NASA’s Ascent Abort-2 Test of Orion

[Ike17055]

Where does this test launch take place from? The video states Cape Canaveral”. Do we know which launch complex hosts this?

[Flying Beaver]

Where does this test launch take place from? The video states Cape Canaveral”. Do we know which launch complex hosts this?

From: https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/orion_las_fact_sheet.pdf

The Ascent Abort-2 test will launch an Orion mock-up from Space Launch
Complex 46 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. During the test, the spacecraft will be
integrated with an ascent test booster – a first stage booster from a Peacekeeper
missile modified by Orbital Sciences Corporation in Arizona.

[catdlr]

Orion Ascent Abort-2

NASA Langley Research Center
Published on Mar 29, 2018

The Orion Ascent Abort-2 Crew Module Fabrication Lead Tom Arboneaux reviews work conducted on the crew module at NASA Langley prior to it being shipped to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston for follow-on instrumentation installation.

[Archibald]

Little Joe II !

[rayleighscatter]

Orbital ATK tested an SR-118 (Peacekeeper) Motor in Utah yesterday in connection to the AA-2 campaign.

https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/Peacekeeper-Motor-Test/default.aspx

[catdlr]

Supercomputer Simulation of NASA's Orion Launch Abort Vehicle

NASA's Ames Research Center
Published on Mar 30, 2018

Launch is one of the most complex parts of flight -- and one of the most likely places for something to go wrong. At NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley, researchers are producing highly detailed simulations and visualizations to help keep astronauts safe during the dynamic liftoff conditions of NASA's Orion spacecraft.

This simulation, run on NASA's Pleiades supercomputer, shows an ascent abort scenario that is triggered as the vehicle is traveling at close to the speed of sound. The video starts at abort initiation with motor ignition. Colored plumes indicate high pressure (red) and low pressure (blue). Each pixel changing from blue to red (and vice versa) over time is related to pressure waves that cause vibrations on the vehicle (white). The video slows down when the pressure and air flow conditions are particularly harsh. Regions where the color changes abruptly in space, but stays constant in time, indicate the presence of shock waves.

Video credit: NASA/Ames Research Center/T. Sandstrom

[catdlr]

Orion launch aborts overview

Jun 19, 2025  ✪ Members first on June 17, 2025
An overview of what is known in public about the launch abort modes for Orion.  We mostly have a high-level outline of the different modes, but not a lot of details.  There is also some history, which goes back to the Constellation version of Orion.  Orion and crew can abort the launch any time during the final few minutes of the countdown all the way into orbit.  (And they have abort capabilities beyond launch, although those aren't covered here.)

For the first three Artemis launches, using the initial version of SLS, there's enough launch performance to eliminate one of those modes.

In this video, I go over that and an example case acquired through a Freedom of Information Act request by Chris D, @CR15PYbacon, for Artemis II, including timings for the different boundaries between the abort modes.

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.

Artemis II Mission Analysis and Integrated Assessments (MAIA) infographics courtesy of @CR15PYbacon, acquired by a FOIA request:
https://x.com/CR15PYbacon