NASA is gearing up for the critical test of its next-generation spacecraft. The Orion spacescraft is preparing for its maiden flight in an unmanned test referred to as Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1).

According to Fox News, the test will see the Orion dealing with similar pressure intensity it will encounter from a deep space mission. The craft will travel a distance of 3,600 miles from the Earth and re-enter the planet's atmosphere rocketing at a speed of 20,000 mph.

The test will be controlled by a flight control team that is located at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. This will be the first of two trials, the next scheduled sometime in 2017. The learnings and experience from the two tests will be vital as NASA plans to use the spacecraft to move onto its 2021's first crewed mission.

NASA officials explain that "The reason that Orion is traveling so far and coming back in so fast is to give the heat shield a good workout - the idea is to get as close as possible to the temperatures Orion would experience during a return from Mars," said the agency representatives on Thursday.

"At the speed it will be traveling, the temperature should reach almost 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit," they continued. "At that same temperature, a nuclear reactor would melt down."

Gizmag.com adds that the "Orion is slated to be launched into space atop a Delta-2 Heavy rocket on December 4th of this year."

Some of the critical areas of testing include the Launch Abort System (LAS), the emergency mechanism that will protect astronauts from danger should any unforeseen circumstances occur during lift off.

It will also test the spacecrafts's heat shield that measures 16.5 feet wide, the largest constructed to date. The speed will give the shield a good test and give the capsule a temperature test that is similar to what it would experience upon returning from Mars.

It was designed to protect crew members during re-entry with Gizmag.com explaining that "Upon contact with the atmosphere, the heat shield is designed to slowly degrade, drawing the intense heat of re-entry away from the crew module in the process."

The third element of the test will be to assess the performance of the parachutes. Two drogue parachutes will provide a majority of the Orion's "brakes" and will be supported by three main chutes that will slow the craft down to 1/1,000 of its initial speed allowing the Orion to touchdown in water at a slower 20 mph, allowing a safe landing.

Just as important will be the testing of the Orion's computer system. The extreme temperatures, rigors of launch and re-entry will test the capacities as well as boundaries of the technology. Additionally, it will also look into radiation shielding,

Below is a video of a computer simulation of the Orion's first flight as well as NASA's video update on the Orion: