NASA's Orion spacecraft leaves its distant lunar orbit

The Earth and its moon are seen from NASA's Orion spacecraft on November 28, 2022 in this photo provided by NASA. On November 25, Orion and its three test dummies entered lunar orbit, more than a week after it launched on the first flight of the Artemis program. NASA's Orion spacecraft left its distant lunar orbit and is on its return trip back to Earth, according to LOS ANGELES.

On Thursday, Orion conducted an engine burn to propel the spacecraft out of its distant lunar orbit.

The burn is one of two maneuvers required ahead of Orion's splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on December 11, according to NASA.

The second event will occur on December 5, when the spacecraft will fly 126.7 kilometers above the lunar surface and perform the return powered flyby burn, which will commit Orion to its course toward Earth.

This screengrab from NASA TV shows NASA's Orion capsule, left, near the moon, right, Nov 21, 2022. The Earth is at the center. Orion was launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on November 16th, and was launched from NASA's Space Launch System rocket.

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