NASA's newest spacecraft, the Orion, is scheduled to have its first test flight this December. The spacecraft was transported to Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral last November 11.

The transfer was originally set for November 10 but due to weather conditions, a 24 hour delay at the spaceport was issued. 

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The first Orion space capsule test flight is currently set for December 4. This launch will be unmanned although Orion can carry a crew of six astronauts. Orion is designed to ferry astronauts to Mars, asteroids and beyond deep space.

The test flight will involve a journey of some 3,600 miles from Earth, the farthest to be taken by any manned NASA vehicle meant for human habitation since the lunar missions from 1969 to 1972. The test flight will accomplish two complete orbits of Earth before returning home. 

According to NASA officials, the transfer of Orion will be a six hour journey starting from the launch pad where it will begin at 8:30 p.m. local time. Orion is expected to arrive around 2 a.m. at the launch complex. The capsule will then be lifted from the ground to the top of the United Launch Alliance Delta IV heavy rocket.

The United Launch Alliance Delta IV heavy rocket is currently the world's most powerful booster, delivering more than two million pounds of thrust. Last November 5, NASA engineers tested the systems that will fuel the massive booster rocket before launch.

NASA countdown operators working at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station control rooms are practicing executing the same steps they'll take on launch day. This simulation will prepare controllers, especially those evaluating fuel loading and draining systems, before Orion is placed atop the rocket.

The test called Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) will also involve measuring radiation on the spacecraft's systems, including avionics, heat shielding along with other critical systems for manned missions.

If the test flight is successful, Orion's first mission will be to capture an asteroid and put it into the moon's orbit. This daring mission is set for 2025. NASA plans to send humans to Mars 10 years later.

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