A nine-second burn in the early hours of 10 April fixed Orion's trajectory for splashdown, eliminating corridor uncertainty ahead of a 13-minute atmospheric passage.
Orion's entry path is fixed; splashdown sequence begins on schedule.
The 5.3 fps velocity change is small in absolute terms but critical in precision: entry corridor margins at lunar-return velocities are measured in fractions of a degree. A corridor too steep risks excessive g-loading; too shallow risks skipping off the atmosphere.
With RTC-2 locked, the trajectory is functionally final unless RTC-3 is commanded. Orion began its return from the lunar sphere of influence and NASA fired an earlier correction burn to set the baseline; RTC-2 closes that sequence.
Think of it like adjusting a dart throw inches from the board. The burn is tiny but the result matters enormously: it determines whether the capsule hits the atmosphere at exactly the right angle tonight.
The need for a two-burn trajectory correction sequence on the return leg; RTC-1 and RTC-2, with RTC-3 held in reserve; traces directly to the 25%-longer-than-planned third outbound burn on 5 April , which consumed additional propellant and introduced a baseline velocity offset that required subsequent trimming.
Lunar return trajectories are sensitive enough that perturbations from solar radiation pressure and the Moon's uneven gravitational field accumulate meaningfully across the three-day transit, making mid-course corrections standard practice regardless of the outbound anomaly.
Entry geometry is now fixed; trajectory is nominal for 8:07 PM EDT splashdown.
