Artemis 1's Orion capsule still on track for Monday moon flyby - Space.com

Orion is performing even better than expected in deep space, Artemis 1 team members said.

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion capsule is exceeding expectations in deep space and remains on target to fly by the moon on Monday (Nov. 21), agency officials said. .

The Artemis 1 mission launched on Wednesday morning (Nov. 16), sending an uncrewed Orion toward the moon atop a huge Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.

This is Orion's first-ever journey beyond Earth orbit, but the capsule has been checking boxes like a veteran, mission team members said.

"Orion has been performing great so far," Jim Geffre, NASA's Orion vehicle integration manager, said during a press briefing on Friday afternoon (Nov. 18).

Related: Amazing views of NASA's Artemis 1 moon rocket debut (photos).

Live updates: NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission.

Thirteen anomalies, or "funnies," have been detected during Orion's cruise so far, mission team members said on Friday. .

While all of them deployed from the SLS upper stage as planned, only five are now behaving as expected, Artemis 1 mission manager Mike Sarafin said during the briefing.

Sarafin stressed, however, that he and other Artemis 1 team members don't have the best or most up-to-date information about the cubesats, which are independent spacecraft operated by a variety of different groups.

Sarafin also disclosed that Artemis 1's mobile launch tower was damaged somewhat by the SLS, the most powerful rocket ever to launch successfully. .

(Orion had one flight under its belt before Artemis 1, a 2014 test flight to Earth orbit atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket.) .

— See the 1st space views from moon-bound Artemis 1 Orion capsule (photos).

— Epic Artemis 1 rocket launch spotted streaking through Earth's atmosphere in satellite image!