Feed from NASA Orion Capsule Shows the Dark Side of The Moon and a Crescent Earth

NASAs Orion spacecraft is on its way back to Earth after conducting its second close approach to the moon on Monday as part of the Artemis 1 mission. A video shared by the U.S. space agency shows the moment ground control regained Orions signal after it passed behind the moon. The dark side of the moon looms large and close, with a crescent Earth visible in the distance. The uncrewed capsule passed just 80.6 miles above the lunar surface at 10:43 a.m. CT Monday, before its powered flyby burn sent it on its path to Earth. “The lunar flyby enabled the spacecraft to harness the Moons gravity and slingshot it back toward Earth for splashdown,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. Orion is scheduled to splash down off the coast of California on Sunday, Dec. 11. “Last week, we completed our final rehearsal with the USS Portland, which will be our recovery ship for Artemis I,” said Melissa Jones, landing and recovery director, NASAs Kennedy Space Center. Artemis 1 saw the first launch of the new SLS super heavy-lift expendable launch vehicle on Nov. 16, and sent an Orion crew capsule on a distant orbit past the moon. Artemis 2 could see four astronauts orbit the moon in 2024, before a landing mission in 2025 or 2026, according to NASA. The agency said missions to Mars will follow.