Space unpacking: NASA starts pulling out the contents of the Orion spacecraft

Experts from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have begun removing the contents of the Orion spacecraft, developed by Lockheed Martin for the Artemis lunar program. The capsule spent several weeks in space and returned to Earth a month ago.

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On November 16, 2022, the Orion spacecraft with a Space Launch System (SLS) rocket set out on a trip around the moon. On Dec. 11, it entered Earth's atmosphere, dropped speed with a heat shield and dropped into the ocean, descending by parachute.

In late December, with the combined efforts of trucks, humans and the USS Portland, the spacecraft was transported to the Kennedy Space Center. And now the personnel have begun unpacking the lunar capsule, which has traveled more than 2 million kilometers during its journey.

Orion has already lost its Snoopy toy, which played the role of a weightlessness sensor. Also, the experts took out three dummies. With their help NASA will learn how to maximize the protection of astronauts during manned missions.

By the end of the week staff of the space center will pull out nine modules with avionics. The equipment will have to undergo a recovery course. The same avionics will be used in 2024 during a manned flight in the Artemis II mission. In addition, experts need to get rid of hazardous materials that are on board the ship. All this will take "some time.

If experts find the answers to all the questions posed to the mission Artemis I, the Orion will travel again next year. The ship will once again travel the same route, but with a crew on board. In 2025, if everything goes according to schedule, the Starship will land people on the moon as part of the Artemis III mission.

Source: space