Gargantuan Vacuum Chamber to Test Orion Spaceship

This is the world's biggest vacuum camber. This will be used to simulate the conditions in outer space that the Orion spacehip will have to endure as it explores the solar system. The Orion spaceship program is part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Constellation program to send people on a mission of exploration of the solar system, beginning with the Moon, then Mars and beyond. When fully assembled, Orion would stand seventy five feet. Robert Moorehead, director of Space Flight Systems at Glenn Research Center says the vehicle must first demonstrate that "it is capable of withstanding the harsh environment of space." Pictured at left is Kelvin Manning, manager of the Orion spacecraft for the Kennedy Spaceport.