Nasa’s Orion exploration capsule has been moved from the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility for fuelling.
Engineers at the Kennedy Space Center have completed the Orion crew capsule and attached it and a service module to the adapter, which will connect Orion spacecraft to Delta IV Heavy rocket.
The latest move marks a major milestone in preparation for the capsule’s first unmanned flight in December.
After fuelling is complete, the launch abort system will be attached to the spacecraft to stack on the rocket.
Orion programme manager Mark Geyer said: "Nothing about building the first of a brand new space transportation system is easy.
"But the crew module is undoubtedly the most complex component that will fly in December."
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By GlobalDataOrion’s crew module was attached to the service module in June, to carry out tests before the finishing touches were done.
During December’s mission, designated Exploration Flight Test-1, the spacecraft will travel around 3,600 miles into space and will return to Earth at a speed of more than 20,000 miles per hour.
As it re-enters the atmosphere, the spacecraft will endure temperatures up to 4,000 ° F, protecting astronauts returning from deep space journey.
The Orion spacecraft is part of Nasa’s efforts to fly astronauts beyond the International Space Station, including to an asteroid and Mars.
Image: The Orion crew module moved out of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at Nasa’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on 11 September. Photo: courtesy of Nasa / Dan Casper.
