NASA named the new spacecraft Orion

The US Aeronautics Agency (NASA) has named the new space probe Orion. This manned ship is being developed to bring astronauts back to the moon and then to explore Mars.

Orion Ship (Photo: Wikipedia)

It is hoped that the ship called Orion can be as effective as the Apollo-powered space exploration ship that was built in the 60s and 70s of the last century.

The first manned flight of the Orion ship to the international space station will take place no later than 2014 and the first flight to the Moon by 2020.

Orion will have a diameter of 5m and weigh about 25 tons. Inside, the ship is 2.5 times larger than Apollo.

Under the plan, the ship will bring astronauts back to the Moon so they can work there for a long time in preparation for a longer trip to Mars.

This ship has cargo capacity and six crew members to the International Space Station and return. The ship can carry four astronauts executing missions to explore the moon. Then it is expected to take astronauts to explore Mars.

Orion is designed based on the shape of the Apollo, but NASA said, there are major changes in computer technology, electronics, propulsion, and heat-resistant systems.

NASA believes that the ship's conical structure is the most safe and reliable when the ship returns to the Earth's atmosphere, especially with the speed needed to return from the Moon.

Orion will replace the shuttle program after the program expires in 2010.

Recently, NASA also announced the names of Orion ship boosters on orbit, namely Ares 1 and Ares V.