What Is Distant Retrograde Orbit, And Why Is Artemis 1 Using It?

A square orbit. Now I've seen everything! Thanks for explaining.

My jaw dropped at that square orbit. Thats amazing.

The words "Three Bodies Problem" filled me with existential dread. The trisolarians are coming.

Really nice explanation. Reminds us that orbital mechanics involving multiple bodies starts to get really complicated really quickly, esp. when you factor in other key constraints like solar panel illumination and non-LOS-comms. Nicely done.

An amazing episode. The visuals provided a whole new context for the awe inspiring majesty of moon landings, and for just a moment I was a small boy watching those brave astronauts on Dad’s b/w TV. Today’s world exceeds my wildest boyhood dreams and every episode of your show expands my universe. Thank you.

Scott, your videos are amazing. I have a family member who is an engineer. He previously worked COTS, then on developing Gateway, and now he is leading a team devolving infrastructure to maintain a permanent station on the moon. He's way, way smarter than I. If it wasn't for your videos, I would be absolutely clueless every time he talks about his job. Some times, I say something to him that prompts a raised eyebrow and the question, "How the...[heck].. do YOU know that?" My response is always, "Tim Dodd told me," or "Scott Manley told me."

I love that all these new missions are planned, I just wish the time scale wasn't so long. Basically I am selfish and want to see them in my lifetime!

Love the time-lapse!!!! Thank you.

The best part of all of this is that Scott Manley put the Hubble Space Telescope into Distant Retrograde Orbit.

Wow why has noone else properly explained this? Amazing work again Scot.

Scott, very clear explanation and excellent graphics - that is why the community loves you! Eamon

It's already such a joy to hear how you say "the mün", but "I'm gonna züm in on the mün" is the best thing ever.

I have to admit I was feeling pretty hopeless in my comprehension until you put it into Sandbox, and then Bingo, it made sense! I guess I'm just more of a visual learner - thanks Scott!👍

To calculate this by hand must be outrageously difficult, but I guess somebody had to. Give that man a medal, he deserves it.

Keep going. I appreciate the humor in your sharing things that give my brain a little twist.

Thank you, Scott. What a great demonstration of what these difference orbits mean and do.

Nice job explaining and visualizing DRO, Scott! Thanks for all you do.

Scott, this is one of the best videos I've ever watched. In any category.

Scott, you explain these things so eloquently and with great visualizations.

The Gateway orbit is just insane. In order to make it easier to arrive and leave within certain windows, they're making an immediate abort to the station impossible unless they have the delta V to catch up, or it just happens to be that few hours orbital window when Gateway is passing over. And abort from the surface directly to earth obviously isn't possible.