Test Version of Orion is Dropped C-17

A test version of Orion is dropped from a C-17, while flying 13,000 feet above the Arizona desert at the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Ground on April 23. The spacecraft is released from the airplane on a sled that moves it safely away. Then a series of programmer parachutes get it into position for the test before the three massive orange and white main parachutes deploy. This was the first parachute test to simulate a launch abort scenario.