Orion Program

NASA's Orion Program manages the design, development, testing, certification, and production of the crew spacecraft used for Artemis exploration. Managed at Johnson Space Center, the effort integrates a habitable crew module, ESA's European Service Module, the launch abort system, ground systems, and mission operations. Its flight-test progression includes pad and ascent escape demonstrations, Exploration Flight Test-1, the uncrewed Artemis I mission, and crewed deep-space operations. Engineering priorities include life support, navigation, communications, thermal protection, rendezvous and docking, and safe return from the lunar environment.