Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft sees the moon for the first time in video
NASA’s Orion spacecraft spotted the destination of its Artemis 1 test flight to the moon and captured a stunning video to mark the moment.
In a video released on Friday (November 18), the half-illuminated moon is seen in the distance with Orion spacecraft in the foreground, complete with NASA’s “worm” logo, as seen from a camera atop one of the capsule’s four sun wings. at this time, Orion was halfway to the moonNASA said in a statement.
“On the third day of the Artemis I mission, Orion maneuvered its solar arrays and captured The moon with a camera mounted at the end of the array,” NASA wrote in video description (opens in new tab).
NASA launched Orion on an unmanned mission Artemis 1 mission on Wednesday (Nov. 16) atop the agency’s first Space Launch System (SLS), which is now the most powerful rocket in the world. Orion will make a 25-day trip to the moon and back on a rumbling ship cruise, returning to Earth on December 11. NASA used the mission as a test flight for Artemis program to see if the SLS rocket and Orion are ready to fly astronauts to the moon, with a manned lunar landing planned for 2025.
The video is the latest amazing view from Orionwhich is equipped with 24 cameras located on the exterior, solar arrays and interior to chronicle its historic test flight.
Photos from the Artemis 1 launch: Incredible views from the debut of NASA’s moon rocket
Live Updates: NASA’s Artemis 1 lunar mission
In the hours immediately following launch, Orion’s imaged a trailing Earth crescent as it made its way to the Moon. Check it out below.
NASA also released a new one Artemis All-Access Video Series which will provide weekly updates on the mission as it ventures to the Moon and back.
The first episode, which NASA also released on Friday, details the first three days of the Artemis 1 mission, including stunning views of the spacecraft’s separation from the SLS rocket’s upper stage, cubesat deployment stages and an update from NASA’s Dan Huot on how the mission went so far. Check out the video below to check it out.
Early Saturday (Nov. 19), the Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft was 216,391 miles (348,247 kilometers) from Earth, 93,048 miles (149,746 km) from the Moon and flying through space at 995 miles per hour (1,601 km/h), according to NASA. You can track Orion through space on its mission via NASA’s Track Artemis website (opens in new tab).
So far, Orion’s flight went relatively smoothlywith NASA mission managers saying it has exceeded their expectations despite minor problems as engineers learn how the spacecraft performs in deep space.
On Monday morning (Nov. 21), Artemis 1 Orion will make its closest approach to the moon on a flyby, coming within 60 miles (100 km) of the moon as it prepares to complete its full wide circular orbit.
NASA will broadcast live Artemis 1’s flyby of the moon beginning at 7:15 a.m. EST (12:15 GMT), with the time of closest approach scheduled for just after 7:57 a.m. EST (1257 GMT). Orion will enter its final orbit around the moon on Nov. 25 at 4:52 a.m. EST (2152 GMT), with NASA coverage beginning at 4:30 a.m. EST (2130 GMT). You can watch live broadcasts of NASA’s Artemis 1 Orion on Space.com, courtesy of NASA TV.
Email Tariq Malik at [email protected] (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).
#Artemis #Orion #spacecraft #sees #moon #time #video
