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Image: Orion prepares for next round of acoustic testing

The Orion MPCV ground test vehicle is lifted into the acoustic chamber at Lockheed Martin’s facilities near Denver on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011, in preparation for the Launch Abort Vehicle Configuration Test.

For this test, the MPCV, or multi-purpose crew vehicle, is covered with fillets and ogive panels which resemble the vehicle’s launch configuration.

The spacecraft will undergo testing at sound pressure levels that emulate those experienced at launch and in the event an abort is needed to carry the crew to safety away from a potential problem on the launch pad or during ascent.