Orion is about 100 miles above Earth and still accelerating at more than 17,500 mph, but will still need more power to reach the moon. Once in low-Earth orbit, its next key step is the trans-lunar injection -- a maneuver that will propel it 280,000 miles beyond Earth and 40,000 miles beyond the moon. That's farther than any spacecraft capable of crewed flights has ever gone.
That rocket stage will separate and deploy 10 small CubeSat satellites to help study the moon or travel deeper into space before they are consumed during an orbit around the sun.Flight Day 10-15: Orbit Around the Moon Orion has made it, carrying its cargo to lunar orbit. On Flight Day 11, Orion is set to make history. It is due to exceed the record distance set by Apollo 13 of 248,655 miles beyond Earth by about 30,000 more miles.Orion begins its return trip to Earth. Orion is now scheduled for a tentative splashdown on Dec. 11. The spacecraft will be hurtling toward Earth at 24,000 mph before gently splashing down in the Pacific Ocean near California.
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