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NASA's Orion spacecraft offers last breathtaking views of the moon as it begins journey home

The final lunar flyby brought Orion about 80 miles from the moon's surface where the spacecraft flew over some of the Apollo landing sites. Orion will splash down off the coast of San Diego, California, on Dec. 11.

By Emilee Speck Source FOX Weather
After Orion completed its final lunar flyby, the spacecraft fired up its engines to set it on course for its return journey back to Earth. 01:51

Watch Orion's breathtaking final journey around the moon before heading back to Earth

After Orion completed its final lunar flyby, the spacecraft fired up its engines to set it on course for its return journey back to Earth.

NASA's Orion spacecraft zoomed behind the moon once more, providing stunning views again of Earth and our planetary neighbor, before firing up its engines Monday to set it on course for Earth in the final stages of the Artemis 1 mission.

Orion made its final close approach to the moon Monday, traveling around 4,800 mph as it swept by the far side of the lunar surface. After Orion completed its final flyby, the spacecraft cameras captured Earth rising on the horizon and as it swung around the moon. 

The NASA spacecraft has a suite of cameras that have been streaming back views of the moon and Earth since the spacecraft launched on Nov. 16 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

The view of Earthrise next to the moon from NASA's Orion spacecraft on Dec. 5, 2022 as it emerges from behind the moon. The spacecraft completed a return powered flyby burn, swinging around the moon and beginning its journey back to Earth.

The view of Earthrise next to the moon from NASA's Orion spacecraft on Dec. 5, 2022 as it emerges from behind the moon. The spacecraft completed a return powered flyby burn, swinging around the moon and beginning its journey back to Earth. (Image: NASA)

(NASA)

Orion conducts successful engine burn

At 11:43 a.m. EST, the spacecraft completed a successful return-powered flyby (RPF) burn when the orbital maneuver engine fired for 3 minutes and 27 seconds, putting Orion on the correct trajectory to splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 11 after 25.5 days in space. 

Managers in Mission Control at Johnson Space Center in Houston all polled "Go" to conduct the burn about 20 minutes before the planned milestone. 

Watch the replay before the flyby below:

The final lunar flyby brought Orion about 80 miles from the moon's surface, and NASA managers say the spacecraft flew over some of the Apollo landing sites.

Prior to the flyby, NASA lost communication with Orion for about 30 minutes when it was on the far side of the moon. 

When the signal was restored with the Deep Space Network, Orion's view of the lunar craters and features, as well as its destination Earth was breathtaking. The next time this view is available, it will be as NASA astronauts complete the same orbit around the moon during Artemis II.

  • On the 19th day of the Artemis I mission, the Moon grows larger in frame as Orion prepares for the return powered flyby on Dec. 5, when it will pass approximately 79 miles above the lunar surface. (Image: NASA)
    Image 1 of 8

    On the 19th day of the Artemis I mission, the Moon grows larger in frame as Orion prepares for the return powered flyby on Dec. 5, when it will pass approximately 79 miles above the lunar surface. (Image: NASA) ( )

  • Orion’s solar arrays split the difference between Earth and the Moon on flight day 14 of the Artemis I mission in this image captured by a camera on the tip of one of the spacecraft’s four solar arrays.
    Image 2 of 8

    Orion’s solar arrays split the difference between Earth and the Moon on flight day 14 of the Artemis I mission in this image captured by a camera on the tip of one of the spacecraft’s four solar arrays. (Image: NASA) ( )

  • Image 3 of 8

    On flight day 13, Orion continues to distance itself from Earth and the Moon, looking back on our home planet and lunar neighbor as the Moon prepares to eclipse the Earth as seen from Orion. ( )

  • A portion of the far side of the moon looms large just beyond the Orion spacecraft in this image taken on the sixth day of the Artemis I mission by a camera on the tip of one of Orion s solar arrays The spacecraft entered the lunar sphere of influence Sunday, Nov. 20 making the Moon instead of Earth the main gravitational force acting on the spacecraft.
    Image 4 of 8

    A portion of the far side of the moon looms large just beyond the Orion spacecraft in this image taken on the sixth day of the Artemis I mission by a camera on the tip of one of Orion s solar arrays The spacecraft entered the lunar sphere of influence Sunday, Nov. 20 making the Moon instead of Earth the main gravitational force acting on the spacecraft. On Monday, Nov. 21, 2022 it came within 80 miles of the lunar surface the closest approach of the uncrewed Artemis I mission before moving into a distant retrograde orbit around the  moon. (Image: NASA) ( )

  • NASA's Orion spacecraft takes a "selfie" with the moon on Nov. 21, 2022 during the Artemis 1 test flight.
    Image 5 of 8

    NASA's Orion spacecraft takes a "selfie" with the moon on Nov. 21, 2022 during the Artemis 1 test flight. (Image: NASA) ( )

  • The moon as seen by NASA's Orion spacecraft on approach for a lunar flyby on Nov. 21, 2022 during the Artemis 1 test flight.
    Image 6 of 8

    The moon as seen by NASA's Orion spacecraft on approach for a lunar flyby on Nov. 21, 2022 during the Artemis 1 test flight. (Image: NASA) ( )

  • Engineers activated the Callisto payload, Lockheed Martin’s technology demonstration in collaboration with Amazon and Cisco on the Orion spacecraft. Callisto will test voice-activated and video technology that may assist future astronauts on deep space missions.
    Image 7 of 8

    Engineers activated the Callisto payload, Lockheed Martin’s technology demonstration in collaboration with Amazon and Cisco on the Orion spacecraft. Callisto will test voice-activated and video technology that may assist future astronauts on deep space missions. (Image: NASA) ( )

  • The view of Earth from NASA's Orion spacecraft from about 60,000 miles away as it begins the journey to the moon.
    Image 8 of 8

    The view of Earth from NASA's Orion spacecraft from about 60,000 miles away as it begins the journey to the moon. (Image: NASA) ( )

Orion must complete a series of engine burns to return to Earth. The first happened last week, with a 45-second distant retrograde orbit (DRO) departure burn, setting the spacecraft up to begin its flight home.

The spacecraft is now homeward-bound for Earth.

As the spacecraft began flying away from the moon, its cameras captured the last close-up views of the moon.

The view of the moon from NASA's Orion spacecraft on Dec. 5, 2022 as it begins the journey back to Earth. The spacecraft completed a return powered flyby burn, swinging around the moon to head home.

The view of the moon from NASA's Orion spacecraft on Dec. 5, 2022 as it begins the journey back to Earth. The spacecraft completed a return powered flyby burn, swinging around the moon to head home. (Image: NASA)

(NASA)

Orion will splash down off the coast of San Diego, California, on Dec. 11 around 11 a.m., where U.S. Navy recovery teams will be waiting.

NASA will be looking for calm seas, minimal wind and a low chance of precipitation to safely recover the Orion capsule. 

While no astronauts are onboard the Artemis 1 mission, the test flight of Orion and the Space Launch System will set up for Artemis II when NASA plans to fly two astronauts around the moon in Orion. This will be followed by Artemis III, the first human lunar landing in 50 years.

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