orion_image.jpg Orion snapped this high-resolution selfie in space on November 18, 2022, with a camera mounted on its solar array wing during a routine external inspection of the spacecraft on the third day into the Artemis I mission. Credits: NASA

NASA will host a news conference at 5 p.m. EST Monday, Nov. 28, from the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss the status of the uncrewed Artemis I flight test as the Orion spacecraft reaches the mid-point of its Moon mission and its farthest distance from Earth at nearly 270,000 miles away.

Orion entered a distant lunar orbit on at 4:52 p.m. EST Friday, Nov. 25, where the spacecraft will remain for about a week to test systems in a deep space environment about 40,000 miles above the lunar surface before beginning the journey back to Earth. 

NASA will provide live coverage of the briefing on NASA Television, the agency’s website, and the NASA app.

Participants will include:

• Bill Nelson, NASA administrator  
• Mike Sarafin, Artemis I mission manager, NASA Headquarters
• Rick LaBrode, flight director, NASA Johnson
• Howard Hu, Orion Program manager, NASA Johnson

Media wishing to join in the news conference in person must request credentials from the Johnson newsroom no later than 1 p.m. at: 281-483-5111 or jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov.

Media interested in participating by phone must also contact the Johnson newsroom no later than one hour before the start of the call.

NASA also will hold a briefing at 5 p.m. EST Wednesday, Nov. 30, to preview plans to exit the distant retrograde orbit and begin the journey back to Earth. NASA TV coverage of the first of two maneuvers to exit lunar orbit, called the distant retrograde orbit departure burn, will be Thursday, Dec. 1, at 4:30 p.m. The burn is schedule to occur at 4:53 p.m.

Following a successful launch on NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, Artemis I is testing the Orion spacecraft on a rigorous mission in the extreme environment of deep space around the Moon before flying astronauts on Artemis II in 2024. Artemis includes a series of increasingly complex missions that will enable human exploration at the Moon where the agency will prepare for future missions with crew to Mars.

Learn more about the Artemis I flight test at:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-1

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Press Contacts

Kathryn Hambleton
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
kathryn.hambleton@nasa.gov

Leah Cheshier
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
leah.cheshier@nasa.gov

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