From NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, NASA previews the Orion spacecraft’s entry into the Moon’s sphere of influence and the pair of maneuvers that will propel the spacecraft into a distant retrograde lunar orbit. Briefing participants will include:

• Mike Sarafin, Artemis I mission manager, NASA Headquarters
• Jeff Radigan, flight director, Johnson
• Jim Geffre, Orion vehicle integration manager, Johnson

Orion’s entry into the lunar sphere of influence will make the Moon, instead of Earth, the main gravitational force acting on the spacecraft. Flight controllers will conduct an outbound powered flyby burn to harness the force from the Moon’s gravity, accelerate the spacecraft, and direct it toward a distant retrograde orbit beyond the Moon. During the outbound powered flyby, Orion will make its closest approach – approximately 80 miles – above to the lunar surface. Four days later, another burn using the European Service Module will insert Orion into distant retrograde orbit, where it will remain for about a week to test spacecraft systems.

NASA will provide live coverage of the outbound powered flyby on Monday, Nov. 21, at 7:15 a.m. EST. The burn will occur at 7:44 a.m., with Orion’s closest approach occurring shortly after at 7:57 a.m. Live NASA TV coverage of the distant retrograde orbit insertion burn on Friday, Nov. 25 will begin at 4:30 p.m. The insertion burn will occur at 4:52 p.m.

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Credit: NASA

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