NASA video shows what is seen and heard in lunar ship returning to Earth at speed of 40,000 km/h

A year after the completion of the Artemis-1 mission, NASA has revealed what it's like to be inside the Orion spacecraft during its return to Earth from the Moon. As part of the Artemis-2 mission, Orion will transport astronauts from Earth to lunar orbit and then bring them back to our planet. The spacecraft travels at a speed of around 40,000 km/h, and during its descent to Earth, it can heat up to 2760°C. These sensations—both auditory and visual—have been captured by the spacecraft's cameras.

With less than a year until the planned launch of the Artemis-2 mission, the NASA crew has already begun preparations for this historic journey. With each mission, NASA is increasing the number of milestones it aims to achieve. For instance, while Artemis-1 saw the unmanned Orion spacecraft orbit the Moon and return to Earth, Artemis-2 is planned to have a crewed Orion orbit the Moon on a different trajectory before returning to Earth.

Similar to SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft, NASA conducted tests of the Orion spacecraft's ability to transport crews during the Artemis-1 mission. Currently, astronauts are preparing for the journey around the Moon. Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen spent December practicing emergency exits from the spacecraft after landing.

The Orion spacecraft is designed to withstand extreme speeds and external forces during its return from the Moon. These parameters are typically higher and more substantial than those experienced by crews and cargo spacecraft flying to the International Space Station (ISS). Additionally, Orion uses an innovative "overshoot" maneuver to enter the atmosphere and reduce its speed. During this maneuver, Orion appears to "dive" into Earth's atmosphere, then gains altitude again. This allows the spacecraft to improve landing accuracy, enhance the performance of the heat shield, and reduce the G-forces experienced by astronauts entering Earth's atmosphere.

Similar to SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft, NASA conducted tests of the Orion spacecraft's ability to transport crews during the Artemis-1 mission. Currently, astronauts are preparing for the journey around the Moon. Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen spent December practicing emergency exits from the spacecraft after landing.

The Orion spacecraft is designed to withstand extreme speeds and external forces during its return from the Moon. These parameters are typically higher and more substantial than those experienced by crews and cargo spacecraft flying to the International Space Station (ISS). Additionally, Orion uses an innovative "overshoot" maneuver to enter the atmosphere and reduce its speed. During this maneuver, Orion appears to "dive" into Earth's atmosphere, then gains altitude again. This allows the spacecraft to improve landing accuracy, enhance the performance of the heat shield, and reduce the G-forces experienced by astronauts entering Earth's atmosphere.