NASA'S Orion Arrives At Kennedy, Work Underway For First Launch

An anonymous reader writes in with news about the arrival of the Orion spacecraft at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center today. "More than 450 guests at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida welcomed the arrival of the agency’s first space-bound Orion spacecraft Monday, marking a major milestone in the construction of the vehicle that will carry astronauts farther into space than ever before. 'Orion’s arrival at Kennedy is an important step in meeting the president’s goal to send humans to an asteroid by 2025 and to Mars in the 2030s,' NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver said. 'As NASA acquires services for delivery of cargo and crew to the International Space Station and other low-Earth destinations from private companies, NASA can concentrate its efforts on building America’s next generation space exploration system to reach destinations for discovery in deep space. Delivery of the first space-bound Orion, coupled with recent successes in commercial spaceflight, is proof this national strategy is working.'"

SpaceX will fly circles aroudn them

[peter303]

Even though SpaceX is only a candidate for the low-orbit (space station) manned program and Orion is for deep space, I would not be surprised if SpaceX does so well they are considered for deep space too.

Re:Mars? Forget about going to Mars...

[camperdave]

We should rename that planet and put an end to such jokes.

Stop re-using project names!

[jtownatpunk.net]

I'm looking at you, Microsoft and NASA.

Unless this thing rides nuclear explosions, it should have its own name.

Upgraded Soyuz?

[Skywolfblue]

...was the thought that first came to my mind when I saw it.

So... It takes billions of dollars to essentially make what amounts an upgraded Apollo Command Module or Soyuz Reentry Module?

What's wrong with just using a Soyuz then?

Re:SpaceX will fly circles aroudn them

[jamstar7]

SpaceX has flown a Dragon into orbit and gotten it back in one piece a couple times already, including the recent ISS resupply mission. They're already prepping for their next two missions. Orion has flown on paper, and is going to be collecting dust for 2 years until the Senate kills it off, or legislates SpaceX out of business.