* Astronomy

A safety system that could play a role in the next generation of American manned space flight vehicles will be tested in a Saturday morning launch on Wallops Island.
The Max Launch Abort System is expected to reach an altitude of one mile at a speed of 700 miles per hour during its approximately 45-second flight, which is designed to simulate an actual emergency on the launch pad where an astronaut escape system would be needed.
During the test, a full-size crew module replica will separate from the vehicle and parachute into the ocean.
The vehicle is more than 33 feet tall and weighs more than 45,000 pounds.

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