US EditionArtemis Mission Approaches Lunar Loop for First Flyby Since 1972
The four astronauts will document the Moon and test Orion systems as they surpass Apollo 13’s distance record, NASA said.
- On Monday, the Artemis II crew entered the Moon's gravitational influence, beginning their lunar flyby and positioning themselves to break the distance record of 248,655 miles from Earth, surpassing Apollo 13's 1970 mark.
- Commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen pilot the Orion spacecraft on this historic 10-day mission, with officials confirming the journey is progressing "incredibly well."
- Astronauts have begun photographing the Moon's Orientale basin, sometimes called the "Grand Canyon." Koch said, "It's very distinctive and no human eyes previously had seen this crater until today, really, when we were privileged enough to see it."
- NASA administrator Jared Isaacman noted the crew completed a manual piloting demonstration and is testing the "Orion crew survival system" suits, which provide emergency air for up to six days.
- Isaacman said this mission data is "pretty paramount to set up for subsequent missions like Artemis 3 in 2027," and after witnessing a solar eclipse near the Moon, the crew will return to Earth for a Friday splashdown.
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35 Articles
The ship is already in the lunar influence region
Artemis crew nears Moon’s gravity tipping point in historic flyby mission
The Artemis astronauts were approaching a key milestone in their journey to slingshot around the Moon, a historic NASA mission that will see the first woman and first person of colour perform a lunar flyby.
Artemis II Approaches First Crewed Moon Flyby Since 1972
NASA’s Artemis II mission is nearing a historic lunar flyby, marking humanity’s first crewed journey around the Moon since 1972. NASA’s Artemis II mission entered a major new phase on Monday as the Orion spacecraft crossed into the Moon’s gravitational sphere of influence, meaning lunar gravity is now stronger than Earth’s pull on the capsule. The milestone marks a crucial step in humanity’s first crewed journey around the Moon in more than 50 y…
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