NASA’s Orion capsule heads home

The US space agency, NASA’s Orion capsule is heading home. The vehicle conducted a big engine burn in the vicinity of the Moon that now commits it to a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. It was the last major powered manoeuvre for the next-generation crew ship. A trouble-free return at the weekend will see astronauts climb aboard Orion for its next mission in late 2024.

According to media reports, NASA is planning a series of ever more complex outings for the capsule and its launch rocket, as part of its Artemis programme. A week ago, Orion broke the distance record for a habitable capsule, venturing 450,000 kilometers from the Earth. NASA said, once it returns to Earth, Orion will have traveled more than 2.25 million kilometers.