Four astronauts aboard the Artemis II mission are hurtling toward the Moon this Friday, April 3, marking the first time humans have ventured beyond Earth’s orbit in over half a century. Following a successful translunar injection burn late Thursday, the crew has officially transitioned into deep-space operations, settling into a rhythm as they prepare for a historic lunar loop.
The Orion spacecraft, carrying NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, was approximately 99,900 miles from Earth at wakeup on Friday. The crew is currently traveling at a speed of 161,750 statute miles as they approach the lunar surface. The milestone commits NASA to the first crewed lunar flyby since the Apollo program concluded in 1972.
The mission reached a critical juncture late Thursday with a “flawless” six-minute engine firing. The Orion capsule’s engine provided enough thrust to accelerate the craft to a trajectory that will loop the Moon as part of the 10-day mission. In the moments following the burn, Jeremy Hansen remarked that “humanity has once again shown what we are capable of.“
During their second full day in space, the crew is slated to perform their first outbound trajectory correction (OTC) burn at 6:49 p.m. This eight-second maneuver will fine-tune Orion’s path, ensuring the spacecraft reaches the precise point required for upcoming lunar operations. Despite minor initial hurdles, including a communication issue and a malfunctioning toilet, the crew reported they are in high spirits. Christina Koch, who jokingly referred to herself as the “space plumber,” noted that the toilet is “probably the most important piece of equipment on board,” adding, “we were all breathing a sigh of relief when it turned out to be just fine.”
The astronauts have begun acclimating to their microgravity environment, which they described as being roughly the size of two minivans. Between conducting equipment checks and exercising on the spacecraft’s flywheel device to prevent bone loss, the crew has been captivated by the view. Koch described the experience as “breathtaking,” stating, “There’s nothing that prepares you for the breathtaking aspect of seeing your home planet both lit up bright as day, and also the Moon glow on it at night with the beautiful beam of the sunset.“
As the mission progresses, the lunar science team in Houston is busy selecting geologic features for the crew to observe during their flyby on Monday, April 6. The alignment of the Sun, Moon, and Orion will allow the astronauts to see approximately 20% of the Moon’s far side, including features never before seen by unaided human eyes, such as the Orientale basin and the Pierazzo and Ohm craters.
The Artemis II mission is a cornerstone of a broader international effort to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon. It also marks several historic firsts, including the first woman, the first person of color, and the first non-American to embark on a lunar mission. From his vantage point in the cosmos, Victor Glover offered a message of unity to those back on Earth: “You look amazing. You look beautiful. From up here, you also look like one thing. We’re all one people.”|
