The real purpose of the Orion is to explore the Moon, Mars, and beyond. This mission will be really important because this time around on the Moon NASA has decided to make a base. The Orion shuttle will launch into space after the Ares I and Ares V liftoff and detach themselves. What the Orion is supposed to do is to dock with the Lunar module and the Earth Departure Stage.

Orion is a new type of shuttle based on the earlier shuttles. NASA is hoping that Orion will not only help them accomplish their mission of making a base on the moon but also become the first shuttle to land on the mars. Orion is going to try to go on the moon at 2020.Orion is the first of the new constellation series so there many others that come within its mist. Orion will go as the same the design as the Apollo but much larger and at least 2 1/2times heavier .NASA scientist have estimated that the Orion ship will be completed by 2010. It will be sent to a test flight in 2014 and as I earlier if the test flight is successful it will be be flown to the moon.

NASA is looking forward to seeing that the constellation series is going to put a shuttle up into the planet Mars. If this is actually possible then the human race would benefits a lot because if we put a moon base up we can discover new things in space that we can't do on Earth. If that happens then we can unlock a whole new age of technology. The orion will let out 4 passengers to do a lunar mission. That is when the base will be built. The passengers willcome back on the Orion and enter the atmosphere 6 months later because that's how long the Moon mission is. Mars is a whole different story because NASA does not have the materials needed to build a base on Mars for further research.