Scott Sutherland Meteorologist, theweathernetwork.com

Friday, November 28, 2014, 11:54 AM - It's been a long wait, but on Thursday, December 4, at just after 7 am, Eastern Time, NASA's new deep space crew spacecraft, Orion, will be lifting off for its very first test flight - from launch all the way to splashdown - and we will be able to watch the entire thing live!

It's been nearly 42 years since humans have flown into deep space - that is, beyond low-Earth orbit - on board the Apollo 17 spacecraft. Working on the premise that it's about time that humanity stretched its 'cosmic legs' again, NASA has been developing Orion - a crewed spacecraft meant to deliver astronauts to the Moon, to an asteroid or to Mars (or possibly even further).

In less than a week, the first Orion spacecraft will be launching from Cape Canaveral in Florida, on its very first test flight. Over the course of about four and a half hours, it will achieve low-Earth orbit, fly around the Earth, and then boost out to reach a maximum distance from the planet of over 5,700 kilometres (nearly 20 times the height of the International Space Station's orbit). It will then come back to Earth, travelling at around 32,000 km/h when it hits the atmosphere, using a heat shield to slow itself as it plunges towards the surface. Roughly four minutes before the end of the mission, it will deploy its parachutes to slow down the rest of the way, making a soft splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

The great thing about all of this? We will be able to watch it all, live, on NASA TV.

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH: NASA's highlights and timetable for the Orion's 'trial by fire'.

This launch will be an uncrewed test, so no astronauts will be aboard. However, there are a few items going along for the ride.

According to NASA, several of the cargo lockers on board the capsule will contain 'commemorative' items:

One of the lockers carries a radiation experiment designed by the students who won the Exploration Design Challenge, an initiative for students to research and design ways to protect astronauts on future missions from radiation. Another radiation experiment designed by NASA called BIRD, for battery-operated independent radiation detector, will evaluate the environment inside the locker as Orion passes through the Van Allen belts experiencing higher doses of radiation than spacecraft that orbit closer to Earth, such as the International Space Station. Several artistic works commissioned by Lockheed Martin will be aboard, including a recording of "We Shall Overcome" by Denyce Graves arranged by Nolan Williams. The arrangement features the words "We Shall Live in Peace," a theme common throughout America's civilian space program and efforts. Several poems by poet Maya Angelou will also be aboard, including Brave and Startling Truth. A recording of "Mars" from Gustav Holst's "The Planets" performed by the National Symphony Orchestra will also be carried on Orion, along with a copy of a poem by Marshall Jones and a small sculpture by Ed Dwight called Pioneer Woman. The works will help expand the cultural connection between the arts and science. The flight test also will carry several items that will be used to inspire future generations. NASA and Sesame Street have joined forces to help promote the importance of studying science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and teach students about the importance of human spaceflight. Cookie Monsters cookie, Ernies rubber ducky, Slimey the Worm and Grovers cape will fly some 3,600 miles above Earth and come back to take prized spots on the Sesame Street set where millions of children will watch.

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Orion's First Flight: NASA's new crewed deep space vehicle is ready for its live-broadcasted trial by fire