NASA Orion Captures Moon and Earth View That Looks Like an ‘Apollo 13’ Movie Poster

NASA’s moon-gazing Artemis I mission is formally on its approach residence. Orion carried out its final lunar flyby on Monday, setting it heading in the right direction for a splashdown again on Earth on Dec. 11. The spacecraft captured a sci-fi-worthy view of the moon and Earth because it zipped by. You may see it and suppose it seems a bit of acquainted, particularly if you happen to’re a Tom Hanks fan.

NASA shared stay views of the flyby, however one shot in particular is making the rounds. It reveals the moon looming giant, Orion catching the sunshine and a sliver of Earth within the distance. That’s not Mars you are seeing as a purple dot. It’s only a lens artifact.

Multiple area followers observed the picture’s resemblance to one of the main Apollo 13 movie posters, which reveals the Apollo spacecraft and a equally giant moon with Earth showing close to its curvature. 

The 1995 Ron Howard-helmed blockbuster movie starred Hanks and portrayed the harrowing journey of the 1970 moon mission that went awry. The crew aborted a deliberate lunar touchdown to take care of an oxygen tank failure. The astronauts survived the hazard and returned safely.

The Hollywood Apollo 13 poster reads, “Houston, we have a problem.” Fortunately, Artemis I hasn’t needed to echo that well-known line all these a long time later. The new mission hasn’t been flawless, but it surely has gone remarkably easily.   

Orion launched in a blaze of glory final month with an help from the large Space Launch System rocket. It’s since taken a visit out previous the moon and again as NASA checks the spacecraft’s techniques in preparation for a future crewed Artemis mission. 

The photos from the journey have been a spotlight. There are cameras mounted on the ends of Orion’s photo voltaic arrays, which have delivered some spectacular selfies together with scenic views of Earth and the moon.

While there’s been much to celebrate so far, one of Orion’s biggest tests will happen when it gets back to its home planet and aims for the ocean. It’s one thing to get off this rock and go for a jaunt around the moon. It’s another to get home safe. Apollo 13 managed the feat against great odds. Now it’s time for the first human-rated spacecraft of the modern moon exploration era to show us what it’s got.