Mar 212012
No, not *that* Orion. The Crew Exploration Vehicle space capsule Orion. The plan currently seems to be to lob it into low Earth orbit with a Delta IV Heavy, and then boost it an extra 3000 or so miles higher so that it will come screaming back in to survive re-entry and be recovered and reused.
It is, of course, unmanned. Which is sad, because I’m sure there are more than a few extremophiles who would *pay* to ride in it.
[youtube U63O0naPtyg]
A related video shows part of the Orion manufacturing process: a big chunk of aluminum and a robot with a sense of purpose.
[vimeo 38807506]