Artemis II update: Where are its astronauts? When will NASA's mission reach moon? All FAQs answered

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Artemis II mission lifted off at 6:35 pm ET on Wednesday, April 1, from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The 322-foot Space Launch System (SLS) rocket provided the immense thrust needed to send the Orion spacecraft, carrying the astronauts, on its journey. Generating 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, the SLS is the most powerful rocket NASA has ever flown, delivering roughly 17% more power than the Saturn V used during the Apollo missions.

Where are Artemis II mission astronauts?

After lifting off successfully from the Kennedy Space Center, the Orion capsule spent its first day in high Earth orbit conducting crucial system checks. The Artemis II astronauts continue orbiting Earth in NASA’s Orion capsule, approximately 184 times higher than the International Space Station.

What will happen on Artemis II mission day 2?

According to NASA’s mission blog update, the crew was scheduled to wake around 7 am. ET on Thursday, April 2, after roughly two hours of rest. Next, the astronauts are set to prepare Orion for a maneuver to raise the spacecraft’s perigee, the point in its orbit closest to Earth. This adjustment will position Orion for a four-day journey toward the moon, known as a translunar injection burn.

On the second day, the crew is set to perform a translunar injection burn to send the spacecraft toward the moon, according to USA Today. By April 6, astronauts Victor Glover, Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, and Reid Wiseman are expected to break the distance record set by Apollo 13 while looping around the lunar far side.

When will Artemis II mission reach moon?

The Artemis II mission is projected to approach the moon roughly five to six days after its launch on April 1, placing the lunar flyby around April 6 as the spacecraft enters the moon’s sphere of influence.

Artemis II: Crew members who will achieve firsts

Looking ahead, the four crew members, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, and Victor Glover, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, are set to travel farther into space than any humans in history. The mission will mark several milestones: Glover will become the first Black man to approach the moon, Koch the first woman, and Hansen the first Canadian to reach this region.

What to expect on Artemis II mission 10th day?

As per a Bloomberg report, on the tenth day of the mission, the capsule will reenter Earth’s atmosphere, and the astronauts will descend under parachutes, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. A recovery ship, along with NASA and US Navy divers, will rendezvous with the capsule to retrieve the crew from the water.