The first crewed test flight under NASA’s Artemis program is underway. Four astronauts – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen – are flying aboard the Orion spacecraft around the Moon and back, testing how its systems operate in deep space.
Launched on April 1 from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, the crew has been conducting live conversations with NASA’s Mission Control Center throughout their journey. The mission aims to evaluate the spacecraft’s performance and prepare for future lunar missions.
The Artemis II crew will conduct a series of tests, including manual spacecraft operations, life-support system checks, and navigation testing. They will also observe the lunar surface, take photographs, and participate in scientific experiments.
During their 10-day journey, the crew will travel over 695,000 miles from launch to splashdown, passing within 4,066 miles of the lunar surface. The spacecraft will reach a maximum distance of 252,757 miles from Earth, surpassing the record set by Apollo 13.
The mission is significant because it will verify the Orion spacecraft’s ability to sustain astronauts on long-duration missions and practice essential operations for future Artemis III missions.
Real-time updates on the mission can be found on NASA’s YouTube channel, while a live stream of views from inside the capsule is available on the agency’s website. The crew will also participate in several downlinks with news outlets and administration officials throughout their journey.
Source: https://www.nasa.gov/missions/nasa-answers-your-most-pressing-artemis-ii-questions