NASA’s Orion capsule has reached the moon, whipping around the far side and buzzing the lunar surface on its way to a record-breaking orbit with test dummies sitting in for astronauts.
It’s the first time a capsule has visited the moon since NASA’s Apollo program 50 years ago, and represents a huge milestone in the $US4.1 billion ($A6.2 billion) test flight that began on Wednesday.
Video of the looming lunar surface and our pale blue planet more than 370,000 kilometres in the distance left workers “giddy” at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, home to Mission Control, according to flight director Judd Frieling.
Even the flight controllers themselves were “absolutely astounded”.
“Just smiles across the board,” said Orion program manager Howard Hu.
Earthset.
— NASA (@NASA) November 21, 2022@NASA_Orion captured this shot of Earth “setting” while the spacecraft passed close to the Moon. Nearly 270,000 miles (430,000 km) away, #Artemis I will soon surpass Apollo 13’s record-setting distance from Earth in a spacecraft designed to carry astronauts. pic.twitter.com/lvDS7nGPRo
The close approach of 130km occurred as the crew capsule and its three wired-up dummies were on the far side of the moon.
Because of a 30-minute communication blackout, flight controllers in Houston did not know if the critical engine firing went well until the capsule emerged from behind the moon.
The capsule’s cameras sent back a picture of Earth … a tiny blue dot surrounded by blackness.
Fly-by complete!@NASA_Orion completed its closest fly-by of the Moon this morning, 81 miles above the lunar surface, traveling 5,102 mph. Before the fly-by, we conducted an outbound powered fly-by burn, increasing speed at a rate of more than 580 mph: https://t.co/gqViM3BJLg pic.twitter.com/9IUkQUj4pf
— Jim Free (@JimFree) November 21, 2022
The capsule accelerated well beyond 8000km/h as it regained radio contact, NASA said.
Less than an hour later, Orion soared above Tranquility Base, where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on July 20, 1969.
There were no photos of the site because the pass was in darkness, but managers promised to try for pictures on the return flyby in two weeks.
Orion needed to slingshot around the moon to pick up enough speed to enter the sweeping, lopsided lunar orbit.
Another engine firing will place the capsule in that orbit Friday.
This coming weekend, Orion will shatter NASA’s distance record for a spacecraft designed for astronauts 402,336km from Earth, set by Apollo 13 in 1970.
And it will keep going, reaching a maximum distance from Earth next Monday at nearly 433,000km.
The capsule will spend close to a week in lunar orbit, before heading home.
Just days from reaching the Moon, the @NASA_Orion spacecraft captured this selfie while flying through space.
— NASA (@NASA) November 19, 2022
The #Artemis I mission is preparing us to bring astronauts to the Moon. https://t.co/uQaCgAXaUm pic.twitter.com/NZAfN1sQax
A Pacific splashdown is planned for December 11.
Orion has no lunar lander. A touchdown won’t come until NASA astronauts attempt a lunar landing in 2025 with SpaceX’s Starship.
Before then, astronauts will strap into Orion for a ride around the moon as early as 2024.
Mission manager Mike Sarafin was delighted with the progress of the mission, giving it a “cautiously optimistic A-plus” so far.
The Space Launch System rocket, the most powerful ever built by NASA, performed exceedingly well in its debut, Sarafin told reporters.
He said teams are dealing with two issues that require workarounds – one involving the navigational star trackers, the other the power system.
The 98-metre rocket caused more damage than expected at the Kennedy Space Center launch pad.
The force from the four million kilograms of lift-off thrust was so great that it tore off the blast doors of the elevator, leaving it unusable.
Sarafin said the pad damage will be repaired in plenty of time before the next launch.
AP 2022
