Orion test flight transcends science, puts its stamp on NASA

Cape Canaveral, Florida— The unmanned test flight of NASA's first spaceship destined for Mars went so well Friday that NASA officials consider it a work of art.

The unmanned Orion space capsule, designed and built by Jefferson County-based Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., rocketed into orbit aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy. The rocket put it on a two-orbit course 3,600 miles above the earth through radiation fields surrounding the planet, then returned through the atmosphere at nearly 20,000 mph to splash into the Pacific Ocean.

Orion flew with such precision that its entry point back into the atmosphere was within a couple hundred feet of what engineers predicted and its parachute descent left it within inside a square nautical mile of where it was expected to dip into the ocean off Baja California.

The 10-ton craft flew so well in it first time in space — positioning itself for a high angel re-entry by firing new thrusters — that Orion used only a fraction of the fuel it had on board.

That kind of precision on a high-risk, 4-1/2-hour trip up to space and back was the most remarkable part of the day, said Will Gerstenmaier, NASA associate administrator who's in charge of the agency's human space exploration programs.

"For an engineer, it's like an artist appreciating really fine art that you see in a museum," Gerstenmaier said.

Congratulations poured in to NASA about the flight throughout the day Friday, including a message from the White House.

The launch came one day late, after winds and a technical issued delayed take off for the Delta IV Heavy rocket, made by Centennial-based United Launch Alliance.

Greg Avery covers tech, telecom, aerospace, bioscience and media for the Denver Business Journal and writes for the "TechFlash" blog. Phone: 303-803-9222.