NASA spokespeople frequently tell the public that space exploration is not for the faint of heart. But, this type of work is also not for the impatient. Consider, for example, the many scientists, engineers and assemblers who have been working on NASA’s Orion spacecraft for the last decade—even though it won’t be launched on its first exploration mission until Sept. 30, 2018.
The Orion is being designed to be a multipurpose vehicle. It will facilitate human exploration of asteroids and Mars, as well as retrieve crew members or supplies from the International Space Station as needed.