On the third day of preparations for recovery of Orion practice recovery procedures off the coast of Baja California.

On the third day of preparations for recovery of Orion, U.S. Navy divers in two rigid hull inflatable boats and two Zodiac boats practice recovery procedures nearby the USS Anchorage in the Pacific Ocean about 600 miles off the coast of Baja, California. NASA, Lockheed Martin and U.S. Navy personnel are preparing for recovery of the Orion crew module, forward bay cover and parachutes after its return from space and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the recovery efforts.

The first unpiloted flight test of Orion is scheduled to launch Dec. 4 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket. During its two-orbit, 4.5-hour flight, Orion will venture 3,600 miles in altitude and travel nearly 60,000 miles before returning to Earth for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/orion. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston