Artemis II crew enters moon’s gravitational grip ahead of historic flyby
Nasa’s Orion capsule will be just over 4,000 miles above lunar surface, allowing astronauts to see both poles
TL;DR
- The Artemis II crew is set to perform the first flyby of the moon's far side in over 50 years.
- This mission will bring astronauts to the furthest point from Earth ever reached by humans.
- The crew entered the moon's sphere of influence, where its gravity is stronger than Earth's.
- The mission aims to capture thousands of pictures, including views of a total solar eclipse from behind the moon.
- The flyby is scheduled to beat the distance record set by Apollo 13 astronauts in 1970.
- Artemis crew will be over 4,000 miles above the lunar surface, enabling views of regions near both poles.
- The free-return lunar trajectory uses gravity to reduce fuel needs.
- The mission includes a planned 40-minute communications blackout as the spacecraft passes behind the moon.
- The crew has already captured images of the moon's distant surface, including the Orientale basin.
- Charlie Duke, an Apollo 16 astronaut, delivered a wake-up call, encouraging the Artemis crew.
- Nasa is focused on gathering data from the Orion spacecraft's life support systems, as it's the first time astronauts have flown it.
- The mission's data is crucial for subsequent missions, including Artemis III and IV, aiming for a lunar landing by 2028.
- The multibillion-dollar Artemis program seeks to establish a long-term US presence on the moon and prepare for potential Mars missions.
- The Artemis II mission will conclude with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on Friday.