X-38 VEHICLE 132 COMPLETES FLIGHT TESTS, HEADS TO BERLIN AIR SHOW May 5, 2000 Release: 00-41 Printer Friendly Version
The International Space Station (ISS) "lifeboat" prototype, X-38 Vehicle 132, made its last test flight on March 30, 2000. Next stop for Vehicle 132 is a debut in the International Aerospace Exhibition in Berlin, Germany, being held June 6-12, 2000.
Senator International Forwards of Los Angeles prepared the X-38 for its transport on the vessel MAREN MAERSK sailing from Long Beach on May 8, 2000.
This summer, the next prototype X-38 Vehicle 131R, the modified Vehicle 131 resembling the shape of the Crew Return Vehicle (CRV) will arrive. Five X-38s are being used to develop the CRV technology.
When operational, the CRV will be an emergency vehicle to return seven ISS crewmembers to Earth. It will be carried to the space station in the cargo bay of a space shuttle then attached to a docking port. If an emergency arose that forced the ISS crew to leave the space station, the CRV would be undocked and -after a deorbit engine burn-would return to Earth much like a space shuttle.
--nasa-- Note to Editors: Still photos will be available from the Dryden Public Affairs Office to support this release on May 9. For photo prints please call (661) 258-3449. Photos are also available on the Internet under NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Aircraft Photo Gallery, URL: /centers/dfrc/Gallery/Photo/index.html | |
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