Nasa’s Orion capsule reaches moon on way to record-breaking lunar orbit

Milestone in $4.1bn test flight that began last Wednesday after Orion launched into space atop massive Artemis rocket

Nasa checked off another crucial milestone on its first crew-capable moon mission for 50 years early on Monday with the Orion capsule of Artemis 1 buzzing" the moon as it made its closest approach to the lunar surface of the 25-day space flight.

The pass, 81 miles above the far side of the moon, was followed by a critical engine burn to place the spacecraft on a pathway to a wide lunar orbit 40,000 miles further on, the farthest a human-rated vehicle has ever traveled from Earth.