The moon's curves are just 80 miles above the surface of the lunar surface, which is where the Orion spaceship had an intimate brush with on Monday.
After it emerged around the bend, NASA's moonship delivered some mind-warping photographs that flipped the script on our place in space.
We were the ones who got it.
"In this view, we see 8 billion human lives, all existing upon our pale blue dot, our blue marble, our very own Spaceship Earth," said the commentator. "Orion is coming home."
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The engine was fired for 3.5 minutes to increase the moonship's speed. The maneuver was necessary to give the slingshot it needed to get back to Earth.
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Though no one is inside the spaceship for this 25-day voyage, a successful empty flight will clear the way for a sequel mission that will take place as early as 2024.
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One day, NASA wants to build a lunar-orbiting base, known as Gateway, and ferry astronauts back and forth to a moon camp, where it will send the first woman and person of color to walk on the moon. There are long stretches of time where astronauts will conduct research.
The agency will keep a single eye on the red planet for 140 million miles. The goal is to send people to Mars.
During Monday's flyby, NASA lost contact with its craft as it crossed behind the moon and used its gravity to accelerate. The signal from the Deep Space Network is blocked by the moon. Immediately after, mission control regained contact.
The space agency expects the craft to land in the Pacific on December 11.
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