NASA’s Orion spacecraft spotted the destination of the Artemis 1 test flight and captured a stunning video to mark the moment.
The video, released on Friday (November 18), shows a half-bright moon in the distance, Orion spacecraft in the foreground, as seen from a camera on the tip of one of the capsule’s four solar fins, complete with NASA’s “worm” logo. in time, Orion was halfway to the moonNASA said in a statement.
“On the third day of the Artemis I mission, Orion maneuvered and captured the solar arrays. month with a camera mounted on the end of the array,” NASA wrote video description (opens in new tab).
NASA launched the unmanned Orion into space Artemis 1 The agency’s first mission on Wednesday (November 16). Space launch system (SLS), currently the most powerful rocket in the world. Orion will make a 25-day trip to the Moon and fly on a shakedown cruise that will return to Earth in December. 11. NASA is using this mission as a test flight Artemis program To see if the SLS rocket and Orion are ready to fly astronauts to the moon by 2025 with a manned lunar landing.
The video is the latest Amazing view from OrionIt is equipped with exterior, solar arrays and 24 cameras dotted throughout the interior to record the historic test flight.
Artemis 1 launch photos: Amazing footage from NASA’s moon rocket debut
Live updates: NASA’s Artemis 1 moon mission
A few hours after launch, Orion captured the receding crescent Earth as it headed toward the Moon. Check it out below.
NASA also started a new business Artemis All-Access video series It will provide weekly updates on the mission as it travels to the moon and back.
The first episode, also released by NASA on Friday, chronicles the first three days of the Artemis 1 mission, including stunning footage of the spacecraft’s separation from the upper stage of the SLS rocket, cubesat deployment stages and an update on how the mission went from NASA’s Dan Huot. gone so far Watch the video below to check it out.
As of early Saturday (November 19), the Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft was 216,391 miles (348,247) away. kilometers), it travels 93,048 miles (149,746 km) from Earth and 995 miles (1,601 km/h) in space, according to NASA. You can Follow Orion through space on NASA’s Track Artemis mission website (opens in new tab).
till now, Orion’s flight went relatively smoothlyDespite minor hiccups as engineers learned how the spacecraft performed in deep space, NASA mission managers said it exceeded their expectations.
On Monday morning (Nov. 21), Artemis 1 Orion will make its closest flyby, coming within 60 miles (100 km) of the moon as it prepares to complete its wide, looping orbit.
NASA will broadcast Artemis 1’s lunar flyby live beginning at 7:15 a.m. EST (1215 GMT), with closest approach scheduled for 7:57 a.m. EST (1257 GMT). Orion will enter its final orbit around the Moon in November. 25 at 4:52 p.m. EST (2152 GMT), with NASA coverage at 4:30 p.m. EST (2130 GMT). You can Watch NASA’s Artemis 1 Orion webcasts live On Space.com, courtesy of NASA TV.
Email Tariq Malik tmalik@space.com (opens in new tab) or follow him @tariqjmalik (opens in new tab). Follow us @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab), Facebook (opens in new tab) and Instagram (opens in new tab).
