NASA Orion capsule returns from test flight to moon

NASA’s Orion capsule made a blisteringly fast return from the moon Sunday, parachuting into the Pacific off Mexico to conclude a test flight that should clear the way for astronauts on the next lunar flyby.

The incoming capsule hit the atmosphere at Mach 32, or 32 times the speed of sound, and endured reentry temperatures of 2,760 degrees Celsius before splashing down west of Baja California near Guadalupe Island.

NASA hailed the descent and splashdown as close to perfect, as congratulations poured in from Washington.The long-term plan would be to launch a Mars expedition by the late 2030s.