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Artemis 1's Orion capsule still on track for Monday moon flyby

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Elderberry:
Space.com By Mike Wall 11/18/2022

Orion is performing even better than expected in deep space, Artemis 1 team members said.

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion capsule is exceeding expectations in deep space and remains on target to fly by the moon on Monday (Nov. 21), agency officials said.

The Artemis 1 mission launched on Wednesday morning (Nov. 16), sending an uncrewed Orion toward the moon atop a huge Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. This is Orion's first-ever journey beyond Earth orbit, but the capsule has been checking boxes like a veteran, mission team members said.

"Orion has been performing great so far," Jim Geffre, NASA's Orion vehicle integration manager, said during a press briefing on Friday afternoon (Nov. 18). "All of the systems are exceeding expectations from a performance standpoint."

Orion will reach the moon on Monday (Nov. 21), skimming just 81 miles (130 kilometers) above the dusty gray surface at 7:44 a.m. EST (1244 GMT). The mission plan calls for the capsule to conduct a crucial 2.5-minute-long engine burn during that close approach, a maneuver that will set the stage for insertion into lunar orbit four days later.

Artemis 1 team members will decide whether or not to commit to that "powered flyby burn" following a meeting on Saturday (Nov. 19). It would be surprising at this point, however, if they ended up changing the plan.

"Right now we're looking good, and we're ready to go continue executing," Artemis 1 Flight Director Jeff Radigan said during Friday's briefing.

More: https://www.space.com/nasa-artemis-1-orion-on-track-moon-arrival

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