NASA’s Orion spacecraft returns to Earth after historic moon mission

A NASA capsule carrying three test dummies from the moon back to Earth has landed, clearing the way for astronauts to travel on the next lunar flyby.

The Orion capsule needed to land successfully to stay on track for the next manned flight around the moon, which is expected in 2024.

That will be followed by a two-person lunar landing.

Astrophysicist from Swinburne University, Dr Sara Web, says “it’s the right time”.

“We now have technology that is exponentially better than anything we dreamed of in the Apollo mission,” she told Tony Jones, filling in for Neil Mitchell.

Press PLAY below to hear when astronauts are next expected to land on the moon

Image: Mario Tama/Getty Images