Orion Underway Recovery Test 5 (URT-5)

Melissa Jones, far right, Landing and Recovery director with the Ground Systems Development and Operations Program (GSDO), and other members of the recovery team speak to members of the media about Orion Underway Recovery Test 5. The USS San Diego is docked at Naval Base San Diego in California and the test version of the Orion crew module, secured on its handling fixture, was offloaded from the well deck of the ship. NASA's GSDO Program and the U.S. Navy completed a series of tests using the ship's well deck, the test module, various watercraft and equipment to prepare for recovery of Orion on its return from deep space missions. The testing allowed the team to demonstrate and evaluate recovery processes, procedures, hardware and personnel in open waters. Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and NASA's Journey to Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. Orion is scheduled to launch on NASA's Space Launch System in late 2018. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/orion.