Yes, believe it or not, it has been a whole year! On Dec. 11, 2022, NASA’s uncrewed Orion capsule made its successful return to Earth, marking the conclusion of the groundbreaking Artemis 1 moon mission.
The homecoming was nothing short of mesmerizing, as captured by the footage from Orion itself – a dramatic plunge through Earth’s atmosphere, leaving a fiery trail in the sky.
This incredible clip was shared by NASA on Monday (Dec. 11), with the full 25-minute Orion reentry video available here. That’s not all! The bird’s-eye view from the Orion capsule can be seen here X.
The mission began on Nov. 16, 2022, when a Space Launch System (SLS) megarocket launched the uncrewed Orion from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The liftoff marked the SLS’s first-ever launch, proudly catapulting the most powerful rocket currently in operation into our stratosphere.
Artemis 1 Orion’s journey around the moon was impeccable before its return, circling the lunar satellite for almost a week before commencing its voyage back to Earth. Hurtling through our planet’s thick atmosphere at an incredible 24,500 mph (39,400 kph), the capsule’s heat shield was put to the ultimate test.
The heat shield held up but not without a few surprises.
NASA is readying itself for Artemis 2, which is slated to be the first crewed flight in the Artemis program. Like Artemis 1, it will utilize the SLS and Orion. The upcoming mission will send four astronauts on a journey around the moon and back to Earth – a pioneering endeavor indeed!
Artemis 2 is expected to launch in 2024, followed by Artemis 3, a mission aimed at landing astronauts on the lunar surface in late 2025 or 2026. If successful, it will lay the foundation for a permanent human presence on and around the moon. Furthermore, the knowledge garnered through these missions will be invaluable as we set our sights on Mars in the years to come.