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NASA's Orion captures closest image of moon's surface

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NASA has released black and white pictures of the moon which were captured Monday by the Orion spacecraft.

The pictures were taken during the capsule's closest approach to the moon which was within 80 miles above the lunar surface, NASA said.

Orion is part of the Artemis 1 mission, a 25-and-a-half day journey that will take the capsule more than 40,000 miles beyond the far side of the moon.

NASA said on Monday that the capsule traveled about 57,287 miles beyond the moon.

If all goes according to plan, on Saturday, Orion should surpasses the record set by Apollo 13 for the farthest distance traveled by a spacecraft designed for humans when it's 248,655 miles away from Earth.

NASA said Orion should and reach its maximum distance from Earth of 268,552 miles on Monday.

No humans are currently on this flight, but that'll change if the Artemis II mission goes well.

Orion should be returning to Earth on Dec. 11, NASA said.