The Orion Abort Test Booster (ATB) is a small solid rocket launcher which will be developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation under contract by U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Space Development and Test Wing (SDTW).
Its goal will be to demonstrate and qualify the Orion Launch Abort System (LAS) that will allow the astronaut crew to safely escape in the event of an emergency during launch pad operations and through the ascent of the Orion vehicle.
The three planned flight tests are scheduled from 2009 to 2011 at White Sands Missile Range; with a fourth and final flight test performed using Ares I-Y.
The ATB can be considered as the successor to Little Joe II.
Read more about Orion Abort Test Booster: Scheduled Missions, See Also
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