NASA’s Orion splashed down west of Baja California near Guadalupe Island|NASA|Public Domain

NASA’s Orion capsule made a blistering return to Earth on Sunday, completing its 25-day trip around the moon. The splashdown occurred 50 years to the day of the Apollo 17 moon landing.

Before splashing down west of Baja California near Guadalupe Island, Orion hit the planet's atmosphere at a tremendous speed of 25,000 miles per hour while external temperatures reached about 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

The uncrewed Orion is part of the Artemis I mission and its successful reentry and landing paved the way for future astronauts on the next lunar flyby.

NASA hopes to launch Artemis II by 2024 with humans onboard, and Artemis III by 2025, which would attempt to put boots back on the moon.