Orion ogive panels tested in acoustic chamber.
Engineers are currently testing a critical component of NASA’s Orion spacecraft at the Reverberant Acoustic Test Facility at NASA Glenn Research Center’s Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio. The ogive panels protect the crew module during ascent as well as from the harsh acoustic and vibration environments experienced during launch. They are part of the spacecraft’s launch abort system, which is designed to protect astronauts if an emergency arises during launch or ascent by pulling the crew module away from the rocket. Plum Brook Station facilities are uniquely equipped to replicate, at full scale, the acoustics and vibrations Orion will experience during its missions in space.
Image Credit:
NASA/Jordan Salkin, Alcyon Technical Services