NASA: Orion captures stunning images of the Earth and Moon

NASA's Orion spacecraft captured new images of the Moon and Earth during its return home. The spaceship will splash down on Sunday, December 11 in the Pacific Ocean.

Its second and final approach to the Moon was captured at 10:43 a.m. CT Monday before its return ignition. At 5:29 pm CT that same day Orion was registered traveling 244,629 miles from the Earth and 16,581 miles from the Moon, at a speed of 668 miles per hour.

Engine ignition is the last major step of the mission and only smaller trajectory corrections remain to target Earth. The spacecraft traveled more than 80,788 miles across the lunar surface.

"The lunar flyby enabled the spacecraft to harness the moon's gravity and slingshot it back toward Earth for splashdown," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said on Monday in a statement. "When Orion re-enters Earth's atmosphere in a few days, it will come back hotter and faster than ever before: the ultimate test before we put astronauts on board. Next up, re-entry!"