Witness History: Preview Orion’s First Flight Test

I can think of no better place to send someone to see this then ATS.
NASA

We are inviting social media users to apply for up to 150 credentials to a two-day event Dec. 3 and 4 to cover the first launch of the Orion Spacecraft on Exploration Flight Test-1.

The NASA Social is expected to culminate with the launch of Orion on a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket from Space Launch Complex 37 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 7:05 a.m. EST Dec. 4.

NASA Social participants will have the opportunity to:
View the launch of the Delta IV heavy rocket carrying our Orion spacecraft
Hear first-hand accounts of the mission and research goals from NASA engineering teams from around the agency and other organizations.
Get a behind-the-scenes tour of the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (Note: All sites on KSC / CCAFS are subject to closure due to mission or operation requirements), including potential opportunities to:
Get an inside look of the Vehicle Assembly Building
Tour Orion’s production facility
Go inside the Launch Control Center
Meet and interact with astronaut(s) and representatives from NASA and other organizations.
Meet fellow space enthusiasts who are active on social media
Meet members of NASA's social media team

Registration for the NASA Social opens at 2 p.m. EDT on Monday, Oct. 6, and closes at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19. Participants will be selected from online registrations.

If you plan on applying, or even make it, let us know.

i would go if i had transportation. Cool tho. Sounds like fun star and flag so hopefully some ATSers can go and come with with some crazy conspiracy theories.

a reply to: Thorneblood

Dunno what to make of it, this Orion thing feels a bit like one step back in space evolution.

I got to see Orion here in AZ when it was traveling to testing grounds in Yuma.







I plan on traveling to Florida to watch the launch and test flight. Cant wait

originally posted by: bjarneorn
a reply to: Thorneblood

Dunno what to make of it, this Orion thing feels a bit like one step back in space evolution.

What, in your opinion, would be a step forward?

Keep in mind that the spacecraft would have to reenter the Earth's atmosphere (hence the shape of the space capsules used so far, if we don't count the Shuttle).

a reply to: wildespace

Indeed. Wings are mostly dead weight and a mass penalty on the kinds of missions Orion will do. A capsule is the most efficient design. It is, of course, a much larger capsule than Apollo's command module. The shuttle's ceramic tiles were only designed for lower speed re-entries from low earth orbit, and could not handle the much hotter high speed interplanetary re-entries Orion will do. That is the purpose of the first mission, to validate the heat shield protection on the new capsule.

Thanks for the link OP, I'll be applying for credentials. Hope I get it, I attend launches all the time but usually from about 12+ miles away.

originally posted by: Thorneblood
If you plan on applying, or even make it, let us know.

It's (somewhat) official, I was selected! I've started the accreditation process (checking ID, social security number, etc for badging at the media badging office). As soon as they verify my information the approval will be formally granted and there will be a media badge waiting for me in December at the launch, but for now, here's the relevant part of the email I received this morning.

Your application has been approved to attend the NASA Social for Orion’s First Flight Test Launch on Dec. 3 & 4, 2014, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Woohoo!