Orion Crew Vehicle Airbag Drop Test
The ILC Dover ground test article lands at the base of NASA Langley's gantry after one of the most severe airbag drop tests conducted this year. Langley engineers dropped the ground test article from 25 feet high at a 10-degree "toe in" pitch angle.
The tests are proving out the design and fabrication techniques that will be used on the contingency land landing airbag assembly, a singular landing system that will work for both land and water landings in an emergency situation during Orion's return to Earth.
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Credit: NASA/Sean Smith