Day launch photo of NASA Orion 30.047 UP sounding rocket March 18, 2002. Rocket reached a top speed of Mach 3.6 and flew to space and back with payload recovered using Paratech Parachutes sounding rocket parachute recovery system, consisting of a guide surface drogue parachute and a main cross parachute.

This rocket successfully flew to space and back, with the distinction of the Paratech Parachutes rocket recovery system survining a Mach 2.5 parachute deployment. This is the fastest successful parachute deploymen achieved on a NASA sounding rocket. The scientific paylad was successfully recovered and undamged to fly again on a future mission.