Orion Spacecraft Recovery Practice | NASA's Artemis I Moon Mission

Orion Spacecraft Recovery Practice | NASA's Artemis I Moon Mission

NASA's Landing and Recovery Team practices bringing a mock Orion capsule into the well deck of the USS Portland (LPD 27) 

NASA's Landing and Recovery Team practices bringing a mock Orion capsule into the well deck of the USS Portland (LPD 27) 

U.S. Navy divers and other personnel in a rigid hull Zodiac boat have attached tether lines to a test version of the Orion crew module during Underway Recovery Test 5 in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.

A test version of the Orion crew module floats outside the well deck of the USS San Diego during Orion Underway Recovery Test 5 in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California

NASA's Landing and Recovery Team practices bringing a mock Orion capsule into the well deck of the USS Portland (LPD 27)

NASA and DoD members of the Artemis I recovery team run practice flight operations procedures aboard the USS Portland (LPD 27)

NASA and DoD members of the Artemis I recovery team run practice flight operations procedures aboard the USS Portland (LPD 27)

A colorful sunrise illuminates the water on the second day of Underway Recovery Test 5 in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California

NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program and the U.S. Navy conducted a series of tests using the USS San Diego, various watercraft and equipment to practice for recovery of Orion on its return from deep space missions. The testing allowed the team to demonstrate and evaluate recovery processes, procedures, hardware and personnel in open waters. 

Flight Day 26: NASA's Orion spacecraft is returning to Earth. Orion is currently less than 10,000 miles/16,000 km away. Traveling at 13,000 mph/21,000 kmh and accelerating.

The Orion spacecraft is on its last day in space with splashdown off the Baja Coast near Guadalupe Island in the Pacific Ocean targeted for 11:39 a.m. CST (12:39 p.m. EST) on Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022.

Orion launched on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022. Artemis I is an uncrewed flight test of our SLS rocket, Orion spacecraft, and exploration ground systems for future Artemis missions—which will provide the foundation to send humans to the lunar surface, develop a long-term presence on and around the Moon, and pave the way for humanity to set foot on Mars.

More on Artemis I: https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis-i

Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Image Dates: Oct. 2016-Dec. 9, 2022

Release Date: Dec. 11, 2022

#NASA #ESA #Space #Earth #Moon #Artemis #ArtemisI #Orion #Spacecraft #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #JourneyToMars #Science #Engineering #Technology #Exploration #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #UnitedStates #Europe #International #STEM #Education