You have not been reading the mail then.
The donut thing is a test for mars re entry, nothing to do with Orion.
The Orion is going to be launched on a heavy lift launcher with service
module in December and go very high and re enter very fast to make sure
everything works.
All the other tests have been done already
I don't think the idea is to use this for ISS, though arguably a docking
adaptor could be use for it. Its just a crew module, one assumes that we are
effectively going back to the old days with bolt on living module and
landing module for planets etc, and a service module on the back to power
everything.

Brian

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From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"JF Mezei" wrote in message
eb.com...
On 14-06-05 17:50, Brian Gaff wrote:
I see they have put out a press release about fitting the first test heat
shield to the capsule,

They also had a tween about a "donut" fitted around the base to help
slow it down. Basically an aerodynamic brake that probably burns off
after a while, leaving the cleaner capsule shape.


I have absolutelty no idea what will be done with Orion. As far as I am
concerned, it is a Pork project, make work project. Not even sure if it
will ever launch to ISS. And certaintly not to other planets.


I've heard little about this piece of hardware recently and wondered what
was being launched on this unmanned test.

It is a fair bet the first one would be an unmanned test. Not sure if it
would go to orbit and renter from orbit, or just be dropped from high
altitude to test parachutes etc.