Overview
- The four astronauts completed a single pass around the Moon late Monday, regained contact after about 40 minutes out of range, and started the return trip.
- Orion reached roughly 406,771–406,777 kilometers from Earth, beating Apollo 13’s 400,171-kilometer mark, and came as close as about 6,545–6,550 kilometers above the lunar surface.
- NASA assigned about 30 observation targets for a roughly seven-hour survey, with high‑resolution photos and video to be sent after stronger links allow larger data transfers.
- The radio blackout occurred because the Moon blocked line‑of‑sight signals to Earth, a planned test of crew autonomy with precedent in Apollo missions.
- The crew includes the first Black astronaut, the first woman, and the first Canadian to orbit the Moon, and they are due to splash down in the Pacific around April 11 after more system checks.