NASA’s Orion spacecraft flew past the moon on Monday, December 5, 2022. (NASA via AP)
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UPDATED 5:58 PM PT – Monday, December 5, 2022
NASA’s Orion capsule will return home after completing its un-manned mission to the Moon.
On Monday, NASA provided live coverage of the spacecraft’s flyby of the Moon. The live feed showed the spacecraft harnessing the gravity of the Moon and accelerating back towards Earth.
Orion began its return to Earth on Dec. 1st after exiting a lunar orbit thousands of miles beyond the Moon where NASA had been testing its systems. This was conducted to better understand the spacecraft before sending out astronauts to Moon and beyond for future missions.
Officials at the space agency gave an update on its Artemis mission Monday, showing the capsule flying by the dark side of the Moon.
In a live coverage of its return to Earth, Orion is expected to splashdown off the coast of San Diego on Sunday. The Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) recovery team from NASA, along with the U.S. Navy, will recover the spacecraft.
One day in the solar system: Here are a few views captured – today – by @NASA spacecraft. 
This is the Moon and the distant crescent Earth as seen today by the @NASA_Orion spacecraft during the #Artemis I mission. https://t.co/vbuOpAPQ2Z pic.twitter.com/Ak046fMVmO
The next scheduled mission for the spacecraft will be 2024. It will include astronauts on board.