Four astronauts are now on a free-return path around the Moon

Orion's main engine completed a 5-minute-50-second translunar injection burn, placing four astronauts on a free-return trajectory that will loop around the Moon on Monday and return for a Pacific splashdown on April 10.

Orion's main engine fired for 5 minutes and 50 seconds, sending the Artemis II crew on a free-return trajectory around the Moon. The burn took place about one day after launch on NASA's Space Launch System from Kennedy Space Center. It was the last major firing of Orion's main engine and marks a point of no return for more than a week. Human departures from low-Earth orbit have been rare in recent decades, last occurring during the Apollo program in 1972. Key details: - The translunar injection burn lasted 5 minutes and 50 seconds and set the spacecraft on a free-return path. - The four astronauts aboard are Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. - The mission launched Wednesday on NASA's Space Launch System from Kennedy Space Center. - Orion's life support systems, including carbon dioxide scrubbers and water systems, functioned well; a toilet priming issue was resolved after adding more water. - Pilot Victor Glover conducted a proximity-operations demonstration using Orion's 24 reaction control thrusters; all thrusters performed as intended with no failures. - Orion is scheduled to fly around the Moon on Monday, passing with about 20 percent of the far side lit at closest approach, and to splash down in the Pacific Ocean on April 10. Summary: The successful engine firing places Artemis II on a loop-around trajectory that will return the crew to Earth on the scheduled splashdown date. NASA describes the onboard tests, including propulsion and life support checks, as essential for confidence in Orion's handling for upcoming Artemis missions, including a planned Orion launch for Artemis III next year to rendezvous with lunar landers under development.