Home / Science / Artemis II Speeds Toward Moon: A Giant Leap 53 Years Later
Artemis II Speeds Toward Moon: A Giant Leap 53 Years Later
6 Apr
Summary
- Artemis II astronauts will soon enter lunar sphere of influence.
- The crew will surpass Apollo 13's distance record of 248,655 miles.
- Astronauts will observe approximately 35 lunar surface features.
Early Monday morning Eastern time, the Artemis II astronauts are set to enter the moon's sphere of influence as its gravitational pull surpasses Earth's. This marks the acceleration phase for their spacecraft towards the primary objective of the 10-day mission: a close flyby of the moon. This will be the first time astronauts have had such a close view of the moon in over 53 years.
During their journey, the four-person crew, including members from NASA and the Canadian Space Agency, will travel farther than any human before them. They are expected to surpass the 248,655-mile record previously set by Apollo 13. Following this, the astronauts will dedicate hours to observing and documenting around 35 distinct features on the lunar surface.
Communications with the Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, will briefly cease at 6:47 p.m. on Monday as it passes behind the moon, reaching a maximum distance of 252,760 miles from Earth. Upon regaining contact, the crew will experience an event reminiscent of the iconic 'Earthrise' photo, as they witness Earth emerging from behind the moon. Additionally, they will observe a 53-minute solar eclipse caused by the moon obscuring the sun.
While the mission progresses, engineers are addressing some issues with the Orion spacecraft. Astronauts have regained unrestricted use of the toilet, though the wastewater system's functioning in a vacuum remains under investigation. A burning odor reported earlier in the mission also has no identified cause yet. Despite these technical challenges, the focus remains on the scientific observations and historic journey around the moon.
