NASA's Orion spacecraft 'slingshots' around Moon on way back home

NASA's Orion spaceship on Monday (December 6) made a close pass of the Moon, using its gravity to 'slingshot' itself back towards Earth. This has marked the start of its return journey.

The uncrewed flight capsule was less than 80 miles 130 kilometres) from the surface of the Moon at its closest approach. It tested manoeuvres that will be used during later Artemis missions. These missions will mark return of humans to Earth's only satellite.

Communication with the capsule was interrupted for 30 minutes when it was behind the far side of the Moon -- an area more cratered than the near side and first seen by humans during the Apollo era, although they didn't land there.

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The European Service Module, which powers the capsule, fired its main engine for over three minutes to put the gumdrop-shaped Orion on course for home.

"We couldn't be more pleased about how the spacecraft is performing," Debbie Korth, Orion Program deputy manager, said later.

As spectacular footage flashed on their screens once communication was restored, she told a news conference, "everybody in the room, we just kind of had to stop and pause, and just really look -- Wow, we're saying goodbye to the moon."

Last major manoeuvre of the mission took place on Monday.

NASA's Artemis-1 mission began when the mega Moon rocket SLS blasted off on November 16.

Orion will now make only slight course corrections until it splashes down in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego on Sunday, December 11 at 9:40 am local time (1740 GMT). It will then be recovered and hoisted aboard a US Navy ship.

(With inputs from agencies)

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