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Splashdown! NASA's Orion Returns to Earth After Historic Moon Mission

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, December 11, 2022

"The splashdown of the Orion spacecraft which occurred 50 years to the day of the Apollo 17 Moon landing is the crowning achievement of Artemis I.

Key Points: 
  • "The splashdown of the Orion spacecraft which occurred 50 years to the day of the Apollo 17 Moon landing is the crowning achievement of Artemis I.
  • During the mission, Orion performed two lunar flybys, coming within 80 miles of the lunar surface.
  • During re-entry, Orion endured temperatures about half as hot as the surface of the Sun at about 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • "Orion has returned from the Moon and is safely back on planet Earth," said Mike Sarafin, Artemis I mission manager.