On November 16, 14:47, NASA Space Launch System (SLS) with Orion spacecraft launched liftoff. The mission, called Artemis 1, was an unmanned lunar orbit test mission in preparation for the subsequent manned lunar orbit on Artemis 2 and manned lunar landing on Artemis 3.
After 25.5 days and 1.4 million miles in space, the unmanned Orion spacecraft splashed down near Guadalupe Island near the California Peninsula at approximately 1:40 a.m. BST, marking the success of NASA’s milestone Artemis I mission and the start of the next manned mission, Artemis II.
During the mission around the moon, the Orion spacecraft reportedly reached within 60 miles (about 96.6 kilometers) of the moon and reached the farthest point in space, nearly 270,000 miles (about 435,000 kilometers) from Earth.
According to the report, the Orion capsule entered the Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of about 24,500 mph, while its heat shield withstood a temperature of about 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which could not be simulated on Earth, which validates its reliability as a manned spacecraft.
When it reached an altitude of about 24,000 feet above the ground, the capsule then deployed its parachute to complete the deceleration and has now completed the recovery. NASA also said it would obtain data from the ship’s sensor-equipped dummy model in order to prepare for future missions to the moon involving real people.
“This flight test is an important step in Artemis’ lunar exploration program, from the launch of the world’s most powerful rocket to its extraordinary journey around the moon and back to Earth,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. “Today is also a tremendous victory for NASA, the United States, our international partners and all of humanity.”
▲ A view of Earth captured by the Orion spacecraft as it begins its re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. (Image source: NASA)
