NASA's Artemis mission will end soon020 Archives following a 25-day maiden voyage around the moon, but only after surviving the most intense re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, the space agency has ever attempted.
So far the new hardware has performed exceptionally well on this inaugural spaceflight, a crucial test before NASA is ready to put astronauts aboard in 2024. But to receive the stamp of approval, NASA needs to prove its new moonship, Orion, can not only survive space but the incredibly hot and fast return home—no small feat. It'll be traveling 32 times the speed of sound and will have to endure heat up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit, half the temperature of the sun's surface.
The return will also involve a so-called "skip entry," an unprecedented maneuver that will dip the ship into the atmosphere twice to slow it down and decrease the G-force loads on any would-be passengers. When humans are subjected to forces much greater than normal gravity, their hearts are put under tremendous stress, causing dizziness and sometimes blackouts.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
The U.S. space agency will provide a live broadcast on its website of its recovery of Orion beginning at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, Dec. 11. The capsule is expected to hit the Pacific Ocean at 12:39 p.m. At that point, the Navy will assist NASA's crew in towing the spacecraft to a ship for a safety checkout.
The Orion spacecraft is speeding toward Earth now, after having completed an engine burn and a close approach around the moon on Monday to harness its gravity for a slingshot back home. The flyby allowed for a dazzling photo-op of an earthrise.
Want more scienceand tech news delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newslettertoday.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
NASA has selected a splashdown site off the Baja peninsula, putting it on a trajectory that will avoid bad weather over the Pacific Ocean. Normally, the team would plan for a landing a few miles off the coast of San Diego, California. According to Ascent and Entry Flight Director Judd Frieling during a mission briefing Thursday, after seeing forecasts of a cold front moving right around the time Orion was to be expected, NASA decided to direct the moonship to a spot about 300 nautical miles south.
Because of the daylight re-entry, it's unlikely anyone on Guadalupe Island will see Orion fall through the sky, unless they're on a boat 100 miles at sea, said Jim Jeffries, Orion spacecraft integration manager.
"You're more likely to hear the sonic boom as the vehicle approaches than anything," he said.
NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for May 19: Tips to solve Connections #238
Poco X3 GT offers a big battery and 120Hz display for $299
There's a robot sinking basketballs at the Tokyo Olympics. It's wild.
Time magazine's new cover takes aim at Trump's fiery first year
New MIT report reveals energy costs of AI tools like ChatGPT
Cryptocurrency pickup lines will make your Tinder success surge to an all
How to take stunning long exposure photos on your iPhone
Here's what Merriam
NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for May 19: Tips to solve Connections #238
AppleTV+'s 'Central Park' closes out a charming and ambitious second season
Best Samsung deal: Save $60 on 64GB Samsung Galaxy Tab A9
From old favorites to 'Old': Every M. Night Shyamalan thriller, ranked
Willow speaks candidly about panic attacks and pressure Black women face in pop
Nokia revives the legendary 6310 phone with a larger, curvy display
Pairing CPUs and GPUs: PC Upgrades and Bottlenecking
Willow speaks candidly about panic attacks and pressure Black women face in pop
President Trump shares his semi
How to filter abusive comments and direct messages on Instagram
Sony PULSE Elite PS5 headset open
Time magazine's new cover takes aim at Trump's fiery first year
Concerned kid writes vet adorable email after her cat drank strawberry milkThe fall heat wave was gnarlyActivists sailing to Chile from Amsterdam, following Greta Thunberg's footstepsAfter 11 years, the feud between Chili's and 'The Office's Pam Beesly is now overNetflix's 'Living Undocumented' tackles hotReport says Apple increasing iPhone 11 production after strong demandWatch the controversial speech slamming Trump in UK ParliamentInstagram's new messaging app is for 'close friends' onlyMum slams Trump on Facebook for calling daughter's murder 'terrorism'UK mosques open up to visitors for food, tea, and a chance to talkElizabeth Warren responds to Jacob Wohl's sexcapade smear campaign with a cougar jokeKellyanne Conway follows @NoToFeminism, but does she get the joke?Mash up all your favourite 2000s tunes with this very addictive websiteUnder Armour CEO endorses Trump, Twitter users endorse shopping elsewhere'Shade' is officially in the dictionary, honeyI ran speed tests on Sprint's 5G network and recorded everythingRachel Maddow has been cast in CW's 'Batwoman'I love the 'Destiny 2' Twitter that just shares bonkers Steam namesHillary Clinton assures 'the future is female' in inspiring video comebackJust a bunch of amazing cosplay from New York Comic Con Ariana Grande is cool with all her exes in new song 'thank u, next' Palau is the world's first country to ban sunscreen toxic to coral reefs Apple's sky How Netflix's 'Sabrina' fails its intersectional feminist promise The hackers getting paid to keep the internet safe This guy's Slack app costume is pretty spot on How people with disabilities are kept from voting — and what you can do about it San Francisco Google employees walk out in protest of sexual harassment Why 'Torch Song' on Broadway is worth checking out: Review The first photo from 'Game of Thrones' Season 8 is finally here You can now order from Uber Eats and expense it to your company 'Fortnite' fans are going wild after the big, purple cube disappeared Rihanna visited the massive, headless Rihanna statue in Germany McDonald's recalls Happy Meal fitness tracker Could Trump's campaign shake up signal a big move into media? Donald Trump called himself 'Mr. Brexit' and Twitter is confused Why Apple will no longer report iPhone sales Every single terrible hat Rory and Lorelai wore on 'Gilmore Girls' British athlete robbed at gunpoint in Rio, reports say The Eye of Sauron loomed over San Francisco for Halloween