Mar 30 2000
From The Space Library
Engineers at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) successfully tested a prototype for the "flying lifeboat" that would transport astronauts to and from the ISS. DFRC officials launched a robotic X-38 from under the wing of a B-52 flying at 39,000 feet (12,000 meters). It free fell for more than 40 seconds before deploying a 5,500-square-foot (511-square-meter) parachute, which provided a soft landing for the spacecraft. The test was a significant step in evaluating the technology planned for the crew return vehicle, a low-cost ISS initiative.
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