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Why We Explore

Why Do We Explore?

From the time of our birth, humans have felt a primordial urge to explore -- to blaze new trails, map new lands, and answer profound questions about ourselves and our universe.

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Latest News

jsc2013e010454 -- NASA'S Orion Lands Safely on Two of Three Parachutes in Test

Orion Lands on Two of Three Parachutes in Test

NASA engineers have demonstrated the agency's Orion spacecraft can land safely if one of its three main parachutes fails to inflate during deployment.

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Orion Monthly Accomplishments

Follow along with Orion's progress toward flight by reading the program's monthly accomplishments.

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New Agreement Signed for Orion Service Module

NASA signed an agreement for the European Space Agency to provide a service module for the Orion spacecraft’s Exploration Mission-1 in 2017.

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The Orion Exploration Flight Test 1 crew module undergoes proof pressure testing.

Orion Teamwork Pays Off

NASA's Orion spacecraft moves toward milestones through cooperation.

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New Procedures Developed for Orion Recovery

Many design and technological upgrades have been added for recovery of the new Orion spacecraft by NASA teams at the Kennedy and Johnson Space ...

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Orion Features

Built On A Solid Foundation

Designating Orion as NASA's Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle provides our nation with an affordable solution for multiple mission capability by continuing the the NASA-industry team's technology innovations and spacecraft development.
Leading Edge Design and Engineering

Drawing from more than 50 years of spaceflight research and development, the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) is designed to meet the evolving needs of our nation's space program for decades to come.
Explore the Exploration Vehicle

Explore the Launch Abort System, Crew Module and Service Module of the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle.
A NASA-Industry Team Effort

The Multi Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) design team has incorporated cutting-edge technology garnered through collaborative efforts with every NASA center and hundreds of industry experts across the country.

About Orion

The Orion MPCV (Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle) is based on the Orion design requirements for traveling beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). Orion will serve as the exploration vehicle that will carry the crew to space, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during the space travel, and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities.

Spacecraft to serve as the primary crew vehicle for missions beyond LEO
Capable of conducting regular in-space operations (rendezvous, docking, extravehicular activity) in conjunction with payloads delivered by the Space Launch System (SLS) for missions beyond LEO
Capability to be a backup system for International Space Station cargo and crew delivery