Pad Abort Test 1

High school (ages 12+)
Transportation

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/pad-abort-test-1

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How high is Pad Abort Test 1?Approximately 1,500 feet
2. What is the test date?May 6, 2010
3. What is the spacecraft system under test?Orion spacecraft launch abort system (LAS)
4. When did Pad Abort Test 1 happen?The test was carried out on May 6, 2010.
5. How did the rocket escape the launchpad in the test?A powerful motor gave the capsule more than 1.5 million pounds of thrust, sending it up very fast.

Launch Abort System (LAS): A critical safety system designed to pull the crew module away from a malfunctioning launch vehicle during ascent.
Orion Spacecraft: NASA's deep-space exploration vehicle, intended for human missions to the Moon and beyond.
Boilerplate Capsule: A non-flight-weight replica of a spacecraft used for testing structural integrity and system functionality.
Abort Motor: A high-thrust rocket engine integrated into the LAS, responsible for providing the primary separation force.