The construction of the next generation NASA spacecraft is nearing completion, and its first ambitious flight is scheduled for December.
The Orion multipurpose crew vehicle, paired with NASA's space launch vehicle (SLS), will be used to send astronauts into outer space, including an asteroid and, ultimately, to Mars. This will be the most complex spacecraft ever built, which uses modern advances in the development of materials to protect astronauts from the destructive effects of cosmic radiation and heat when entering the Earth’s atmosphere at the end of the mission. But before we see the Orion manned excursion, a pilotless test scheduled for the end of the year will be conducted first. The mission will be called Flight Test Intelligence-1 (EFT-1).
Launched using the most powerful rocket in the world, the Delta IV Heavy, Orion will be put into orbit, and then it will be separated 5 times further than the International Space Station. After that, the vehicle will be sent back to Earth, speeding up to a speed of 20,000 miles per hour and interacting with the high-altitude gases of our atmosphere. These extreme conditions will mimic the return of a human expedition from the depths of the solar system.
