"Very exciting," said Mark Geyer, NASA's Orion project manager. "The launch itself was just a blast. We're looking forward for the rest of the day."

A precise launch date for the 2018 flight test has not been set, though NASA is expected to determine a new target date by late spring 2015.

A precise launch date for the 2018 flight test has not been set, though NASA is expected to determine a new target date by late spring 2015.

"We'll go make sure we have a happy rocket," vowed United Launch Alliance COO Dan Collins. "As soon as we do that, we will get back to the pad and send Orion off to a very successful flight."

NASA, Lockheed Martin look to a second launch attempt on Friday at 7:05 a.m., EST.

ILS says a spare Briz-M gyro unit in Baikonur is being swapped for the faulty one, which was removed and sent back to the manufacturer last week.

"I know I have done nothing special to be the first Italian woman to fly to space," said European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti.

Ahead of merger, ATK assessed “political risks” of Orbital's new engine choice.