NASA sends four astronauts on a historic 10-day lunar mission, marking a major milestone in its Artemis program and deep space exploration goals
NASA’s Artemis II, the first crewed mission of the Artemis program, launched from Kennedy Space Center to the moon on April 1.
The mission sent NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen on an approximately 10-day journey around the moon.
On Day 3, according to NASA, the first of three smaller engine firings—known as the outbound trajectory correction—will take place, ensuring the Orion remains on course for its path around the moon. The burn was scheduled to begin in the morning, shortly after the crew’s midday meal.
During the mission, the crew will carry out a range of system checkouts and demonstrations. Glover, Koch, and Hansen will demonstrate CPR procedures in space, while Wiseman and Glover will inspect elements of Orion’s medical kit, including a thermometer, blood pressure monitor, stethoscope, and otoscope.
Koch will also test Orion’s emergency communications system using the Deep Space Network. The full crew will later rehearse the sequence of scientific observation activities planned for flight day six, when Orion reaches its closest point to the moon.
