Nichols Martin
Northrop Grumman has completed two motors for use in upcoming tests of a system designed to separate the Orion crew module from the spacecraft’s launch vehicle in the event of an emergency.
The company said Wednesday it developed the launch abort system motors under a contract with Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for NASA‘s Orion program.
NASA plans to activate LAS with the AA-2 motor from a 22K-pound test vehicle at an altitude of 32K feet during Ascent Abort Test 2, scheduled to occur in 2019 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Qualification Motor-2Â is slated to undergo cold temperature testing at Northrop’s Magna, Utah, facility in December of this year.
LAS will function as safety component of Orion’s integrated flight with NASA‘s Space Launch System in 2020.
