The Orion spacecraft is about to embark on the final leg of the Artemis mission around the Moon. On Thursday evening, the engines of the spacecraft with which the spaceship will begin its return trip to Earth will start.
The spacecraft is now in orbit around the Moon, about 400,000 km from Earth and about 80,000 km from the Moon. Orion flies at a speed of about 3,300 kilometers per hour.
On Thursday at 22:53 Dutch time, the engines must be started for the ship to leave the runway. Then it dives past the moon. This pendulum should give it enough speed to move away from the Moon and cross over to Earth. Orion is scheduled to hit the Pacific Ocean on December 11th.
became Orion It was launched on November 16th, with no people on board. About a week after departure, the spaceship Diving To enter an elliptical orbit around the moon. After a week I arrived The farthest distance ever A spacecraft designed to transport people. It was then 430,000 km from Earth.
The first lunar mission, Artemis, aims to test all systems in the capsule. The next mission is scheduled for 2024. Then the spaceship should fly around the moon with four people on board. During the third mission, around the year 2025, humans will set foot on the moon again for the first time since 1972.
Orion consists of two parts. The astronauts will later be seated in the forward part, the American part. The rear part, which provides power and propulsion, was developed by Europe. This also includes the solar panels, which were developed and built by Airbus Nederland from Leiden. NASA says the unmanned spacecraft is doing better than expected.
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