NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA tested an astronaut escape pod during a rocket launch Wednesday morning at Wallops Island (Ryan Henriksen | The Virginian-Pilot).

By Matthew Jones
The Virginian-Pilot
© July 8, 2009
WALLOPS ISLAND
Just after 6:25 a.m., NASA’s test of its launch abort system went off here without a hitch.

The rocket climbed about a mile into the sky above Chincoteague Island, before smaller motors ejected the crew module away from it. All the pieces floated down to the Atlantic Ocean on parachutes.

The unpiloted test was the latest step in conjunction with NASA’s Constellation Program, which is designing the Orion spacecraft to take humans to the International Space Station by 2015 and, eventually, to the moon.

The Max Launch Abort System, or MLAS, is the alternative of two launch abort systems NASA is pursuing to quickly and safely remove crews from dangers at launch or while heading for orbit.