NASA, video of the Orion spacecraft catching fire as it returns to Earth

the NASA Recently revealed a wonderful one video The capsule appears Orion It penetrates the Earth's atmosphere at an amazing speed 11 kilometers per secondIt exceeds the speed of sound by more than 32 times. Offering an unprecedented visual spectacle, these images are from last year's Artemis 1 mission, a project that captured the attention and admiration of audiences around the world.

During the unmanned Artemis 1 mission, which was launched last November with the aim of reaching LunaNASA was able to test its massive new space launch system. This system not only aims to return humans to lunar soil, but also aspires to achieve it Marty In the future. The centerpiece of this mission was the Orion spacecraft, a partially reusable spacecraft designed to hold up to four astronauts.

During its 25-day mission, six of which were in lunar orbit, Orion was sent into the completely empty space. on board, 16 cameras They documented every stage of the journey and recorded breathtaking images. Upon its return, Orion made a spectacular reentry into Earth's atmosphere, generating a bright trail of plasma and performing a “jumping” maneuver similar to a stone jumping on water.

Chris CombsAn aerospace engineer at the University of Texas at San Antonio, a close collaborator with NASA, provided further explanation of the phenomena observed in the video. According to Combs, the accidental explosions are due to the burning of ribbon fragments and the activation of control engines, which are essential elements for the spacecraft's stability during reentry.

Artemis II from the outside

The culmination of the Artemis 1 mission was the safe landing of the Orion spacecraft in the Pacific Ocean.December 11, 2022Thanks to the help of parachutes. This event was not only a success for NASA, but also a major advance in space technology. In fact, the “jump” technique during re-entry will allow more precise control of the landing point for future missions.

Furthermore, Orion set a new record, moving 434,500 kilometers away from Earth, a distance never before achieved by a human spacecraft. This feat represents a historic moment in the space race and paves the way for more ambitious future missions. NASA has already planned this mission Artemis IIplanning for November 2024, which this time will include a crew aboard Orion. This mission will represent another decisive step in humanity's journey towards space exploration beyond Earth's borders.

On this day last year, NASA's Orion spacecraft reentered the atmosphere after completing a distance of 1.4 million miles in 25.5 days. #Artemis I'm on a mission around the moon. Watch the full video here: https://t.co/0Rn7eRETua pic.twitter.com/gX95N8Kz5J

— Orion spacecraft (@NASA_Orion) December 11, 2023