Construction on the First Space-Bound MPCV

JSC2012-E-039792 (26 March 2012) --- Construction on the first space-bound Orion nears completion at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility. This is the capsule that will be used during Orion’s first test flight in space. After welding is completed at Michoud, the Orion spacecraft will be shipped to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), where the heat shield will be installed. At KSC, it will undergo final assembly and checkout operations for eventual flight. Photo credit: NASA