NASA tested the spacecraft to send people to Mars

The US Aerospace Agency (NASA) on December 5 launched a successful test of the Orion spacecraft, a new step in the process of fulfilling its goal of conquering Mars.

>>>NASA reveals technology to send people to Mars

The spacecraft was launched using the Delta IV missile at 12:05 GMT (about 19pm Hanoi time) from Cape Canaveral Air Force base in Florida state. Earlier, the planned launch on 4 December was postponed for weather and technical reasons.

Picture 1 of NASA tested the spacecraft to send people to Mars
Delta IV missiles were launched from Cape Canaveral air base.(Photo: Space)

Orion reached a height of more than 5,600km after a 3-hour flight, orbiting the Earth two times, then flew back and fell into the Pacific Ocean, in an area near Mexico.

"I think this is an important day for the world, with people who understand and love space. I can describe this as the beginning of the Mars era , " NASA general manager Charles Bolden. speaking in a short interview after the launch.

According to RT, one of the important purposes of a test flight is to ensure the functioning of the technology equipped for spacecraft. The second Orion flight is scheduled to take place in 2017 or 2018. If the plan is successful, NASA will take astronauts aboard Orion and make deep space exploration in 2021.

In terms of ideas, NASA's original plan was to use Orion to bring people to asteroids near Earth and to Mars in the 30s of this century.