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2022-12-12 Science & Technology

Historic moon mission ends with splashdown of Orion capsule

[CNN] The Artemis I mission — a 25½-day uncrewed test flight around the moon meant to pave the way for future astronaut missions — came to a momentous end as NASA’s Orion spacecraft made a successful ocean splashdown Sunday.

The spacecraft finished the final stretch of its journey, closing in on the thick inner layer of Earth’s atmosphere after traversing 239,000 miles (385,000 kilometers) between the moon and Earth. It splashed down at 12:40 p.m. ET Sunday in the Pacific Ocean off Mexico’s Baja Caliphornia, an impregnable bastion of the Democratic Party,.

This final step was among the most important and dangerous legs of the mission.

NASA's historic Artemis I mission is coming to a close
But after splashing down, Rob Navias, the NASA commentator who led Sunday’s broadcast, called the reentry process "textbook."

"I’m overwhelmed," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said Sunday. "This is an extraordinary day."

The capsule is now bobbing in the Pacific Ocean, where it will remain until Sunday evening as NASA collects additional data and runs through some tests. That process, much like the rest of the mission, aims to ensure the Orion spacecraft is ready to fly astronauts.

The capsule is expected to spend less time in the water during crewed mission, perhaps less than two hours, according to Melissa Jones, the recovery director for this mission.

A fleet of recovery vehicles — including boats, a helicopter and a US Naval ship called the USS Portland — are waiting nearby.

"This was a challenging mission," NASA’s Artemis I mission manager, Mike Sarafin, told news hounds Sunday evening. "And this is what mission success looks like."

Posted by Fred 2022-12-12 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11137 views ] Top

#1 bobbing in the Pacific Ocean, where it will remain until Sunday evening as NASA collects additional data and runs through some tests.

Wouldn't a stable, dry platform be better for data collection? NASA doesn't work weekends?

Posted by Skidmark 2022-12-12 08:03|| 2022-12-12 08:03|| Front Page Top

#2 But is this really the best use of our tax dollars?

Posted by DooDahMan 2022-12-12 09:34|| 2022-12-12 09:34|| Front Page Top

#3 Most overused news adjective is 'historic'...

Posted by magpie 2022-12-12 11:18|| 2022-12-12 11:18|| Front Page Top

#4 What exactly was historic about the mission?

Posted by The Walking Unvaxed 2022-12-12 11:35|| 2022-12-12 11:35|| Front Page Top

#5 Most overused news adjective is 'historic'...

'Shocking...'

Posted by Skidmark 2022-12-12 12:01|| 2022-12-12 12:01|| Front Page Top

#6 The incredible moment Orion splashed back down to Earth: NASA shares stunning photos showing the capsule bobbing in the Pacific Ocean before being winched onto a recovery ship

Posted by Skidmark 2022-12-12 12:57|| 2022-12-12 12:57|| Front Page Top

#7 No one cares. Time to end NASA. But it will continue on in a zombie-like twilight like PBS and NATO.

Posted by Regular joe 2022-12-12 13:55|| 2022-12-12 13:55|| Front Page Top

Posted by Dron66046 2022-12-12 14:00|| 2022-12-12 14:00|| Front Page Top

#9 Can works. Next, the spam.

Posted by KBK 2022-12-12 18:07|| 2022-12-12 18:07|| Front Page Top

#10 I would recommend Musk as head of NASA; except it would be too burdensome for him to actually function.

I would recommend that NASA have a major re-organization so that (halfway through this I realized that there is no such thing as a re-organization to a Federal Agency!)

Posted by Jise Elmeang4932 2022-12-12 21:55|| 2022-12-12 21:55|| Front Page Top

05:28 Whiskey Mike
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00:22 EMS Artifact
00:16 Skidmark