Inside the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida workers position access stands.

Inside the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers position access stands near the service module for Orion, which is suspended above the floor by a movable crane. The spacecraft adapter cone for Orion is positioned on a stand and is being prepared for mating to the service module.

Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted test flight of the Orion is scheduled to launch in 2014 atop a Delta IV rocket and in 2017 on NASA’s Space Launch System rocket. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/orion. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett