Comparison

NASA SAFE vs Explore Orion

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

NASA SAFE

This official safety application provides critical safety alerts and instant access to NASA's safety resources. It includes features for emergency contacts, real-time location sharing with security, and a 'Friend Walk' option to ensure safe travel.

Highlights
  • Emergency contact directory
  • Real-time location sharing with security
  • Friend Walk location tracking
  • Access to safety resources
  • Safety alerts
Features
Read full description

NASA SAFE is the official safety app of NASA. It is the only app that integrates with NASA's safety and security systems. The app will send you important safety alerts and provide instant access to safety resources. NASA SAFE features include: - Emergency Contacts: Contact the correct services for the NASA area in case of an emergency or a non-emergency concern - Mobile Bluelight: Send your location to NASA security in real-time in case of a crisis - Friend Walk: Send your location to a friend through email or SMS on your device. Once the friend accepts the Friend Walk request, the user picks their destination and their friend tracks their location in real time; they can keep an eye on them to make sure they make it safely to their destination. - Security Guidance: Enhance your safety with the set of resources provided in one convenient app.

About

Explore Orion

Explore NASA's Orion spacecraft, designed for deep space missions. Learn about its design, construction, and the upcoming Artemis I mission. Engage with interactive features like a 3D model viewer and trivia.

Highlights
  • 3D Orion spacecraft model viewer
  • Send messages to Orion
  • Artemis mission facts
  • Orion trivia
  • Development timeline
  • Video library
  • Ask Lockheed Martin feature
Features
Read full description

Hop onboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft, the exploration-class vehicle designed for deep space by Lockheed Martin for the Artemis missions that will take humanity back to the Moon. Gain insights to the upcoming Artemis I mission, see how Orion was designed and built, and uncover interesting information about the only spacecraft capable of safely carrying astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit and into the depths of space. Features Include: * 3D model viewer of Orion. * Callisto integration so you can send your message to Orion as it flies to the Moon during the Artemis I mission. * Interesting factoids about Orion and Artemis. * Trivia to test your knowledge about Orion. * A timeline of Orion’s development, Artemis I mission milestones, and relevant events and information. * A video library with Orion and Artemis related content * Ask Lockheed Martin – if there’s something you’d like to know, just ask! Popular questions will be addressed first.

Screenshots

NASA SAFE4 screens
Explore Orion4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Explore Orion at 100% against NASA SAFE's 33%. Explore Orion also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 4 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Explore Orion holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 12 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of NASA SAFE's written reviews are positive against 100% of Explore Orion's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NASA SAFE ships an update every 4 months, Explore Orion every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
NASA SAFE versus Explore Orion: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNASA SAFEExplore Orion
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (12 ratings)5.0 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1212
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB161 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNASALockheed Martin

Customer experience

NASA SAFE

All ratings11 ratings
Positive81.8%
Neutral9.1%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative33.3%

Explore Orion

All ratings12 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

NASA SAFE

No in-app purchases

None

Explore Orion

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NASA SAFE free?
NASA SAFE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Explore Orion free?
Explore Orion is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, NASA SAFE or Explore Orion?
Explore Orion is rated higher. NASA SAFE averages 4.5 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Explore Orion averages 5.0 from 12 ratings.
Do NASA SAFE or Explore Orion have ads?
Neither NASA SAFE nor Explore Orion shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NASA SAFE or Explore Orion?
NASA SAFE ships an update every 4 months, and Explore Orion every 3 days. Most recently, NASA SAFE was updated on November 5, 2026 and Explore Orion on November 3, 2026.

Other comparisons