posted 11-02-2016 07:51 PM               

NASA Orion Water Recovery Rehearsal in Pacific Ocean

When Orion returns from deep space missions and lands in the ocean, a team will be responsible for safely returning the capsule and crew back to land.

NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program and U.S. Navy personnel are conducting a water recovery test, called Underway Recovery Test 5 (URT-5), this week, using a test version of the Orion spacecraft in the Pacific Ocean.

During URT-5, the team will demonstrate and evaluate in open water the recovery processes, procedures, hardware and personnel that are necessary for recovery of the Orion crew module into the well deck of a Navy ship.

The USS San Diego, a test version of Orion, several support boats, and associated hardware and equipment will be used for the test.

Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and the agency'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.

NASA's Orion spacecraft is scheduled to launch atop the Space Launch System rocket in late 2018.

posted 11-02-2016 07:53 PM               

Check out the latest imagery from the Orion recovery testing taking place off the coast of California. NASA's GSDO team along with the U.S. Navy are practicing techniques and checking out the hardware they will use to recover the Orion capsule upon return from space.

posted 11-07-2018 09:24 AM               

Navy, NASA Complete Underway Recovery Test 7

The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) successfully completed test recovery operations of NASA’s mock Orion capsule, Nov. 5.

The Underway Recovery Test-7 (URT-7) is part of a U.S. government interagency effort to safely retrieve the Orion crew module, which is capable of carrying humans into deep space.

This marks the first completion of a URT aboard John P. Murtha. NASA engineers worked alongside Sailors from the John P. Murtha, Special Boat Team 12, and Navy divers from Mobile Diving Salvage Unit 11 and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3 to test recovery operations of the Orion test article. Tests were conducted throughout the day and night in varying sea states.

"John P. Murtha was tasked to assist NASA with their seventh Underway Recovery Test. Our crew executed of every assignment given to them flawlessly and their recovery-at-sea experience and dedication directly contributed to our overall mission success,” said Capt. Tony Roach, commanding officer USS John P. Murtha. "I am continually impressed and proud of the outstanding efforts of my crew members during each and every evolution."

San Antonio-class ships have distinctive capabilities essential to NASA’s mission. One of the more important capabilities is the ship’s ability to recover the test capsule using the ship's well deck, designed to launch and recover amphibious craft. John P. Murtha also has the ability to carry and deploy multiple small boats to assist in the recovery process of the capsule, and an advanced medical facility ideal for treating returning astronauts.

The tests allowed NASA and the Navy to continue to demonstrate and evaluate the recovery processes, procedures, hardware and personnel in a realistic open-ocean environment before conducting actual recovery operations.

“All test objectives were accomplished as planned,” said Melissa Jones, NASA Landing and Recovery director. “The success of this week would not have been possible without the positivity and experience of the John P. Murtha crew.”

John P. Murtha is homeported in San Diego and is part of U.S. 3rd Fleet.

Commander, U.S. Third Fleet leads naval forces in the Pacific and provides realistic, relevant training necessary for an effective global Navy. They coordinate with Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet to plan and execute missions based on their complementary strengths to promote ongoing peace, security, and stability.