Orion Spacecraft

NASA is the space agency run by the United States to oversee American space exploration, research and technology. NASA, or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, was founded in 1958 as a civilian agency for U.S. space exploration. Prior to 1958, the agency's progenitor was known as the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. NASA develops, builds and launches missions to study the Earth, moon and sun, as well as the entire solar system and beyond. The agency has its headquarters in Washington D.C., with major centers in Florida (the Kennedy Space Center for launches) and Houston (the Johnson Space Center, home of the astronaut corps). Other centers are spread across the country for scientific research, test flights and spacecraft manufacturing. NASA's current chief is Administrator Jim Bridenstine, who is leading the agency's mission of returning astronauts to the moon and sending them on to Mars. See the latest NASA news.

Related Topics: Apollo Program, China Space Program, Incredible Space Tech, International Space Station, Interstellar Travel

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mannequin in a spacesuit and helmet lying in packing tape

Artemis 1 moon mannequins unpacked from Orion spacecraft (photos)

By Elizabeth Howell published

Moonikin Campos, Helga and Zohar flew around the moon in December 2022 to help NASA get its Orion spacecraft ready to carry Artemis astronauts to lunar realms a few years from now.

Technicians at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida inspect the interior of NASA's Artemis 1 Orion capsule. Photo released Jan. 10, 2023.

NASA opens hatch of Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft (photo)

By Mike Wall published

Technicians have opened the hatch of NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft, which aced its epic moon mission late last year.

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion capsule arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 30, 2022 after a nine-day trek from San Diego.

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft arrives in Florida (photos)

By Mike Wall published

The Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft reached NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 30, ending a nine-day cross-country trek.

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft with the crescent Earth in the background on Dec. 10, 2022.

The best spaceflight stories of 2022 brought us across the solar system

By Elizabeth Howell published

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft made an epic flight to the moon, Russia invaded Ukraine and SpaceX set a few records.

three technicians working alongside the orion spacecraft on a ship. the spacecraft has three inflatable devices on top

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion space capsule begins cross-country trip home to Florida

By Elizabeth Howell published

NASA's Orion spacecraft is making another long journey after reaching the moon: a trek by truck from San Diego to the Space Coast in Florida.

At 12:40 p.m. EST, Dec. 11, 2022, NASA’s Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission splashed down in the Pacific Ocean after a 25.5 day mission to the Moon. Orion will be recovered by NASA’s Landing and Recovery team, U.S. Navy and Department of Defense partners aboard the USS Portland ship.

NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission: Mission updates archive

By Tariq Malik, Elizabeth Howell published

See the latest news about NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission here.

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft was successfully recovered inside the well deck of the USS Portland on Dec. 11, 2022 off the coast of Baja California. The Portland made it to port in San Diego two days later.

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft reaches port in San Diego

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion capsule made it to port in San Diego on Tuesday (Dec. 13), two days after wrapping up its historic moon mission.

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft with the crescent Earth in the background on Dec. 10, 2022.

NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission was epic and you can relive it in this highlight video

By Elizabeth Howell published

Ride to space and back again in the Artemis 1 footage, which showcases views of Earth, the moon and NASA's new Space Launch System rocket.

The Earth and moon as seen from the Orion spacecraft during its Artemis 1 mission.

After Artemis 1, it will take NASA 2 years to send astronauts to the moon. Why so long?

By Josh Dinner published

With Artemis 1 now in the books, the focus is quickly shifting to the Artemis program's next phase: crewed flight. But that can't happen until several pieces fall into place.

A view of Earth from NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft as it approached its home planet on Dec. 11, 2022.

NASA is over the moon with success of Artemis 1 Orion test flight

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission wrapped up with a Pacific Ocean splashdown on Sunday (Dec. 11), and NASA couldn't be happier with how everything went.

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft floats in the Pacific Ocean after a successful splashdown on Dec. 11, 2022.

VP Kamala Harris hails NASA Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft's splashdown success

By Elizabeth Howell published

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who also chairs the National Space Council, congratulated NASA for completing the Artemis 1 uncrewed mission around the moon Sunday (Dec. 11).

earth as a crescent disk with orion in the foreground

Behold! This is the last view of Earth from space from NASA's Artemis 1 Orion (video)

By Elizabeth Howell published

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft captured gorgeous views of our home planet in the last hours before splashdown Sunday (Dec. 11).

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft floats in the Pacific Ocean after a successful splashdown on Dec. 11, 2022.

Watch live as NASA recovers the Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft after smooth splashdown today

By Mike Wall last updated

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft will return to Earth on Sunday (Dec. 11) after nearly a month in space, and you can watch the homecoming live.

At 12:40 p.m. EST, Dec. 11, 2022, NASA’s Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission splashed down in the Pacific Ocean after a 25.5 day mission to the Moon. Orion will be recovered by NASA’s Landing and Recovery team, U.S. Navy and Department of Defense partners aboard the USS Portland ship.

Splashdown! NASA's Artemis 1 Orion capsule lands in Pacific to end epic moon mission

By Mike Wall published

An uncrewed Orion capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean this afternoon (Dec. 11), bringing a successful end to NASA's historic Artemis 1 moon mission.

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft has carried secret messages to the moon. Now that the mission is nearing its end, NASA has revealed the meanings behind the "Easter eggs" in Orion.

Orion's 'Easter eggs' revealed: NASA flew secret messages to the moon on Artemis 1

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

It can now be revealed that NASA's Orion spacecraft carried secret messages to the moon on its Artemis 1 mission. What's more, the hidden notes were in plain sight the entire time.

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft with the crescent Earth in the background on Dec. 10, 2022.

What time does the Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft splash down on Dec. 11 to end NASA's moon mission?

By Tariq Malik published

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft will end a 26-day mission to the moon on Sunday, Dec. 11, and here's what time to watch.

A view from inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 9, 2022, as the mobile launcher approaches, carried atop the crawler-transporter 2 vehicle..

NASA rolls Artemis 1's huge launch tower off pad for repairs, upgrades (photos)

By Mike Wall published

The huge tower that supported the epic liftoff of NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission last month has left the launch pad.

Artist illustration of Orion skipping off the atmosphere.

Here's how NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft will splash down to end its moon mission in 8 not-so-easy steps

By Elizabeth Howell published

The Artemis 1 mission will end nearly a month in space with a series of wild landing steps, from skipping off of Earth's atmosphere to splashing down in the ocean.

The launch of the Artemis 1 Space Launch System rocket as seen from the press site at Kennedy Space Center.

Relive the Artemis 1 launch as the Orion spacecraft prepares to return (photos)

By Josh Dinner published

As Orion quickly closes the gap between the moon and Earth ahead of its Pacific Ocean splashdown on Sunday (Dec. 11), we're looking back at the epic launch that got us here.

orion spacecraft with moon far below. two big craters are visible amid a field of other divots

NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission is going so well that engineers added more Orion tests (video)

By Elizabeth Howell published

NASA is deep into planning the first crewed excursion of the Artemis program as Artemis 1, which surpassed expectations, targets a splashdown and end of mission Sunday (Dec. 11).