The US space agency, NASA’s Orion capsule is heading home. The vehicle conducted a big engine burn in the vicinity of the Moon that now commits it to a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
It was the last major powered manoeuvre for the next-generation crew ship. A trouble-free return at the weekend will see astronauts climb aboard Orion for its next mission in late 2024.
According to media reports, NASA is planning a series of ever more complex outings for the capsule and its launch rocket, as part of its Artemis programme.
A week ago, Orion broke the distance record for a habitable capsule, venturing 450,000 kilometers from the Earth. NASA said, once it returns to Earth, Orion will have traveled more than 2.25 million kilometers.
LIVE NOW: @NASA_Orion is harnessing the Moon’s gravity to accelerate back toward Earth.
The spacecraft is expected to fly about 79 miles above the lunar surface at 11:42am ET (1642 UTC). #Artemis https://t.co/OF9vmKVsQK
— NASA (@NASA) December 5, 2022
