PARACHUTE DROP TEST FOLLOWING THE ARES 1 PARACHUTE FAILURE IN LATE OCTOBER, NASA AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS STARTED A MARKET SEARCH TO IDENTIFY HIGHER RESOLUTION IMAGERY CAPABILITIES FROM AN AIRCRAFT TO SUPPORT THE CONSTELLATION PROGRAM WHICH INCLUDES THE ORION PARACHUTE DROP TESTS AND THE UPCOMING APRIL PAD ABORT 1 (PA-1) LAUNCH. THE ORION PARACHUTE TEAM ALREADY HAD A DROP TEST PLANNED AT YUMA PROVING GROUNDS FOR FEBRUARY 8TH AND IT WAS DECIDED TO USE THAT AS THE EVALUATION OF HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGERY OF PARACHUTES. DELAYING OF THE FEBRUARY 8TH DROP TEST WOULD RESULT IN A MINIMUM OF 1 MONTH DELAY. THE PARACHUTE TEST PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY IN THE ORION 1 CRITICAL PATH AND THE DELAY WOULD RESULT IN A MINIMUM OF 1 MONTH TEST SCHEDULE IMPACT WITH A POTENTIAL COST IMPACT TO THE CPAS PROJECT OF APPROXIMATELY 2M DOLLARS AND AN EVEN LARGER IMPACT TO THE CONSTELLATION PROGRAM IF THAT WERE TO RESULT IN A DELAY OF THE ORION LAUNCH. L-3 COMMUNICATIONS IS A SUPPLIER OF AIRBORNE IMAGERY EQUIPMENT TO THE U.S. MILITARY AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE USERS. THE SENSOR PACKAGE OFFERED FOR THIS MISSION PROVIDES THE REQUIRED HIGH-DEFINITION (HD) COLOR AND INFRARED IMAGERY NEEDED BY THE DESIGN AND TEST ENGINEERS TO ANALYZE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ORION PARACHUTE SYSTEM. THE TRACKING SYSTEM CAN BE OPERATED MANUALLY OR AUTOMATICALLY TO INSURE TARGET LOCATION AND GOOD DATA ACQUISITION. THIS SYSTEM IS MOUNTED ON A CESSNA 208 CARAVAN AIRCRAFT THAT IS CAPABLE OF SPEEDS ADEQUATE TO STAY CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE TARGET TO OBTAIN THE NEEDED IMAGERY. THE AIRCRAFT ALSO HAS ENOUGH RANGE THAT IT CAN LOITER ON STATION IN THE EVENT THE TEST IS DELAYED. L-3 COMMUNICATIONS, WESCAM MX-15I, IS THE ONLY COMPANY THAT PROVIDES TRUE 1080P HD IMAGING IN PARALLEL WITH HAZE PENETRATING INFRARED SPOTTER SCOPE IMAGERY FOR QUICKLY ACQUIRING THE TARGET.