NASA’s Orion Parachute Drop Test Successful

A C-17 plane dropped a test version of Orion from an altitude of 7,620 m above the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground in southwestern Arizona on July 18, 2012. This test was the second to use an Orion craft that mimics the full size and shape of the spacecraft.

Orion is designed to carry cargo and crew, and will be launched atop NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), expanding the limited launch capability currently available and enabling new exploratory mission in the solar system.

The test was successful, although any crew aboard might not have enjoyed the swinging of the spacecraft during some portions of descent. Watch the full test below.