• Pommes_für_dein_Balg@feddit.org
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      8 days ago

      The previous moon missions all went into orbit around the moon (except for Apollo 13). This one only does a free return trajectory without completing a full moon orbit.
      Which means it loops around at greater distance and will be further away from the moon and from earth than previous manned moon missions.

      So they’re doing less than before and making it sound like it’s a new milestone.

      • NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world
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        8 days ago

        So I didn’t know that, but I looked it up and its 3.8cm a year.

        The moon isn’t always the exact same distance from earth either, so that extra distance is pretty negligible compared to where it was on any given previous mission, that his statement isn’t necessarily true.

    • Azzu@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      8 days ago

      Yes, they do around a 4500km height flyby at the back side of the moon, Apollo I think did below 1000km at the highest, so like 3500km farther away (+ moon orbit perturbations).

      • NotANumber@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        8 days ago

        Before this mission the furthest humans have been was Apollo 13 which essentially did a flyby like this one. This one will do a similar manoeuvre but slightly further away from earth.