry the crew to safety in the event of an emergency during launch or ascent. The Orion test article was subjected to acoustic levels simulating both a nominal ascent and a launch abort scenario. The acoustic test chamber at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio, blasted the test article at a volume of almost 164 decibels on Sept. 9, 2024. Credit: NASA/Jordan Salkin On Nov. 11, 2024, experts successfully at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility completed the docking mechanism jettison test, designed to connect and disconnect the Orion spacecraft to Gateway, a small space station that will orbit the Moon. They also completed the forward bay cover jettison test on Nov. 23, 2024, which is the last piece that must eject right before parachutes deploy, and successfully tested Orion’s uprighting system. Credit: NASA/Jordan Salkin “This event would be the maximum stress and highest load that any of the systems would see,” said Robert Overy, Orion ETA project manager, NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. “We’re taking a proven vehicle from a successful flight and pushing it to its limits. The safety of the astronaut crew depends on this test campaign.”
Experts conducted tests that simulated the noise levels of an abort during launch in addition to the electromagnetic effects of lightning strikes. The test campaign also jettisoned the test article’s docking module and parachute covers, as well as the crew module uprighting system, which consists of five airbags on top of the spacecraft that inflate upon splashdown.
“It’s been a successful test campaign,” Overy said. “The data has matched the prediction models, and everything operated as expected after being subjected to nominal and launch abort acoustic levels. We are still analyzing data, but the preliminary results show the vehicle and facility operated as desired.”
On. Nov. 23, 2024, after subjecting the Orion test article to launch abort-level acoustics, experts tested the functionality of the forward bay cover, which is the last piece that must eject before parachutes deploy. Credit: NASA/Jordan Salkin and Quentin Schwinn Testing Orion at such high acoustic levels was a major milestone for Artemis. The Reverberant Acoustic Test Facility, the world’s most powerful spacecraft acoustic test chamber, was built in 2011 in anticipation of this specific test campaign.
“These tests are absolutely critical because we have to complete all of these tests to say the spacecraft design is safe and we’re ready to fly a crew for the first time on Artemis II,” said Michael See, ETA vehicle manager, Orion Program. “This is the first time we’ve been able to test a spacecraft on the ground in such an extreme abort-level acoustic environment.”
The Orion Environmental Test Article with Launch Abort System installed moves to the Reverberant Acoustic Test Facility, the most powerful spacecraft acoustic test chamber in the world, on Sept. 9, 2024, at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio. Credit: NASA/Jordan Salkin and Quentin Schwinn Part of NASA Glenn, Armstrong Test Facility is home to the world’s largest and most powerful space environment simulation chambers capable of testing full-sized spacecraft for all the extreme conditions of launch and spaceflight. The facility not only houses an acoustic test chamber, but also a thermal-vacuum chamber and spacecraft vibration system.
“The facility is unique because there’s no other place in the world capable of testing spacecraft like this,” Overy said. “Armstrong Test Facility is a one-stop-shop for all your testing needs to prepare your spacecraft for the severe and challenging journey to and from space.”
Orion’s Round-Trip Journey to Ohio
This is not the first time Orion has been inside the walls of the Space Environments Complex at Armstrong Test Facility. The spacecraft underwent mission-critical testing in 2019, where it was subjected to extreme temperatures and an electromagnetic environment before it launched on Artemis I in 2022.
“I remember when it first arrived, the gravity of its importance really hit home,” said Joshua Pawlak, test manager, NASA Glenn. “I thought to myself, on future Artemis missions, astronauts will be inside Orion heading to the Moon, and they’ll be depending on it for survival.”
Pawlak was a mechanical test engineer when Orion made its first trip to the Sandusky facility. He participated in planning and coordinating testing of the vehicle and trained personnel. He managed the vehicle from the moment it arrived, through testing, and up until it departed for NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Joshua Pawlak poses in front of the Artemis I Space Launch System rocket on Nov. 16, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Credit: Joshua Pawlak “When it returned, I felt like I had a small part in this really big and exciting thing,” Pawlak said. “Seeing it come back blackened and scarred from the harsh environment of space was incredible. Space is not a friendly space, and I felt proud knowing that if there were astronauts on that vehicle, they would have survived.
After the Orion test article departs from Glenn, it will head to Kennedy for additional testing.
“When Artemis II launches and those astronauts are sitting on board, I’ll know that I did everything I could to ensure the vehicle is ready for them and going to perform as expected,” Pawlak said. “That’s why I do what I do.”
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By NASA
Caption: An artist’s concept of the International Space Station orbiting Earth. In the distance is the Moon, and a red star representing Mars.Credit: NASA As part of the agency’s efforts to enable broader use of space, NASA has released its final goals and objectives for low Earth orbit, defining the long-term approach toward advancing microgravity science, technology, and exploration for the benefit of all. Developed with input from a wide range of stakeholders, NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Microgravity Strategy will guide the agency toward the next generation of continuous human presence in orbit, enable greater economic growth, and maintain international partnerships.
“As we near the retirement of the International Space Station in 2030, these objectives are a pivotal next step in solidifying U.S. leadership in space,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “Our consultation with industry, academia, and international partners has helped refine a visionary roadmap for our future in low Earth orbit, which will be enabled by a continuous human presence. Together, we are ensuring that the benefits of exploring space continue to grow – advancing science, innovation, and opportunities for all, while preparing for humanity’s next giant leap of exploring the Moon, Mars and beyond.”
In early 2024, NASA initiated a planning process that included drafting an initial set of goals and objectives for the low Earth orbit microgravity environment and seeking feedback from its workforce, government partners, industry, academia, international space agencies, and the public. The agency reviewed more than 1,800 comments and hosted two workshops, resulting in essential adjustments to the goals and objectives to better align with its partners. The final framework includes 13 goals and 44 objectives across seven key areas: commercial low Earth orbit infrastructure, operations, science, research and technology development for exploration, international cooperation, workforce development and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) engagement, and public engagement.
The agency’s efforts in low Earth orbit are integral to its broader ambitions for deep space exploration. The microgravity environment in low Earth orbit provides a cost-effective, easily accessible proving ground for technologies and research necessary for human missions to explore the solar system. With most of the journey to Moon and Mars occurring in microgravity, the objectives give the opportunity to continue vital human research, test future exploration systems, and retain the critical skills needed to operate in the microgravity environment.
“These finalized objectives represent a clear path forward as NASA transitions from the International Space Station to a new era of commercial space stations,” said Robyn Gatens, director of the International Space Station and acting director of commercial spaceflight. “Low Earth orbit will remain a hub for scientific discovery, technological advancement, and international cooperation, while making strategic investments in a commercial space ecosystem that benefits not just NASA, but the entire space community.”
The low Earth orbit microgravity goals and objectives, combined with significant stakeholder engagement, drive NASA’s need to maintain an unbroken, continuous heartbeat of humans in the commercial low Earth orbit destinations era. NASA requires long-duration flights to mitigate risk for future trips to the Red Planet. To ensure reliable access to and use of low Earth orbit, a diversity of providers operating on a regular cadence is essential. The objectives will also guide the development of requirements for future commercial space stations that will support NASA’s missions, while reducing risk for human missions to Mars, preserving operational skills, advancing critical scientific research, and sustaining engagement with international and commercial partners.
“Collaboration and consultation remain a cornerstone of our low Earth orbit strategy,” said John Keefe, director of cross-agency strategy integration at NASA. “The objectives we’ve established will help NASA craft a work plan that ensures NASA is positioned to meet current and future needs and prioritizes the development of critical capabilities for low Earth orbit.”
The low Earth orbit microgravity goals and objectives are available online at:
https://go.nasa.gov/3DsMtNI
-end-
Amber Jacobson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
amber.c.jacobson@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Dec 16, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
Pamela A. Melroy View the full article
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