NASA Social Orion Stationary Recovery Test
August 17, 2013
Back in July, I applied for the NASA Social Orion Stationary Recovery Test. If you aren't familiar with what NASA Social is, it's a program that allows NASA social media followers, an inside look at what goes on at NASA. This may include tours of facilities, talking to astronauts and more. I apply for the socials under my twitter handle @weathersavvy1. On that account I tweet about many things in the Earth Science field.
I applied for the social because I've done three NASA Socials in the past (all at the NASA headquarters in DC). I really enjoyed them. I also was very interested in what the social was to offer. The social included a tour of the Virginia Air and Space Center in Hampton,VA, the NASA Langley Research Center also in Hampton and a view of the Orion Spacecraft Stationary Recovery Test in Norfolk,VA as well as a tour of the USS Arlington. I was a little apprehensive because only 30 of NASA's social media followers would be selected. I wasn't really worried about the drive. The NASA Langley Research Center is about 3 hours and 8 minutes from the house. A few days after I applied I got an email saying I was on the wait list. I was a little upset and thought I wouldn't be selected. Two days after that I got an email saying the I was off the wait list. I was in! I was so happy.
The dates were August 14 and 15th for the event. Unfortunately Rex wasn't able to schedule off for the 14th and 15th. I decided I'd leave the morning of the 14th and leave after the events on the 15th. It was hard leaving May, as that night was the first time I spent a night away from her. Rex was there to watch her while I was gone and I knew they'd have some good father/daughter bonding time :-) The ride down to Hampton was good. I meet up with a couple of social media followers who were selected for the event. We went to a late lunch at the SurfRider. After the lunch we all went to the Virginia Air and Space Center. There we got to tour to facility after hours and see an IMAX movie, Elysium, at a discounted price. Here are some pictures from the center:
I didn't stay to watch the movie. I went back to the hotel to get some sleep. We went to the NASA Langley Research Center the next morning. We had to be there at 8am. It was nice and we got an overview of the facility. Here's a video describing the center:
We got to see the landing facility where they test airplanes and helicopters. That was also the place where the Orion Capsule was drop tested in the Hydro Impact Basin as well as where the crew of the Apollo spacecraft trained. Here's some pictures of the Landing Facility:
I applied for the social because I've done three NASA Socials in the past (all at the NASA headquarters in DC). I really enjoyed them. I also was very interested in what the social was to offer. The social included a tour of the Virginia Air and Space Center in Hampton,VA, the NASA Langley Research Center also in Hampton and a view of the Orion Spacecraft Stationary Recovery Test in Norfolk,VA as well as a tour of the USS Arlington. I was a little apprehensive because only 30 of NASA's social media followers would be selected. I wasn't really worried about the drive. The NASA Langley Research Center is about 3 hours and 8 minutes from the house. A few days after I applied I got an email saying I was on the wait list. I was a little upset and thought I wouldn't be selected. Two days after that I got an email saying the I was off the wait list. I was in! I was so happy.
The dates were August 14 and 15th for the event. Unfortunately Rex wasn't able to schedule off for the 14th and 15th. I decided I'd leave the morning of the 14th and leave after the events on the 15th. It was hard leaving May, as that night was the first time I spent a night away from her. Rex was there to watch her while I was gone and I knew they'd have some good father/daughter bonding time :-) The ride down to Hampton was good. I meet up with a couple of social media followers who were selected for the event. We went to a late lunch at the SurfRider. After the lunch we all went to the Virginia Air and Space Center. There we got to tour to facility after hours and see an IMAX movie, Elysium, at a discounted price. Here are some pictures from the center:
In front of the Apollo 12 Command Module.
The Apollo 12 Command Module.
I didn't stay to watch the movie. I went back to the hotel to get some sleep. We went to the NASA Langley Research Center the next morning. We had to be there at 8am. It was nice and we got an overview of the facility. Here's a video describing the center:
We got to see the landing facility where they test airplanes and helicopters. That was also the place where the Orion Capsule was drop tested in the Hydro Impact Basin as well as where the crew of the Apollo spacecraft trained. Here's some pictures of the Landing Facility:
The Hydro Impact Basin.
The NASA Social crew in front of the Hydro Impact Basin. (Credit: @NASASocial)
After the Landing Facility, we went to the National Transonic Facility, were they test aeronautics. That center is one of two wind tunnels in the world that can achieve high Reynold's numbers (My college classes came back to me with "Reynold's numbers.") Here's a few pics from the facility:
Inside the control room.
We also got to tour a space habitat at another facility at the NASA Langley Research Center.
Inside the space habitat.
After the tour of the Research Center. We went to the Naval Station in Norfolk, VA. That's where the US Navy on the USS. Arlington was to recover the Orion Spacecraft. The last time a recovery of a spacecraft was done in the water was the Apollo spacecraft back in the 1970s! It was so cool to be there to watch the recovery. NASA, the US Navy and Lockheed Martin did a great job. The recovery was a success! Here are the pics:
The media.
The crew at the Naval Station. (Credit: @NASASocial)
All attached.
Secured.
Success!
Lastly we got to tour the USS Arlington by some of the US Navy. Part of the heel of the ship is infused with a piece of the pentagon from 9-11. Here's those pics:
The Orion Spacecraft on the ship.
Never forget.
The landing pad.
Overall, it was a wonderful experience. It was so nice meeting everyone and visiting the facilities and the Naval Station. I left after the events on the 15th and got back to the house in Maryland around 9:30 pm. Thanks to everyone who made this opportunity possible.
Here's our future scientist:
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