This amazing NASA video shows the exact moment the Artemis 2 Orion capsule broke free of its service module, and we can't stop watching it

The Orion capsule's heat shield was a big topic of discussion during the Artemis 2 moon mission, and for good reason: It was the key component of the spacecraft that kept the crew safe when they reentered Earth's atmosphere. The trajectory the Artemis 2 astronauts flew when Orion returned was different from the path taken by the uncrewed Artemis 1 mission's Orion spacecraft in late 2022. Unexpectedly high degrees of charring on Orion's heat shield during that mission led engineers to alter the spacecraft's course to prevent a recurrence on Artemis 2, but, as is anything untested in space, there is always risk involved. So, when the Artemis 2 livestream transmitted a pixelated view of Orion's separation from its European service module on April 10 and put the spacecraft's heat shield on full display, people marveled at the surprisingly reflective surface mated to the capsule's broad side. NASA's Artemis 2 Orion capsule separates from its service module shortly before reentering Earth's atmosphere on April 10, 2026. (Image credit: NASA) And everything worked out just fine: The Artemis 2 Orion and crew safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean just over a half hour later, and now NASA has released the high definition footage from their stage separation. "POV: You're coming home after a journey around the moon," NASA officials said via the Artemis program 's X account in a May 15 post . …