How does NASA’s Orion capsule return to Earth, how does it travel through Earth’s atmosphere? | space

SPACE – NASA’s Artemis 1 mission began with the launch of the Orion capsule by rocket into space on November 16, 2022. After nearly a month of flight around the moon, the capsule will undergo a complicated return journey.

The return journey on Sunday (12/11/2022) will not be easy. Orion will pass through the Earth’s atmosphere, which usually burns meteorites until they burn out. Then, she must deploy a set of parachutes to land safely above sea level. Obviously at a distance that US Navy ships can reach.

Whatever the Orion capsule throws tomorrow, it will be a record for NASA to continue the mission on Artemis 2, which will take astronauts around the moon in 2024. Then Artemis 3, with Orion and its passengers landing on the lunar surface in 2025.

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These are the eight main scenarios for tomorrow’s Orion landing:

1. The Orion capsule is separate from the service module

The first major event in Orion’s return to Earth was the separation of the crew capsule from its service module. This service module built by the European Space Agency (ESA) contains the thrusters, engines and solar arrays used during Orion’s time in space.

“Orion’s capsule will separate from its service module around 12:00 EST (1200 GMT, Monday), about 40 minutes before touchdown,” NASA said.

2. Briefly jump from the Earth’s atmosphere

After removing the obsolete service modules, Orion will perform a jump maneuver from the edge of the Earth’s atmosphere. The capsule would use its protective shell, along with the associated elevator to jump, like a rock on the surface of a lake. Maneuvers like this were not yet possible in the Apollo program. However, advances in spacecraft navigation make it possible today.

“The jump-in will help Orion land closer to the U.S. coast, where the recovery crew will wait to bring the spacecraft back to earth,” Chris Madsen, head of Orion’s navigation and control subsystem, said in a statement. released by NASA. .

This maneuver will also reduce the risk of friction in the Artemis program in the future, which astronauts will experience after the Orion capsule is a passenger. This input jump will reduce the acceleration load for the astronauts so they have a safer and smoother journey.

3. Enter the earth’s atmosphere