That is one fancy keelboat!

NASA/Ashley Moreno and Megan Sumner

In the Orion Command Module mockup behind me, I trained for a future deep-space mission, like to the vicinity of the Moon, or even Mars -- farther than a pup like me or anybody has ever gone before!

This was my favorite part of my visit to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston: the Orion Command Module mockup. Orion is not as big as Lewis’ and Clark’s keelboat, which had a crew of 27. But this capsule can carry up to four astronauts on a 21-day mission, keeping them safe in deep space. NASA is going to test the spacecraft without a crew on an upcoming mission, called Exploration Mission 1. The first astronauts will fly Orion in the early 2020s

Traveling in the spirit of a Newfoundland dog that became one of the most famous members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Seaman Jr. will enjoy the sights of our home planet from the International Space Station, including amazing views of our national trails, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the National Trails Actand NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration 60th anniversary.

The National Park Service and Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail invite you to learn more about Seaman, Jr.’s space journey! Follow his blog (go.nps.gov/NewfieNews) for special updates to see all of the missions in space and flashbacks to his training adventures at NASA centers and on the national trails.