Artist’s impression of Orion capsule with crew. Credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., May 18 (UPI) — NASA says it will modify an existing and proven Delta IV rocket second stage to launch an Orion spacecraft on an unmanned test flight in 2017.

A manned flight to lunar orbit is planned for four years after that, the agency said.

The Boeing upper stage is “the only means available to support the immediate in-space propulsion needs” for the excursions, NASA said in a statement.

An internal study of in-space propulsion systems available in the United States, Europe and Japan determined the Delta IV upper stage “is the only known in-space stage requiring relatively minor modifications” to meet mission requirements as well as the launch schedule, NASA said.

The Delta IV second stage is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney RL-10B2 engine fueled by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.

Both Orion missions will be launched from complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center on early versions of NASA’s new heavy-lift Space Launch System, Florida Today reported.

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