A Journey Beyond Earth
In the past three days since the first crewed lunar mission in 50 years launched, the Artemis II astronauts have traveled over 160,000 miles away from Earth and are steadily approaching the moon. This historic mission marks a significant step in humanity’s exploration of space.
Artemis II took off on April 1 at approximately 6:35 p.m. ET, carrying NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Hammock Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The 10-day mission aims to take the crew farther into space than anyone has ever gone before.
On April 4, the crew was preparing for a lunar flyby, which is the next phase of the Artemis II mission. This phase will involve the spacecraft passing around the moon and returning to Earth. It’s important to note that Artemis II won’t be landing on the moon; that achievement is planned for Artemis IV in 2028.
“We can see the Moon out of the docking hatch right now. It’s a beautiful sight,” Koch said, according to a NASA update at midnight on April 4.
Current Location of the Artemis II Mission
At about 9:30 a.m. on April 4, the spacecraft carrying four astronauts was approximately 161,700 miles away from Earth and continuing to gain distance by the second. It was traveling at a speed of 2,510 mph and was about 116,600 miles away from the moon.
Those interested in following the crew’s exact movements can use NASA’s Artemis II tracker. This tool, known as the “Artemis Real-time Orbit Website” (AROW), provides real-time data on how far the Orion capsule is from Earth, its distance from the moon, and its speed.
The tracker uses data collected in real time by sensors on Orion that are sent to the Mission Control Center in Houston. The website is continuously updated, allowing users to see moment-by-moment updates to the space mission’s position.
What Are the Astronauts Doing on April 4?
On April 4, Orion was more than halfway through its journey to the moon, according to NASA. The crew is working on preparations for the lunar flyby, which is scheduled for Monday, April 6. Early in the morning of April 4, the astronauts were asleep, having started a napping period at about 4 a.m. ET. The ground team will wake them up at around 12:35 p.m.
Over the past day, the crew members have been engaging in various activities such as exercising, practicing medical response procedures, and testing the spacecraft’s emergency communications system in deep space.
A planned trajectory projection burn, which would have fine-tuned Orion’s velocity and trajectory, was canceled on the evening of April 3 because the trajectory was already on the correct flight path, according to NASA. Two more course-correction burns are still scheduled.
Preparations for the lunar flyby phase include stowing equipment in the cabin, setting up cameras, and practicing the choreography of moving in microgravity within a space about the size of two minivans. The flyby on April 6 will be a six-hour period when the sun, moon, and Orion will be aligned, allowing the astronauts to see about 20% of the moon’s far side, which is not visible from Earth. They will witness features of the moon that have never been seen by unaided human eyes.
