‘Day One Of Mars Era’: Orion Blasts Off
NASA has successfully launched its new Orion spacecraft into orbit at the second attempt, after high winds and rocket problems delayed the first launch bid.
The unmanned four-hour flight will test crucial systems, like the heat shield and parachute splashdown, on a spacecraft that could one day take humans to an asteroid, the Moon or Mars.
It is the first launch in more than 40 years of a US spacecraft intended to carry humans beyond the Moon.
Orion blasted off aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket at just after 7am local time (12pm UK time) from Cape Canaveral in Florida.
Things you need to know about NASA's Orion spacecraft
The 24-storey-tall rocket soared out over the Atlantic Ocean, punching through partly cloudy skies as it headed into orbit.
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