When NASA astronauts blast off for their voyage to the Moon on the Orion spacecraft during Artemis missions, they’ll have protection in the form of the launch abort system (LAS). The LAS is designed to carry crew to safety in the event of an emergency during launch or ascent atop the agency’s Space Launch System rocket. On Feb. 25, NASA successfully tested the attitude control motor (built by Northrop Grumman) which provides steering for Orion’s LAS during an abort. The 30-second hot fire was the third and final test to qualify the motor for human missions, beginning with Artemis II. During the test, eight high pressure valves directed more than 7,000 pounds of thrust generated by the solid rocket motor in multiple directions while firing at freezing conditions, providing enough force to orient Orion and its crew for a safe landing. Credit: Northrop Grumman #nasa #orion #artemis #space #exploration #smokeandfire