This morning, the Orion capsule entered the orbit of the Moon, and will reach the point of maximum proximity to the natural satellite at night. The mission includes critical moments such as temporarily losing signal while passing behind the Moon and capturing a total solar eclipse from space.
The US Embassy in Bucharest released two photos
The US Embassy in Bucharest published two spectacular photos of the planet Earth, along with the following description:
“‘Hello World’. Today, the crew of the Artemis II mission will reach their closest approach to the Moon, as well as their maximum distance from Earth, taking humanity further into space than it has ever gone before.” show the post published on Facebook.
According to representatives, the moment will also be available on NASA’s official website, here.
The Artemis II mission reaches lunar orbit
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman emphasized the relevance of this test to the future of space exploration:
“Mission is central to a lot of what we do at NASA. Our job here is to try to unravel the secrets of the universe, and one of the most important questions we ask ourselves is: Are we alone? A defining aspect of our scientific efforts, of exploration, even of building a base at the South Pole of the Moon, at some point, where we will be able to incorporate telescopes that will help us continue this great quest.”
Regarding the 41-minute blackout, Isaacman said:
“I would say that the communication blackout is not really a very stressful time for us. It’s actually quite common to have such blackouts. In fact, I think on my most recent mission in space I had almost 24 hours where communication capability was limited. So that’s not the main area of concern. I would say we’re more focused on the ecosystem, the life support system of the spacecraft.”
The event will be live on Facebook from 20:00 Romanian time
Astronauts of the Artemis II mission are about to make history. NASA representatives have created an event on Facebook where it will be possible to watch live the moment when the astronauts will reach the point of maximum proximity to the Moon. The live broadcast can be found HERE and will start at 20.00 Romanian time.
“Watch with us as they fly around the moon. The crew — consisting of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, as well as CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen — will come within 4,000 to 6,000 miles of the moon’s surface as they circle the far side of the moon. They will be the first people to see parts of the moon with their own eyes.” writes NASA in the description of the event.
10 days in space, zero gravity: how Artemis 2 astronauts eat, sleep and go to the toilet
The astronauts are also on track to set a record for the longest distance traveled by someone from Earth, surpassing the current record – 248,655 miles – set in 1970 by the crew of Apollo 13.
“One Last Look at Earth Before We Go to the Moon”
NASA has constantly updated the public on the progress of the astronauts on the Artemis II mission.
“There are no days off when you’re on the way to the moon. This last photo from our Artemis II mission shows NASA astronaut Christina Koch right after training as she prepares for tomorrow’s lunar flyby. The second image shows Earth as a thin, glowing arc in the dark of space. From the crew’s perspective, home looks small and distant, but we hope they can feel our collective hope and excitement as they continue their journey to the moon.” writes NASA on social networks.
“One last look at Earth before we reach the Moon. This image of Earth was captured on April 5, the fourth day of the Artemis II mission, from inside the Orion spacecraft. The four astronauts will reach their closest approach to the Moon tomorrow, April 6.”
Daily challenges for the crew on board: “Camping” in space with toilet problems
Life aboard Orion is not without technical hiccups, with the crew facing a blockage in the waste management system.
First manned mission around the Moon since 1972: Artemis II astronauts set off for Earth’s natural satellite on historic 10-day journey
Judd Frieling, flight director, explained the situation: “During the night, we attempted to ventilate the waste water tank connected to the toilet. We encountered problems due to a suspected blockage, possibly caused by ice. So, we instructed the crew to use the emergency collapsible urine devices during the night, just as they did on the first day of flight.”
Debbie Korth, Assistant Program Manager “Orion”, added that such difficulties are inherent in new technologies: “I think space toilets and bathrooms are something that everybody can understand. We’re using them in flight for the first time; Apollo didn’t have that kind of technology on board. So it’s always a challenge. There are still problems with toilets on the Space Station. It’s just a very complicated thing to do.”
Despite these issues, team morale remains high, as John Honeycutt, head of the flight management team, says: “It’s a bit like space camping, but camping becomes a bit more difficult when the toilet isn’t working at full capacity. But they’re fine and they’ve trained to handle the situation.”
