Orion sent close-up photos of the Moon to Earth (9 photos + 1 video)

NASA's Orion spacecraft lost contact with Earth on 47 minutes. But before that, the ship transmitted to Earth a series of unique photographs of the moon from unusually close distances.







NASA specialists lost contact with the Orion spacecraft, traveling in space as part of the Artemis 1 mission. The ship remained without communication for 47 minutes, but before disconnecting, the device transmitted to the center mission control new unusual photographic images of the moon.

Orion photographed lunar craters close-up from a distance of 110 kilometers above the surface of the moon, moving at a speed of 7500 km / h. In during the flight, the capsule was at a distance of 400,000 kilometers from Earth.





After starting the engines, Orion will go into orbit around of the moon and will remain in this orbit for about six days, and then launch again engines to move towards the house. According to the plan, the device will return to Earth 1 December. It is expected to land in the Pacific Ocean off the coast San Diego on December 11, completing a 25.5 day mission.



Despite the fact that the pictures were taken in black and white, noni give view incredibly detailed details of the cratered surface Moon. The previous photo from the Orion was his own selfie, which he made before the first approach to the moon. On a photo with a high resolution shows the cone-shaped vehicle module in the horizontal position towards the moon. The photo was taken with a camera, installed on the wing of the solar panel, during a routine self-examination ship on the third day of the Artemis 1 mission.



Even earlier, the ship made a stunning blue-marble image Earth nine hours after the start of his journey. On the image our planet is surrounded by swirling white clouds and blue oceans, and behind him opens the blackness of space. In addition, the picture shows parts orbital maneuvering system and solar battery wing.



The engineers expected that communication with the spacecraft would be lost, because he was behind the moon for about 34 minutes, but the loss of communication in off-hours was unexpected and lasted twice as long calculated.



“The team solved the reconfiguration problem on the ground. Engineers study event data to determine what happened, and the event officer management and data processing examines the data recorded on board Orion during shutdown, for use in the investigation, - NASA said in a statement. - "Orion" was not injured and remains in good condition."



The Orion spacecraft was launched using the Space Launch rocket System (SLS) in mid-November from the Kennedy Space Center on the island Merritt, Florida as part of the Artemis 1 mission - unmanned flight test ahead of the Artemis 2 mission involving of people.



The Artemis 1 mission is designed to show that the rocket and spacecraft Orion ready to take astronauts to the moon on future missions "Artemis 2" and "Artemis 3". This launch marks the first step realizing the goal of the US space agency to return people to the surface of the moon for the first time in half a century. If successful for the mission followed by a human flight around the moon in 2024. At the same time, according to NASA plans, future missions will follow in the footsteps of Neil Armstrong first woman and first colored astronaut. The problem of the mission "Artemis 1" numerous delays faced by the new lunar rocket NASA. Her first launch date has been repeatedly pushed back from August. However less, after fuel leak problems, engine problems and waiting out two hurricanes, the $4 billion SLS finally went into orbit.