Orion Approaches Moon for Return Powered Flyby

art001e002130 Dec. 5, 2022 A portion of the Moon looms large just beyond the Orion spacecraft in this image taken on the 20th day of the Artemis I mission by a camera on the tip of one of Orion’s solar arrays. The return powered flyby burn committed Orion to a return to Earth trajectory ahead of a splashdown off the coast of California on Dec. 11. At its closest point, Orion flew within 80 miles of the lunar surface.