Splashdown! Orion successfully lands in the Pacific Ocean after two historic orbits around the Earth
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After two perfect laps around the planet, Orion has come back down to Earth with a huge splash in the Pacific Ocean.
The spacecraft, which could someday take humans to Mars, made a fiery 20,000 mph (32,000 kph) re-entry to Earth enduring temperatures of 2,200°C (4,000°F).
If astronauts had been on board Orion they would have experienced a g-force of 8.2 - nearly twice that generated when Soyuz capsules return from the International Space Station.
Orion hit its target point 275 miles (442 km) west of Baja, California marking the end of a landmark 4.5 hour test-flight that could usher in a new era in space exploration.
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Rapid entry: If astronauts had been on board Orion as it plunged back to Earth they would have experienced a g-force of 8.2 - nearly twice that generated when Soyuz capsules return from the International Space Station.
To simulate micrometeorite damage, two small holes were drilled in tiles on Orion's heat shield.
A fifth of the heat shield burned away during re-entry as temperatures reached 2,200C - twice as hot as molten lava.
However, that is only half as hot as the spacecraft will get when returning from the moon and entering the atmosphere at 20 per cent greater velocity.
A video camera looking out of one of Orion's windows captured dramatic pictures of the blue, cloud-spotted Earth drawing closer.
Eleven parachutes, deployed in sequences, slowed the spacecraft down until it was travelling at just 20mph by the time it made a 'bulls-eye' splashdown in the Pacific.
It follows a near-perfect test-flight earlier today. Riding atop a fountain of fire, the 24-story-tall Orion spacecraft soared above the Atlantic Ocean at 12.05 GMT (07.05 ET), punching through partly cloudy skies.
In the future, Nasa hopes to use the spacecraft to send astronauts to an asteroid in the 2020s and ultimately take them to Mars in the 2030s.
'The star of the day is Orion,' said Nasa Administrator Charles Bolden, back for the second morning in a row. He called it 'Day one of the Mars era.'
Live: Nasa's Orion spacecraft launch
Back to Earth: After two perfect laps around the planet, Orion has come back down to Earth with a huge splash in the Pacific Ocean
From 20,000mph to zero: Three of the five airbags on board fully deployed, one partially deployed and the other didn't seem to deploy. However, these were enough to keep the spacecraft upright
Splashdown! #Orion completes a critical step on our #JourneytoMars.
— NASA (@NASA) December 5, 2014On target: Orion splashed down at its target point 275 miles (442 km) west of Baja, California while travelling at around 20mph (32km/h)
Congratulations to @NASA on the flawless Orion flight, as well as to program prime contractors @LockheedMartin and @Boeing!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 5, 2014
The maiden launch of the Orion spacecraft was postponed yesterday, after a technical fault, a stray boat and poor weather conditions hampered efforts to blast into space.
However, today's launch was described by Nasa as 'picture perfect' - and so far all of the separation stages have gone to plan.
As the rocket roared into orbit, cameras streamed video showing dramatic pictures of the two side boosters falling away and the curved edge of the Earth.
Nasa reached a peak altitude of 3,600 miles (5,800 km) on Orion's second lap around the planet, giving the capsule the necessary momentum for a scorchingly high-speed re-entry over the Pacific.
The spacecraft also travelled through Earth's Van Allen radiation belts that protect the planet from charged particles. Scientists say this will show how well equipment tolerates radiation like that experienced on the long journey to Mars.
Just three minutes into the launch, the spacecraft was already travelling at five times the speed of sound. But Orion is about to travel much faster.
Engineers wanted to see how the heat shield - the largest of its kind ever built - holds up when Orion comes back through the atmosphere travelling 20,000 mph (32,200 kph) and temperatures of enduring 2,200°C (4,000°F).
Safe landing: Eleven parachutes, deployed in sequences, slowed the spacecraft down until it was travelling at just 20mph by the time it made a 'bulls-eye' splashdown in the Pacific
On hand: U.S. Navy ship were waiting to retrieve Orion and return it to land after its 4.5 hour journey twice around the Earth
First step towards Mars: Orion's Delta IV rocket clears the service tower that sits alongside the launchpad at Cape Canaveral. The high-stakes test flight is meant to usher in a new era of human exploration leading ultimately to Mars
Separation: Three protective panels encasing the Orion service module fell away from the Orion Space Capsule just minutes after launch
Leaving Earth: Riding atop a fountain of fire, the 24-story-tall Orion spacecraft soared above the Atlantic Ocean at 12.05 GMT (07.05 ET) today
Stunning: Orion was pictured here just hours before launch. The earliest Orion might carry passengers is 2021, according to Nasa
The atmosphere at Kennedy Space Center was reminiscent of the shuttle-flying days. After more than three years since the last shuttle flight, Nasa reveled in all the attention.
Launch commentator Mike Curie fed the enthusiasm in the gathered crowds, calling it 'the dawn of Orion in a new era of American space exploration'
Mark Geyer, Orion programme manager at Nasa, said: 'It was very good to see how well the rocket did its job and very exciting to see it go up into space.
'Now it is actually doing the job it was designed to do. We still have a long way to go with this mission but everything is going great.
'We had a few key tests to run in the first six minutes of the flight that were very important for us.
'We jettisoned service module fairing which are there to reduce mass on the rest of Orion. This is a critical event these pyrotechnic systems and it went perfectly.
A NEW DAWN OF SPACE EXPLORATION: ORION'S FIRST TEST FLIGHT AS IT HAPPENED
Down to Earth: Orion is expected to have a rapid re-entry speed into the atmosphere close to 32,000km/h (20,000mph), according to Nasa
7.01am EST All launch teams give the 'GO' for liftoff.
7.05am EST Liftoff. Orion's Delta IV rocket blasts off from the launchpad in a cloud of smoke and flame.
7.06am EST Nasa mission control reports that Orion has cleared the service tower as the swing arms connected to the rocket swiveled backward out of its way.
7.07am EST Orion enters the area of maximum dynamic pressure, the point when the aerodynamic forces of launch are at their greatest.
7.07am EST The Delta IV Heavy and Orion go supersonic.
7.09am EST The port and starboard booster rockets burn through their entire fuel supplies and separate four minutes and 10 seconds into the flight.
7.10am EST The second stage of the Delta IV rocket takes over as the first stage falls away five minutes and 43 seconds after launch.
7.12am EST Four panels that provided structural support around Orion's service module through the early phases of launch are jettisoned.
7.12am EST Shortly after the white tower and dome structure over the Orion capsule, known as the Launch Abort System, fired rockets to pull away from the rocket to leave Orion exposed. In future manned missions this will provide an emergency escape mechanism during launch.
7.19am EST Orion reaches 15,000 mph as it soars towards the start of its orbit.
7.23am EST The second stage engine of the Delta IV cuts off leaving the spacecraft to coast for 97 minutes towards its first orbit of the Earth. During this time flight controllers evaluate telemetry data.
7.24am EST Orion and the second stage rocket enter gentle roll to help distribute heat around the spacecraft as it begins orbiting the Earth.
8.56am EST Orion finishes its first orbit of the Earth.
9.01am EST, Second stage rocket reignites to push Orion out to an altitude of 3,600 miles above the Earth. It creates 24,750 pounds and the burn lasts for four minutes and 42 seconds.
9.05am EST Second stage engine cuts off but will remain attached along with the service module until three hours 9 minutes into the mission.
9.11am EST Orion enters the lower Van Allen belt, the area of space around the Earth that contains intense levels of radiation, after two hours and five minutes of flight.
9.26am EST Orion leave the Van Allen Belt. Cameras on board were turned off to protect them from the high energy radiation, which will pose a significant threat to astronauts leaving Earth on future missions to Mars or an asteroid. Orion has been packed with 1,200 sensors to measure conditions inside the capsule during the test flight to see what it would be like for humans.
9.37am EST Orion reaches more than 2,100 miles above Earth as it travels out towards its peak altitude
9.56am EST US Navy and Nasa recovery teams deploy off the coast of California in preparation for splashdown as Orion crosses 3,000 miles altitude mark.
10.13am EST Orion reaches 3,604.2 miles above the Earth and begins heading back towards the surface at 20,000 mph. The capsule will encounter more than eight times the force of gravity (8.2Gs) during re-entry.
10.13am EST Nasa flight controllers activate the spacecrafts reaction control system thrusters to steer the spacecraft as it descends
10.13am EST Flight controllers calculate that Orion will 1.3 nautical miles east of its prelaunch predicted target location - about 600 miles west of Baja California.
10.23am EST Orion and the Delta IV Heavy second stage rocket adjusted their positioning so the crew module can separate safely.
10.29am EST The Delta IV rocket and Orion's service module separate, leaving Orion's crew module on its own for the first time. On board computers make adjustments to control its flight path.
'Picture perfect': All stages of launch has so far gone to plan. Nasa launch commentator Mike Curie fed the enthusiasm in the gathered crowds, calling it 'the dawn of Orion in a new era of American space exploration'
View from Orion: The unmanned spacecraft blasted off in a cloud of smoke on a historic test-flight to orbit the Earth twice (left). Things soon heated up as it made its way high into Earth's atmosphere
Fired up: Space enthusiasts gather to watch the historic launch. They had come back for a second day, after yesterday's launch was aborted
Orion is being developed alongside the world's most powerful rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), which is due to make its maiden launch in 2018 or 2019.
Together, SLS and Orion will allow Nasa to send humans into deep space to destinations such as Mars.
For this launch, Orion was strapped to a Delta IV-Heavy rocket - currently the largest launch system in the world. Three RS-68 engines produced about two million pounds of thrust at lift-off.
Five and a half minutes after launch, at an altitude of around 200 miles (320km), fuel ran out on both the Delta IV's main and booster engines.
A couple of seconds later, the entire bottom end - or the 'first stage' of the rocket - detached, while the second stage engine will ignited to take Orion to a higher orbit.
The upper stage's protective fairings were then jettisoned, along with the launch abort system, which is designed to protect the astronauts in the case of an emergency during launch by carrying the capsule to safety.
A new dawn: Nasa's new Orion spacecraft streaked into orbit Friday on a high-stakes test flight meant to usher in a new era of human exploration leading ultimately to Mars
Delayed: Orion was set to launch at 12.05 GMT (07:05 local time) yesterday, but wind gusts temporarily delayed lift-off with less than four minutes left in the countdown. Nasa now plans to attempt launch at the same time today
Ambition: The earliest Orion might carry passengers is 2021; a mission to an asteroid is on the space agency's radar sometime in the 2020s and Mars, the grand prize, in the 2030s
Under pressure: The launch should give engineers the opportunity to check the performance of Orion's critical heat shield, which is likely to experience temperatures in excess of 2,000°C (4,000°F)
A view from space: Astronauts onboard the International Space Station watch the launch of Orion from their lofty vantage point above Earth
Looking back: On-board cameras capture Orion's first view of the Earth as it begins a slow roll to regulate temperatures during its orbit
After two hours, and one orbit of Earth, the second-stage rocket will be ignited again, moving Orion up to an altitude of 3,600 miles (5,800 km).
This is 15 times the distance to the ISS and will cause Orion to travel through the high-radiation Van Allen Belts.
At three hours after lift-off, Orion will hit its peak altitude and then slowly start its descent back to Earth
The flight program has been loaded into Orion's computers well in advance, allowing the spacecraft to fly essentially on autopilot.
It should give engineers the opportunity to check the performance of Orion's critical heat shield, which is likely to experience temperatures in excess of 2,000ºC (4,000°F).
Its re-entry speed into the atmosphere will be close to 20,000mph (32,000km/h) - similar to the speed of the Apollo capsules that returned from the moon in the 1960s and 1970s.
The dry run, if all goes well, will end with a Pacific splashdown off Mexico's Baja coast and Navy ships will recover the capsule for future use.
Separation: Three hours and 23 minutes after launch, Orion separate from its service module and the Delta upper stage, and prepares to return to Earth (shown)
Waiting game: News photographers and journalists watch as the sun rises on the Delta IV Heavy rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft waiting for lift-off on the launch pad from the Cape Canveral Air Force Station in Florida
New dawn of space travel: Orion will allow the United States to send its own astronauts into space for the first time since the Space Shuttle
Next step: This mission is unmanned, but in the future Nasa hopes to use the Orion craft to send astronauts to an asteroid, and someday Mars
The spacecraft is rigged with 1,200 sensors to gauge everything from heat to vibration to radiation.
Geyer said: 'We're going to test the riskiest parts of the mission. Ascent, entry and things like fairing separations, Launch Abort System jettison, the parachute, plus the navigation and guidance - all those things are going to be tested.
'Plus, we'll fly into deep space and test the radiation effects on those systems.'
A crucial test came when Orion flies flew through the Van Allen belts, which are two layers of charged particles orbiting around Earth.
'The ISS would not have to deal with radiation but we will, and so will every vehicle that goes to the moon,' Geyer told the BBC.
'That's a big issue for the computers. These processors that are now so small - they're great for speed but they're more susceptible to radiation.
'That's something we have to design for and see how it all behaves.'
Another key test was on the heat shield on Orion's base, designed to protect the craft from the searing temperatures of atmospheric re-entry.
It is 16.5ft (five metres) across and is the biggest, most advanced of its kind ever made.
Having a blast: On the left is Nasa Administrator Charles Bolden and his wife Jackie Bolden, watching as the United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket lifts-off. The right image shows Mac Magee, 11, of Jackson, waving a #Orion sign at cameras
What happened after launch? Just minutes after lift-off, the entire bottom end - or the 'first stage' of the rocket - detached, while the second stage engine ignited to take Orion to a higher orbit
Flight sequence: Five and a half minutes after launch, at an altitude of around 200 miles (320km), fuel ran out on both the Delta IV's main and booster engines. This triggered a separation which sent Orion into a higher orbit
Test flight: Orion is making two big laps around Earth before re-entering the atmosphere at 20,000 mph (32,200 km/h). Pictured is an artist's impression of the Orion craft in orbit
On this flight, Orion will reach close to 2,000ºC (4,000°F), not quite the 2,800ºC (5,000ºF) that was generated from the moon missions, but close enough for a good test of the technology.
That's why Orion aimed for a 3,600 miles (5,800 km) peak altitude to pick up enough speed to come back fast and hot with this mission, officially called Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1).
Even though it bears a strong resemblance to the Apollo command module that carried astronauts to the moon in the 1960s, it is bristling with the latest technology that makes it markedly different.
'There's an obvious comparison to draw between this first Orion launch and the first unmanned flight of the Apollo spacecraft on Apollo 4 [in 1967], but there are more differences than similarities,' space historian Amy Teitel told MailOnline.
'Apollo 4 flew a nearly lunar-ready command and service module, was the first flight of the Saturn V rocket, and demonstrated that both the S-IVB rocket stage and the spacecraft's own engine could ignite in a vacuum.
'The EFT-1 flight is only testing a spacecraft; it doesn't even have its service module!
'With Apollo 4, we knew we were going to the moon and it was clear this mission was putting us firmly back on that path after the major setback of the Apollo 1 fire. With Orion, we don't have a clear goal and a firm timeline for this new spacecraft.'
HOW DOES ORION COMPARE TO APOLLO MODULE THAT TOOK MAN TO THE MOON IN 1969?
A 'new Apollo'? Orion bears a strong resemblance to the Apollo command module that carried Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon in 1969, but it is bristling with the latest technology that makes it markedly different.
The Orion space capsule will enable Nasa to send its own astronauts into space for the first time since the Space Shuttle programme was scrapped.
But the next-generation vehicle will also herald a new era of space travel as it has been designed to carry humans to land on asteroids and even to other worlds.
Ultimately Nasa hopes Orion will allow astronauts to make the first manned journey to Mars.
Perhaps understandably the development of Orion has helped reawakened some of the atmosphere of exploration that surrounded Nasa during the Apollo missions that first landed mankind on the moon.
But with almost exactly 42 years between the last Apollo mission, Apollo 17, which launched on 7 December 1972, and the first flight of Orion, the technology has moved on considerably.
On the surface the two space capsules look the same - they are cone-shaped, and have a large heat shield to protect the astronauts from the intense conditions during re-entry to the Earth's atmosphere.
However, Orion is larger, capable of carrying four crew members rather than Apollo's three. It will also have to carry far more supplies than Apollo ever did.
The last Apollo mission saw a two man crew spend just three days on the moon's surface while a mission to an asteroid or to Mars could see astronauts spending up to 450 days in space.
Like the Apollo Command Module, Orion has a Service Module attached that houses a single large engine, batteries and storage.
However, Orion will carry a pair of solar arrays to help keep the capsule powered in space - technology that Apollo did not use.
Orion also uses up-to-date computers, electronics, life support and propulsion systems. The electronics also have a far more sophisticated radiation shielding than the Apollo modules.
Nasa has also used some hard lessons to improve the heat shield. Measuring 16.5 feet (five metres) across, it is the largest heat shield ever built for a spacecraft and has been covered in a new material called Avcoat.
Nasa has also improved the parachutes, once used to land the Apollo spacecraft and slow the Space Shuttle, to help Orion land more safely in the water when it splashes down after a mission.
Final countdown: The Orion capsule sits on top of the Delta IV Heavy rocket at the launch pad in Florida. Yesterday, it had to await the removal of a boat that had strayed into waters close to the launch site before the first launch could be attempted - before a faulty valve scuppered it
Poised: Orion awaits launch in Florida. This is the first attempt to send a spacecraft capable of carrying humans beyond a couple hundred miles of Earth since the Apollo moon mission
But at 11ft (3.6 metres) tall with a 16.5ft (5 metres) base, Orion is much larger than the old-time Apollo capsules, and is designed to carry four astronauts rather than three.
The earliest Orion might carry passengers is 2021; a mission to an asteroid is on the space agency's radar sometime in the 2020s and Mars, the grand prize, in the 2030s.
'We're approaching this as pioneers,' said William Hill of Nasa's exploration systems development office.
'We're going out to stay eventually. ... It's many, many decades away, but that's our intent.'
However, Nasa has yet to develop the technology to carry out manned surface operations on Mars.
ORION WANTS TO TAKE PEOPLE TO MARS, BUT CAN HUMANS SURVIVE A JOURNEY TO THE RED PLANET?
Can we survive a trip to Mars? Pictured is the surface of the red planet, as seen by the Viking I Lander
Scientists hope Orion will return humans to the moon by 2020 and transport the first visitors to Mars in the 2030s.
But the 140 million-mile (225 million km) journey to Mars will involve extreme hazards threatening the lives of astronauts.
Space is filled with dangerous radiation that the Earth's atmosphere shields us from. The greatest threat comes from high energy streams of subatomic particles pouring out of the sun that can damage DNA, leading to cancer.
How big is the radiation risk?
Nasa's Curiosity Mars rover was hit by 0.66 sieverts of radiation during its 253 trip to Mars. That's the equivalent of receiving a whole body CT X-ray scan every five or six days.
Intense bursts of radiation and particles erupting from the sun, in large solar flares or coronal mass ejections, have the power to disrupt electrical equipment and deliver potentially lethal doses. Radiation shielding coating the spacecraft can offer some protection.
Is there a danger of being hit by a meteorite?
Big and small rocks are continually flying around the Solar System, millions of which go undetected. On a long journey through space the risk of being hit is not negligible, and even a tiny meteorite could wreak unimaginable damage.
Bigger objects can be steered around if detected in advance, and Nasa has been developing armour-like materials and double-layer walls to protect against smaller objects.
How easy is it to land on Mars?
The answer is, not easy at all, which is why so many Mars missions have failed. Overall the success rate of landing on Mars is only about 50 per cent.
This is one area where it pays off to have humans on board rather than relying on computers. During the Apollo moon missions, Nasa never lost a single lander, despite some very close shaves. Mars is much more challenging, though, because it has an atmosphere and appreciable gravity.
How bad is a Mars trip for your health?
Without gravity, bones become brittle and muscles start to waste away. There is also evidence that gravity affects the way the brain works.
The astronauts will have to undergo strict exercise regimes to make up for the lack of gravity. Another solution would be to provide at least some degree of artificial gravity by spinning the spacecraft as it travels.
Psychological health is considered a very imported issue for long distance space travellers. The astronauts will need to be mentally tough to cope with being so far from home in the knowledge that so far out in space there can be no hope of rescue.
Why go to Mars at all?
Many experts say only so much can be done with robots. Humans are just so much better at finding and selecting samples, and spotting the unexpected. Others argue that it will inspire children and unite humanity in a common adventure.
Some say that confining ourselves to a planet with limited resources is simply not an option if the human race is to survive.
On track: In the months leading up to launch, Orion has been rigorously tested as engineers prepare it for a journey beyond low Earth orbit
Recovery: The US Navy and Nasa recovery teams will be on station off the cost of California and ready to recover Orion after landing
By comparison, it took eight years from the time President John Kennedy announced his intentions of landing a man on the moon - before John Glenn even became the first American to orbit Earth - to Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's lunar bootprints in 1969.
Given the present budget situation, 'it is what it is,' said Kennedy Space Center's director Robert Cabana, a former astronaut. And the presidential election ahead could bring further delays and uncertainties.
Lockheed Martin is handling the £236 million ($370 million) test flight, and Nasa will be overseeing its operation.
Nasa's last trip beyond low-Earth orbit in a vessel built for people was Apollo 17 in December 1972.
'This is just the first of what will be a long line of exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit,' said Bill Hill, deputy associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development.
'In a few years we will be sending our astronauts to destinations humans have never experienced. It's thrilling to be a part of the journey now, at the beginning.'
Astronaut Rex Waldheim, who flew the last shuttle mission in 2011 and is helping to design Orion's interior systems, told Nasa TV: 'The ultimate destination is Mars. Everybody wants to go to Mars.
'It's important to go there and establish a presence on another planet so we become a multi-planetary species.'
He added: 'Now we've turned the corner and Orion is flying, and it's a very exciting time.'
THE WEIRD AND WONDERFUL CARGO BEING CARRIED 3,600 MILES INTO SPACE ON ORION'S FIRST TEST FLIGHT
Technicians pack bags to be placed into Orion's stowage lockers with items from Sesame Street including a cookie belonging to Cookie Monster, Ernie's rubber duck, Grover's cape and Slimey the Worm
Nasa has packed its Orion space capsule with experiments and sensor designed to measure the conditions inside the vehicle.
However, also hitching a 3,600 miles (5,800km) above Earth will be Captain Kirk, a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil and some Sesame Street puppets.
They are all part of a weird collection of artefacts, celebrity photos and memorabilia that has been placed inside Orion's storage lockers.
Nasa has also placed a tiny sample of lunar soil along with a fossil from a Tyrannosaurus rex donated by the Denver Science Museum, into the capsule.
A microchip carrying the names of more than a million people who submitted their names will also be carried onboard.
Lockheed Martin, the main contractor on Orion, worked with the Entertainment Industries Council to collect items from science fiction-related celebrities to place on Orion.
William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek series and is a noted space enthusiast, supplied an action figure of 'Captain Kirk in Environmental Suit'.
'William Shatner is thrilled to send Kirk back to space and support Orion, while inspiring future generations about space travel,' EIC vice president Skylar Jackson told collectSPACE .
Director Jon Favreau offered an Iron Man challenge coin while Back to the Future actress Claudia Wells provided signed cast photos and a Delorean time machine model.
Mayim Bialik, from The Big Bang Theory, also gave pictures of her ancestors. A collection of pins, medals and artworks will also be carried in the Orion lockers.
Also among the cargo will be props from Sesame Street including a cookie belonging to Cookie Monster, Ernie's rubber duck, Oscar the Grouch's pet Slimey the Worm and Grover's cape.
When they return to Earth they will take prized spots on the long-running television programme in a bid to educate millions of children about space.
In a statement on its website, Nasa said: 'Together, the artifacts chart humanity's progress and technological advancement as the nation takes a critical step forward on the Journey to Mars.'
Carrying commemorative cargo into space, however, is not a new tradition and has been done since the very early age of space flight.
Nasa's Mercury astronauts carried dimes in their spacesuits while astronauts on the Apollo missions carried photos and specially stamped envelopes.
The Voyager spacecraft have also carried gold discs featuring sounds of Earth along with a range of other information while the Curiosity rover on Mars carried a penny to calibrate its instruments.
Orion's batteries were charged up using power from the launch pad as unlike future operational versions it does not carry solar panels
Heavy lifting: The United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket carrying Orion will burn through 450,000 gallons of hydrogen and oxygen fuel in order to produce the two million pounds of thrust needed to lift the 815 ton space rocket out of Earth's atmosphere
'This is just the first of what will be a long line of exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit,' said Bill Hill, deputy associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development. 'In a few years we will be sending our astronauts to destinations humans have never experienced'
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