Artemis II Moon Mission Progressing Smoothly
▼ Summary
– The Artemis II crew had their first extended family calls and conducted media events on the mission’s third day.
– They performed routine medical check-ins with Houston doctors, with no reports of space adaptation sickness.
– Commander Reid Wiseman shared a detailed photo of Earth’s night side, capturing auroras and zodiacal light.
– NASA officials confirmed the crew was in good spirits and that no corrective engine burns were needed after the translunar injection.
– The Orion spacecraft, following its main engine firing, is on course for a lunar flyby on Monday ahead of a scheduled splashdown on April 10.
The third day of the Artemis II lunar mission brought a welcome change of pace for the crew. With the critical translunar injection burn successfully completed, the four astronauts enjoyed a schedule with more personal time. They held extended video calls with their families, participated in several media engagements, and conducted routine medical check-ins with flight surgeons in Houston. Mission officials reported that all crew members remain in excellent health, with no issues related to space adaptation sickness.
Commander Reid Wiseman, along with crewmates Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, also had moments to capture the stunning views from their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman shared a remarkable long-exposure photograph of Earth’s night side. The image, a vivid testament to the mission’s unique vantage point, captured dual auroral displays and the soft glow of zodiacal light, with the distant Sun illuminating the planet’s far horizon.
NASA officials confirmed the mission is proceeding precisely as planned. Following the powerful engine firing that set the Orion spacecraft on its path toward the Moon, no trajectory corrections have been necessary. “They are in great spirits,” noted Lakiesha Hawkins, a senior NASA exploration official. “The team has been exceptionally busy, particularly in the lead-up to the translunar injection.” The spacecraft is now on course for its lunar flyby, with the closest approach to the Moon scheduled for Monday afternoon. The mission will conclude with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California on April 10.
(Source: Ars Technica)
