NASA’s Orion spacecraft has returned to the moon’s gravitational zone, called the lunar influence field. On its way back to Earth, the spacecraft is currently traveling on a mission Artemis I around the Moon, and this landmark marks an important point on the return journey as the Moon becomes the primary gravitational force acting on the spacecraft.
Orion entered the lunar field of influence when the spacecraft was located just under 40,000 miles from the lunar surface, and will now continue to travel in this field of influence until tomorrow, Tuesday, December 6.
Orion also recently tested reaction control engines, which are the ones that will be used during the spacecraft’s re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, and NASA wrote in an update: “While the crew’s thrusters will be tested a few days before Orion’s launch to Earth, its primary role is happening.” In the last hour before crashing into the Pacific Ocean, following the crew module and service module are separated, thrusters will be used RCS to the crew module to ensure the spacecraft is properly oriented for re-entry, with the heat shield pointed forward, and stabilized during descent under parachutes.”
This test is such a task Artemis I More broadly, it is part of the preparations for the mission Artemis II Planned to be launched, a group of astronauts will enter Orion and travel a similar trajectory to the Artemis 1 mission, traveling around the moon.
Aim mission Artemis III Futurism aims to land astronauts on the moon. Before a manned mission can happen, new hardware such as the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft must be tested, which is the purpose of this current uncrewed mission.
