What is Orion? Announced by NASA in 2011, Orion is a spacecraft designed to take humans farther into deep space then we have ever been before! NASA is planning for Orion to take astronauts to an asteroid in the 2020s and to Mars in the 2030s.

Orion is comprised of a Launch Abort System, Crew Module and Service Module. It is propelled into space with a heavy Space Launch System. Solar panels on the service module provides power for the space station to stay in orbit for long periods of time.

Orion’s Progress Orion first test launch was in December, 2014. The launch successfully tested heat shielding, separations from a heavy lift rocket, radiation effects, the craft’s roster of tasks and reentry into earth’s orbit and landing.

Orion’s Progress NASA’s work on Orion can be followed online at https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/orion/index.html

Orion in the Classroom NASA provides a wealth of “Journey to Mars” activity ideas at http://www.nasa.gov/feature/journey-of-a-lifetime-mars-education-resources

Orion in the Classroom Three “authentic” projects: Get The Word Out! (grades 3-12) Space travel to Mars is an exciting topic. Not everyone knows about NASA’s Orion spacecraft. You are a news reporter for your school/community television news program or website. Create a video news report describing Orion and NASA’s plans for deep space travel. Remember to follow copyright and citation rules for photo/video/audio content which you did not create. Living in Space (grades 3-12) Months on a spaceship includes down time with your fellow astronauts. Create a game designed to be fit into an astronaut’s personal preference kit. PPK space is precious and limited. Make sure your game includes as few pieces as possible, takes up as little space as possible and is zero-gravity friendly. *PPK requirements are based on Space Shuttle guidelines. The contents of a PPK were limited to 20 separate items, with a total weight of 0.682 kilograms (1.5 pounds). The volume of a PPK must be contained in a 12.82 centimeters × 20.51 centimeters × 5.13 centimeters (5′′×8′′×2′′) bag provided by NASA. Space Shape (grades 3-12) Staying in shape is an important part of an astronaut’s life in space. Design a workout tool or apparatus designed to provide cardio or strengthening exercise in zero gravity. Include an instruction guide to help astronauts understand how to work out with your creation.

Next mission – Exploration 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRuslOzA6ys