Humanity will return to the moon and, eventually, set foot for the first time on Mars.
The first major test of Orion will take place at the end of August 2022, when humanity's most powerful rocket will be launched.
The Space Launch System (SLS) will propel the Orion capsule and crew farther than any other vessel designed for astronauts has ever gone before.
The capsule will eventually be the vehicle that propels humanity boldly forward into the next era of space exploration as part of the Artemis I mission.
"The Orion spacecraft will transport astronauts and scientific payloads to the moon," says NASA.
The launch abort system is intended to transport the craft and crew to safety if something goes wrong during launch.
Lockheed Martin developed the Orion spacecraft, officially known as the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, in the early 2000s.