Yes, NASA does have crash test dummies. And, yes, NASA beats the stuffing out of them to ensure the safety of astronauts returning to Earth aboard the Orion spacecraft that will make the first trip to Mars in 2035.

Like their Earth-bound cousins in the car industry, NASA's crash test dummies take a heck of a beating so humans don't have to. Right now, NASA refers to their crash test dummies as "splash test dummies" because much of their work is measuring the impact forces generated when the Orion capsule slams into the ocean.

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NASA said astronauts returning from Mars inside the Orion capsule will be hit by the mission's greatest deceleration event when they re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and the parachutes pop open. Orion will re-enter the atmosphere with speeds in excess of 20,000 miles per hour and be roasted by temperatures exceeding that of molten lava.

A system of 11 parachutes, however, will abruptly slow down Orion to just 20 mph when it hits the surface of the Pacific Ocean.

Engineers at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia are working to ensure the first humans to set foot on Mars remain uninjured during both re-entry and splashdown by conducting a series if water-impact tests on an Orion test capsule. Inside the capsule are two crash test dummies garbed in the Advanced Crew Escape System spacesuits to be worn by the Martian astronauts.

These unsung heroes of the Orion program, one representing a man weighing 100 kg and the other a 48 kg woman, are involved in four vertical drop tests and five swing tests of the capsule. Each dummy is equipped with internal sensors to help engineers quantify the potential for injury.

Langley Research Center is using its 20 foot-deep Hydro Impact Basin to duplicate the conditions of Orion's splashdown landings in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast.

 "We are excited about this testing because we'll have suited-up test dummies inside the capsule," said Project manager Ellen Carpenter.

"Including test dummies will help NASA ensure the crew is protected from injury during splashdown in future missions."

The tests will also reveal how Orion reacts to a water impact and will lead engineers to understand how splashdown loads are transmitted to the seats and crew.

TagsNASA, crash test dummies, orion spacecraft, Langley Research Center