Want to go to Mars? You’d ride in Orion, NASA’s newest spacecraft. The capsule took it’s first flight on Dec 5, 2014, so we thought we’d learn more …
1. How many astronauts can Orion carry? The NASA site has your answers http://1.usa.gov/1BftElB and is the best place to start exploring Orion. It can carry a cre
w of six — about the same as a mini-van.
2. How are Orion and Apollo the same? This Business Week article http://buswk.co/1xXK2cOgives a side-by-side comparison of the two space capsules. They’re very similar, due in part to the heat shield. At Space.com http://bit.ly/1rrCIUv you can learn how Orion was nearly cancelled because it was too expensive.
3. Which has more computing power, Orion or an iPhone? Orion might be a next-gen spacecraft, but it uses computers that are 12 years old, according to Computer World http://bit.ly/1G3Enmm . The winner? iPhone.
4. What does SLS stand for? At http://1.usa.gov/13Ib1LS you’ll find the answer: Space Launch System. It’s the most powerful rocket ever built, and it will be used 
to take some lucky astronauts all the way to Mars.
5. When’s the next launch? Not until 2018, according to http://1.usa.gov/13LS6jB when Orion will circles the moon. Plan a family vacation to see a space launch!
Applications:
1. Who’s up there — right now? At http://bit.ly/1brJMBK you can see that there are 6 people in space, right now (as of January 1, 2015). See where they’re from, and how many days they’ve been in space.
2. Can you spot the space station? Visit http://1.usa.gov/1n3V4nS to spot the space station from wherever you happen to be.
3. Color?! NASA uses low tech coloring sheets to help children explore the high tech Orion. http://1.usa.gov/1tkc3EX
Want to see more? Click on this months You Tube playlist
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