Artemis I Mission Highlights

From launch to splashdown, NASA’s Orion spacecraft completed its first deep-space mission with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, west of Baja California, at 9:40 a.m. PST (12:40 p.m. EST) Sunday. The record-breaking Artemis mission traveled more than 1.4 million miles on a path around the Moon and returned safely to Earth. Splashdown was the final milestone of the Artemis I mission, which began with a successful liftoff of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket Nov. 16, from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Over the course of 25.5 days, NASA tested Orion in the harsh environment of deep space before flying astronauts on Artemis II. During the mission, Orion performed two lunar flybys, coming within 80 miles of the lunar surface. At its farthest distance during the mission, Orion traveled nearly 270,000 miles from our home planet, more than 1,000 times farther than where the International Space Station orbits Earth, to intentionally stress systems before flying crew. Prior to entering the Earth’s atmosphere, the crew module separated from its service module, which is the spacecraft’s propulsive powerhouse provided by ESA (European Space Agency). During re-entry, Orion endured temperatures of about 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit, half as hot as the surface of the Sun. Within about 20 minutes, Orion slowed from nearly 25,000 mph to about 20 mph for its parachute-assisted splashdown. During the flight test, Orion stayed in space longer than any spacecraft designed for astronauts without docking to a space station. While in a distant lunar orbit, Orion surpassed the record for distance traveled by a spacecraft designed to carry humans, previously set during Apollo 13.

Select music courtesy of Gothic Storm Publishing

[peterlutz]

I was a young boy when we had the Mercury and Gemini programs, then a teen and young man during the Apollo moon Program, then the STS program, I'm so glad that FINALLY we are doing some serious space exploration again! Well done! A near flawless mission.

[humbleguy]

For those who gave their lives so that space exploration may continue, you were never far from our thoughts. A new chapter begins.

[BlackBuck]

Watching lift-off reminded me of a shuttle launch I attended. As anyone who has had that experience knows there are really no words adequate to describe the emotions. I wish I had been at the Artemis launch, must have been something else. (Even so - I was right back there.) Well done NASA, after all the trials and tribulations a massive success, and congrats to the many, many contributors.

[jdrailfan]

All I will say is that I bet Neil is giggling from wherever he is now, at this. I’m sure that if he were here today, he would be the proudest person on the planet.

[ejicon]

Beautiful recap. EXCELLENT WORK by everyone who was involved in this project/mission.

[pinoylowbudgetproductions]

Love that Carl Sagan Reference at 11:40. Now I am gonna listen to the Pale Blue dot over and over again❤

[xmunky-]

that image at 11 minutes is really amazing

[DonBurke]

Congratulations on an amazing flight. Many historic images were captured as well.

[ManaBDew]

A day to remember our Heroes & families for breakthroughs in space exploration
🎊 Godspeed sincerely

[henergynow]

Awesome accomplishment, Go NASA and all the teams, suppliers, technitions who made this a reality.

[Baqusia]

Thank you NASA scientists! You bring back my faith in to science 🙏 . I was missing the real first perfect photo of the planet we are living on so much! I was so upset that it has been all these years and noone did what you do. Amazing job!

[maynardewm]

Pretty incredible that now we can do this perfectly the first time.

[blackefeltsch]

The perspective at 6:50 somehow terrifies me. Seeing the Earth in the bottom right corner so small compared to the moon yet so close but so tremendously far away. I don't know.

Being able to see it in front of you as if it's right in front of you but actually it's unreachable. Scary.

[josemariamartindiaz]

Great NASA! for the successful beginning of a new human moon exploration age.

[Zack-vqrd]

This is incredibly powerful and beautiful……. Exploring the infinite space….. ahhh man this is my DREAM

[Trestin]

It's awesome to see her flying and it not be an animation of lift off. Those graphics can be retired.

[GhostRyder]

Flat-earthers be like "These images are doctored up to make it look like Earth is round!"

[АлександрХорев-сл]

Many thanks to NASA!!! For these great shots! We don't show anything in Russia!!! Very informative, We love you!

[Good.London]

I do believe in this footage but I do find it weird that you can see no stars

[CatalinElton]

Please, please tell me if I got the attitudes right:

1. Outbound Powered Flyby burn: Posigrade burn (opposite of Apollo) nose of spacecraft pointing forward.

2. Distant Retrograde insertion burn: Posigrade burn, nose of spacecraft pointing forward, to raise the Perilune.

3. Distant Retrograde orbit exit burn: Retrograde burn, nose of spacecraft pointing in the opposite direction of flight, to lower the Perilune and fly by close to the Moon.

4. Powered Return Fly By: Posigrade burn, nose of spacecraft pointing into direction of flight (Apollo like).

Many anymations but almost none correlate spacecraft attitude of burn with trajectory and orbit change

Please tell me if I got them right.