Nasa capsule buzzes moon, last big step before lunar orbit
- It’s the first time a capsule has visited the moon since Nasa’s Apollo programme 50 years ago
- The capsule will spend close to a week in lunar orbit, before heading home. A Pacific splashdown is planned for December 11
Nasa’s Orion capsule reached the moon on Monday, whipping around the back side and passing within 128 kilometres (80 miles) on its way to a record-breaking lunar orbit.
The close approach occurred as the crew capsule and its three test dummies were on the far side of the moon. Because of the half-hour communication blackout, flight controllers in Houston did not know if the critical engine firing went well until the capsule emerged from behind the moon, more than 375,000 kilometres (232,000 miles) from Earth.
The capsule’s cameras sent back a picture of the world – a tiny blue orb surrounded by blackness.
“Our pale blue dot and its 8 billion human inhabitants now coming into view,” said Mission Control commentator Sandra Jones.
The capsule accelerated well beyond 8,000kph (5,000mph) as it regained radio contact, Nasa said. Less than an hour later, Orion soared above Tranquility Base, where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on July 20, 1969.
It’s the first time a capsule has visited the moon since Nasa’s Apollo programme 50 years ago, and represented a huge milestone in the US$4.1 billion test flight that began last Wednesday. Orion’s flight path took it over the landing sites of Apollo 11, 12 and 14 – humanity’s first three lunar touchdowns.