Ready for the Moon?

While the rest of us enjoyed the beach and barbecues this summer, NASA took another “giant leap” toward returning humans to the moon and beyond – 50 years after Apollo. Engineers from Lockheed Martin finished building the first Orion capsule, designed to carry astronauts to the moon, to Mars or on other long-duration journeys.

Deep space is a harsh environment. Engineers “tested and validated the many systems a hundred different ways,” says Lockheed Martin’s Mike Hawes.

This month, Orion goes to NASA Plum Brook Station in Ohio for integrated systems testing. It takes a test run around the moon next year.

– Melissa Mathews, The Engineering 100