NASA Artemis II astronauts in ‘great spirits,’ space agency officials say, as mission nears moon
Friday is the Artemis II mission’s third official day as it makes a 10-day journey around the moon and back
NASA has launched four astronauts on a pioneering journey around the moon—the Artemis II mission. Follow our coverage here.
NASA’s Artemis II mission has been in space for nearly 48 hours as it heads toward the moon. During a press conference on Friday, NASA officials reported that the astronauts on board—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, and Christina Koch—are doing well and are “in great spirits.”
Lakiesha Hawkins, acting deputy associate administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, stated at the press conference that the astronauts are very enthusiastic about their mission. “There are many exciting activities happening alongside all the hard work,” she remarked.
Friday marks the third official day of the mission’s 10-day journey around the moon and back. On Thursday, the spacecraft executed a translunar injection burn, successfully setting its course toward the moon’s far side. The success of this maneuver led Houston Mission Control to cancel a smaller correction burn scheduled for that night, as the Orion capsule is well on track. This adjustment will instead be incorporated into a planned burn the following day.
On supporting science journalism
If you’re enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
The destination is now visible: “It was amazing to wake up and see the full moon through the window at the front of the vehicle,” Wiseman shared during NASA’s livestream of the Orion capsule earlier on Friday. “There’s no doubt about our direction now.”
Wiseman and his fellow astronauts are the first to leave Earth’s orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972, the last crewed mission to the moon.
The astronauts have spent Friday resting, exercising on the capsule’s flywheel machine, and eating. They also had an opportunity to communicate with their families. Later in the day, the crew was scheduled to participate in life-support activities, including a zero-g CPR training session.
NASA is also looking forward to the astronauts’ observations of the moon’s far side during Monday’s scheduled six-hour science observation period. Officials anticipate that around 20 percent of the far side will be visible, allowing astronauts to photograph features never before seen by human eyes, including the full Orientale Basin, Pierazzo Crater, and Ohm Crater.
“Human eyes can perceive details more effectively than cameras, even with a telephoto lens,” noted NASA’s Artemis flight director Judd Frieling during Friday’s press conference. “That kind of observation is crucial for scientists, even from distances as far as 4,000 miles.”
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can’t-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world’s best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.
.
